Booming Demographics: The Oldest Boomers Turn 80 This Year

So what birthday will you be celebrating in 2026? If you’re reaching the milestone of 80, congratulations, you’re at the head of the line of Baby Boomers entering this later stage of life. With the current average life expectancy being 78.9 years, you’re an “overachiever,” aligned with the competitiveness that many Baby Boomers have experienced over the years, as a huge demographic force that has changed society. Anyone born between the years of 1946 and 1964 is considered a Baby Boomer, and for a time, this generation peaked at making up 37% of the US population, with 72.5 million Boomers. Today, Boomers make up 20% of the population, with 67 million members. Currently, there are 14.7 million Americans aged 80 and over in the US, and that number is expected to double by 2045. As has happened throughout the history of Baby Boomers, boundaries have been pushed, and prior rules have been broken (in this case, “rules” about longevity and life expectancy).

By the year 2034, it’s anticipated that the US population over age 70 will eclipse the population under age 15, further aging our population as a whole and, with that, causing more challenges for society. While Boomers are a better educated, healthier, and more diverse older population than we’ve ever experienced as a country (which means we may have a wealth of wisdom and experience from our older population on which we can positively draw as we’ve never done before), we will also face challenges related to retirement planning and financing, chronic illness, and caregiving. With this newfound longevity, some may be able to afford a comfortable retirement, but many will be daunted by healthcare costs and rising poverty rates (older Americans are the only group to have experienced upswings in poverty in recent years). The latest data show that 15% of older adults lived in poverty in 2024, compared to 10.7% in 2021. Many Baby Boomers are working longer than previous generations, but many will also face a steep climb trying to pay for the long term care they will likely need. 

And even if you can afford long term care, the country already has a crisis of insufficient numbers of paid caregivers. A recent Op-Ed on Marketwatch estimated that those reaching 85 (likely a significant number of current Baby Boomers) will require nursing home care at 8x the rate of younger adults aged 65-74. Furthermore, it’s estimated that each year over the next decade, we will need 700,000 more home-health aides. Given the shrinking younger population and the decimated immigrant population, where are the caregivers that will be needed to assist aging Baby Boomers going to be found? With fewer workers paying into the Social Security and Medicare systems, and more people drawing on those systems for sources of support, Baby Boomers have been set up with one of the greatest challenges of their lifetimes, with no easy solutions in sight. Of course, the rarefied with money and power will be able to buy their way out of many of these challenges. But for those of us swimming in this deep demographic end, the potential for choppy waters and no life preservers is ever present.

However, on a lighter note, we are not alone. Many of the most famous among us- Dolly Parton, Cher, Henry Winkler, and several Presidents- are all in this Baby Boomer predicament. And some of our most cherished cultural phenomena have arisen during the life of Baby Boomers and have left indelible marks on American Culture. We may be facing challenges ahead, but we have been a force to be reckoned with when it comes to culture and creativity. For those of you with good memories and recollections of how life has evolved during the Baby Boom generation, go ahead and try your hand at a quiz on Pop Culture from PBS. You may have much to worry about, but you also have much to celebrate, knowing how strongly Baby Boomers have shaped American society.