Mapping The Median Age In Each US State

In 2022, the median age for the United States as a whole was 39 years, but the median age by state has a lot more variance.

Some states have more work or school available for younger workforces and families. Others have better work or retirement support for older populations, or are struggling to attract families.

Visual Capitalist’s Nick Routley maps the median age of each U.S. state using the latest 2022 data available from the U.S. Census Bureau as compiled by StatsAmerica.

Ranking The Oldest U.S. States by Median Age

Overall, Maine had the highest median age by state in 2022 at 45 years old. That puts it on the higher end and in line with countries like Italy and Greece.

Here are all states and Washington D.C. ordered from the oldest to youngest by median age:

Rank
State
Median Age (2022)
1
Maine
45
2
New Hampshire
43
3
Vermont
43
4
West Virginia
43
5
Florida
43
6
Delaware
42
7
Connecticut
41
7
Pennsylvania
41
9
Hawaii
41
10
Rhode Island
41
11
Wisconsin
40
12
New Jersey
40
12
Oregon
40
12
South Carolina
40
15
Michigan
40
15
Montana
40
17
Massachusetts
40
18
New York
40
19
Ohio
40
20
Maryland
40
21
Alabama
39
21
Kentucky
39
23
Illinois
39
23
Missouri
39
23
North Carolina
39
23
Wyoming
39
27
Tennessee
39
28
New Mexico
39
28
Virginia
39
30
Minnesota
39
30
Nevada
39
32
Iowa
39
33
Arizona
39
34
Arkansas
39
35
Mississippi
39
36
Washington
38
37
Indiana
38
38
Louisiana
38
39
South Dakota
38
40
California
38
41
Colorado
38
42
Georgia
38
42
Kansas
38
44
Idaho
37
44
Nebraska
37
46
Oklahoma
37
47
Alaska
36
47
North Dakota
36
49
Texas
36
50
District of Columbia (D.C.)
35
51
Utah
32

Overall we can see that Northeast states have the highest median ages, along with West Virginia and Florida.

On the flip side, Utah (32 years) and Washington D.C. (35 years) were the youngest American states or jurisdictions by median age. Utah’s is closer in line to the global average, which was 31 years of age in 2020 according to UN estimates.

Zooming in, most states see significant differences at the county level, with cities, colleges, and natural resource sites generally lowering the median age in a county.

For example, the energy industry attracted a significant number of younger workers to North Dakota, Texas, and Alaska. Meanwhile, the rapid growth of retirement communities in Florida’s Sumter County gives it the nation’s highest median age at 68 years old.