The Ohio population is getting old. That's according to a study from Miami University. As WYSO's Emily McCord reports, at least a third of the population will be at least 60 years old by the year 2050.
It’s not exactly new news that Ohio’s population is aging, but this recent study shows that it’s happening faster than other forecasts predicted. Two years ago, none of the Ohio’s 88 counties had such a high percentage of people 60 years or older. Miami University’s Scripps Gerontology Center released the report. Shahla Mehdizadeh is a researcher at Miami University and she the says the reason is the economy
“Some of the working age population who couldn’t find work here picked up and left," says Mehdizadeh. "The younger people who are more mobile who have more opportunity on other places, they leave. And the people who stay behind are the older people or people with disabilities."
Mehdizadeh says it can put a strain on Ohio’s future since more older people need state assistance and because it’s happening so quickly, there’s little time to prepare. Rural communities see more youth leaving, but cities have also taken a hit. With the exception of Columbus, all of Ohio’s major cities report a loss of young people.