All articles tagged with #demographics
The U.S. job count fell by about 23,000 in July, but the unemployment rate dropped to 4.1% as more Americans left the labor force, with the labor-force participation rate sinking to 61.4% (the lowest since February 2021). The share of workers aged 25–54 also declined this year, suggesting underlying weakness in the labor market despite the headline improvement in unemployment.
A July Economist/YouGov poll shows Trump's job approval at 34% with a record -28 net, while 62% disapprove. The decline is strongest among Gen X, whites without a college degree, and independents. MAGA Republicans remain strongly supportive (+89 net), but non-MAGA Republicans and Independents have shifted negative (Independents at -53). He also trails on trade issues, with an overall -29 net on tariffs and trade perceptions.
A large Australian study of 6,400 participants logged 360,192 farts to determine how often people fart daily (about five on average, with a median of 3.8). Men fart slightly more than women, the 26–45 age group is the gassiest, and farts peak after dinner with smaller spikes in the morning, afternoon, and late evening. The findings are lower than some past estimates, likely due to nighttime logging gaps, and underscore that farting is normal—though excessive gas can hint at dietary sensitivities or health conditions.
Experts say the United States faces a historic labor shortage driven by population shifts and a skills gap among new graduates, not AI. AI’s rise is masking deeper issues in health care, construction, and other sectors that struggle to find workers. The Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce warns the trend could slow economic growth for years, while states pursue policies to attract and train skilled workers.
As colleges fret over AI-driven job shifts, economists warn the United States is headed for the largest worker shortage in history, driven by an aging workforce, a collapsing birthrate, and slower immigration, with millions more leaving the labor force than entering through the early 2030s. Shortages span health care, education, engineering, manufacturing and other sectors—many of which AI cannot fill—potentially pushing wages higher as policymakers scramble to respond.
A new ESS survey reveals Ethiopia’s population is undergoing rapid change, with faster urbanization, a growing youth bulge, and shifting fertility patterns, signaling implications for education, jobs, and social services and underscoring the need for targeted policy planning to address regional disparities.
A Realtor.com analysis of Census data shows a record 25 million young adults aged 18–34 lived with their parents in 2025 — about one in three in that age range — driven by persistently high home prices. The share rose after the pandemic-era price swings and remains high even as most of these adults are employed, with many having bachelor’s degrees. The age a person was during the pandemic shaped their housing trajectory: those who were 28–29 when rates were low in 2021 were likelier to own now, while those who were college-age then remain more likely to be shut out. The article also notes a federal housing law going into effect intended to ease the housing crunch.
The June labor-force participation rate fell to 61.5%, the lowest outside the pandemic era, suggesting a shrinking pool of workers rather than widespread discouragement. Aging baby boomers, tighter immigration policies, and AI-driven shifts in demand are constraining supply, with Indeed Hiring Lab forecasting about 5.9 million fewer workers from 2025 to 2032 and potential higher unemployment in AI-disruptive scenarios. Foreign-born workers still participate at higher rates than native-born, while aging sectors like health care and education face staffing bottlenecks that could slow the economy further.
NYT’s interactive map uses the Census Bureau’s 2019–2024 American Community Survey to show how Americans identify their ancestry across the country. Tap any area to see the blend of origins, with colors representing mixed ancestries. Data allow multiple ancestries and percentages may not sum to 100, with figures rounded; read more for full context.
A Mortgage Bankers Association report forecasts slower population growth, an aging population, and reduced immigration will dampen demand for new housing after 2035, potentially reversing years of supply-driven price gains and causing some markets to have more homes than buyers while others remain constrained; the regional impact will vary as builders continue to add new housing.
Bain & Company warns the U.S. auto market could decline by more than 2 million vehicles by 2040 due to slowing population growth, lower birth rates, high car prices, and shifting mobility preferences, with younger buyers delaying or forgoing new car purchases, longer vehicle lifespans, and potential delays in autonomous-vehicle adoption fueling intensified competition and industry consolidation.
Birth rates have fallen below replacement in many regions, shifting global focus from fears of overpopulation to the economic and social risks of aging and shrinking populations. With longer lifespans and fewer births, economies depend on a stable number of working-age people, prompting calls for a broad policy package—addressing housing, jobs, affordable childcare, gender equality, and climate action—to enable families to grow and sustain growth, while migration may mitigate depopulation where policy supports it.
NYC’s June 2025 primaries are seeing early voting fall by more than 50% from the previous year, despite multiple competitive races and Mamdani-backed candidates. Turnout skews older, with Manhattan outperforming Brooklyn, and districts featuring Mamdani endorsements showing mixed engagement. Through day four, about 385,184 of roughly 1.1 million total voters had voted early (about 35%), with five days left and turnout historically rising in the final weekend; overall, turnout is moving toward typical midterm primary levels as last year’s mayoral-driven surge recedes.
A Pew Research poll finds half of U.S. adults have used AI chatbots (25% daily), led by OpenAI’s ChatGPT at 44% usage; however, only 16% believe AI will positively impact society. Use is higher among younger and higher-income groups, and most people report using AI for information search (42%) and work tasks (38%). While 51% don’t use chatbots at all, 24% use them daily. Younger adults are more likely to use AI but also more likely to express skepticism about its societal benefits. Concerns about privacy and data security are widespread, with 71% worried AI could make their personal information less secure. The survey of 5,119 American adults was conducted Feb. 17–23.
A new study links the diffusion of smartphones, starting with the iPhone in 2007, to a meaningful drop in US fertility between 2007 and 2011—especially in counties with broad access and among teens and women in their 20s—though other experts caution that broader social, economic, and policy factors likely also contributed and the exact mechanism remains uncertain.