New England Board of Higher Education » Demography

Limping to the Top

John O. Harney — Fri, 21 Jun 2013 18:23:32 +0000

New England is aging ... but gracefully?

Last week, the Census Bureau reported that three New England states are the oldest in the U.S. in median age: Maine (43.5 years), Vermont (42.3 years) and New Hampshire (42 years). The other states in the region are old too: Connecticut (40.5 years); Rhode Island (39.8 years) and Massachusetts (39.3 years), compared with a national median age of 37.4 years.

New England's aging has been rapped before as a threat to regional economic growth. See our Fall 2004 Connection piece (before the journal was rebranded as NEJHE) noting that the region was "perceived as 'old and cold'—and no longer viewed as a major competitive threat by other parts of the United States."

Not everyone is sold on the self-pitying brand of competitiveness. Former Providence Journal editorial page editor Bob Whitcomb commented on our item on aging: "Some might see the aged population of the three northern New England states as an unvarnished drawback. However, the states are notable for their very low crime rates, beautiful natural environments, good healthcare indices and indeed high overall quality of life. I see many advantages to such regions in the fact that the median age is rising there and population growth is slowing to a crawl."

Asked Whitcomb: "Must everything be measured in terms of faster economic growth? And are there really too few people in the world?"

To judge from the congested highways around Boston, the answer is "no."

Still, the prevailing concern is that New England will suffer for lack of educated young workers.

Now, however, comes some vindication for Whitcomb's view that faster growth isn't everything.

This week, the Social Science Research Council published its 2013-14 report, Measure of America, showing that Connecticut and Massachusetts rank first and second nationally in the index measuring not only economic benchmarks but also various measure of health and educational attainment. Rhode Island ranks sixth; New Hampshire, 14th; Vermont, 15th: and Maine 25th.

New England may limp to the top yet. See the interactive maps.

John O. Harney is executive editor of The New England Journal of Higher Education.

With Population Aging, Who Will Power Economy?

John O. Harney — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 17:45:43 +0000

The oldest U.S. states in median age are: Maine (43.5 years), Vermont (42.3 years) and New Hampshire (42 years), according to newly updated data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The three remaining New England states are up there too: Connecticut (40.5 years); Rhode Island (39.8 years) and Massachusetts (39.3 years).

Nationally, the median age was 37.4 years.

More than 43 million Americans are age 65 and over—up more than 7% since 2010, compared with total population growth under 2%.

Moreover, more white people died in the U.S. last year than were born. That, on top of last year's revelation that minorities now account for the majority of babies born in the U.S., shows the nation will increasingly depend upon its young, largely minority population, to power the economy and the well-being of its aging white population, Brookings Institution demographer William Frey told The Washington Post.

Trends & Indicators: Demography

Daren Follweiler — Thu, 03 May 2012 13:00:23 +0000

Updated May 2012 ...

The six-state New England region's population grew by a sluggish 3.8% between 2000 and 2010—while the nation's as a whole grew by 9.7%, according to U.S. Census Bureau’s 2010 population figures released in December.

Among other highlights:

• United Van Lines, the nation’s largest household goods mover, classified four of the six New England states as “high outbound” (55% or more moves going out of the state) in 2011. They were: Rhode Island (56.3%), New Hampshire (56.1%), Connecticut (55.8%) and Maine (55.8%).

• For the first time in history, whites accounted for less than half of that total U.S. babies born during the 12-month period ending in July 2011. "Minorities"—Hispanics, blacks, Asians and babies of mixed race—accounted for 50.4%

• It's not your grandfather's New England. Exhibit A: The first Somali families moved to Lewiston, Maine, in late Jan. 2001. Ten years later, nearly 10 percent of the city's population is Somali.

• The Massachusetts population grew by only 3.1%—and the state was the only one in New England to lose a congressional district. Massachusetts had 16 districts in the early 20th century, but will sink to nine in the next Congress.

• As the U.S. population seeks warmth, Texas will gain four seats and Florida two. New York and Ohio will each lose two. Michigan will lose one.

• The historical shift in population from New England to the South and West has gradually brought with it political power, research dollars and college enrollment.

For other trend data, visit Newslink and Trends & Indicators: Continually Updated Stats on New England’s Education and Economy.

Figure DEM 1: Resident Population of New England and the United States: 2010 and 2000 Census