Maine Is The ‘Oldest’ State, Utah The ‘Youngest’

Across the U.S., age profiles vary widely by region.

This map, via Visual Capitalist’s Niccolo Conte, highlights those differences using the most recent nationwide estimates.

The data for this visualization comes from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS) 2024 1-Year Estimates.

It reports the median age for each state and the District of Columbia.

The Oldest States Are Concentrated in the Northeast

The national median age stands at 39.2 as of 2024.

Rank
State
Median age overall
1
Maine
44.9
2
Vermont
43.9
3
New Hampshire
43.6
4
West Virginia
42.9
5
Florida
42.7
6
Delaware
42.1
7
Hawaii
41.5
8
Montana
41.3
9
Connecticut
41.2
10
Pennsylvania
41.2
11
Rhode Island
41.0
12
Oregon
40.8
13
South Carolina
40.7
14
Wisconsin
40.7
15
Michigan
40.4
16
Wyoming
40.2
17
Massachusetts
40.1
18
New Jersey
40.1
19
New York
40.1
20
New Mexico
39.9
21
Maryland
39.8
22
Ohio
39.8
23
Alabama
39.6
24
Nevada
39.5
25
Arizona
39.4
26
Illinois
39.4
27
Missouri
39.4
28
North Carolina
39.4
29
Virginia
39.4
30
Kentucky
39.3
31
Mississippi
39.3
32
Minnesota
39.2
33
Arkansas
39.1
34
Tennessee
39.1
35
Iowa
39.0
36
Louisiana
38.7
37
South Dakota
38.7
38
Washington
38.7
39
California
38.4
40
Indiana
38.3
41
Colorado
38.0
42
Georgia
38.0
43
Kansas
38.0
44
Idaho
37.8
45
Nebraska
37.4
46
Oklahoma
37.4
47
North Dakota
36.7
48
Alaska
36.3
49
Texas
35.9
50
District of Columbia
34.9
51
Utah
32.5
—
U.S. Median Age
39.2

New England and nearby states dominate the top of the ranking. Maine leads the country with a median age of 45, followed by Vermont and New Hampshire at 44. Several other northeastern states—including Pennsylvania, Connecticut, and Rhode Island—also exceed 41.

These older age profiles reflect long-term trends such as slower population growth, lower birth rates, and limited in-migration of younger workers.

The Sun Belt Shows a Mixed Demographic Picture

Many Sun Belt states cluster near the national average, but with some exceptions.

Florida stands out with a median age of 43, driven by its large retiree population. In contrast, Texas has a median age of 36, reflecting faster population growth and a younger workforce.

Meanwhile, states like Arizona, Nevada, and North Carolina sit close to 39.

Younger Populations Dominate the West and Plains

The youngest states are largely found in the West and Great Plains.

Utah is the clear outlier at 33, supported by higher fertility rates and larger households. The District of Columbia also skews young at 35, due in part to a concentration of working-age adults.

If you enjoyed today’s post, check out Ranked: Renters vs Homeowners by State on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.