WASHINGTON: The US population is aging so fast that by 2030 the number of Americans over 65 will outnumber youths under 18 in several states, says the US Census Bureau. In 2000 no state had more retirement-age persons than minors, not even states known as retirement havens, such as Florida. But in 25 years, 10 states, Florida, Delaware, Maine, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, Vermont, West Virginia and Wyoming, the aged will outnumber the youths.

The retirement-age population will double by 2030 in 26 states, which is more than half of the 50 US states.

The so-called baby boomers, a demographic bulge made up of post-World War II children, will be in their 80s by then.

In hard numbers, the Census Bureau said, there will be 363.6 million Americans, a rise of 29 per cent over 2000.

Three states, all with good weather and often attractive to retirees, will by 2030 be home to 46 per cent of the US population growth, it said. Florida, California and Texas will need to find space for 12 million more residents.

The states of the south and west will grow the most, it added. By 2030, 65 per cent of the US population will live there, compared with 58 per cent in 2000. Just 35 per cent of the US population will live in the northeast and midwest, while 42 per cent lived in the northeast in 2000.—AFP