US News

These are the 7 states that are getting younger

There’s only a handful of states that are getting younger — and that’s mostly because of people moving to join the shale revolution.

The Census Bureau reported Thursday that just seven states had a younger median age in 2013. North Dakota, with a decline of 0.6 years between 2012 and 2013 and the center of the Bakken shale energy boom, led the way. Four other Great Plains states (Montana, Wyoming, South Dakota and Oklahoma) also dropped. Alaska and Hawaii were the only other states seeing their population get younger.

As the baby boomers age, the nation as a whole grew older — with a median age of 37.6 years, up a tenth from 2012.

• The oldest median age by county was in Sumter, Fla., at 65.5. The youngest was Madison, Idaho, at 23.1.

• By state, Florida had the highest percentage 65 and over (18.7%), followed by Maine (17.7%). Alaska (9%) and Utah (9.8%) had the lowest.

• California had the largest Hispanic (14.7 million) and Asian population (6.1 million) by number, and New York had the largest black population (3.7 million). By percentage, New Mexico had the largest Hispanic population (47.3%), Mississippi the largest black population (38.1%) and Hawaii the largest Asian population (56.3%).

• The 85-and-over crowd grew by 3%.

• Only 10 states had males as the majority, led by Alaska at 52.4%. Delaware had the highest percentage of females at 51.6%.