by Calculated Risk on 8/14/2013 01:21:00 PM

By request here is an animation of the U.S population by age (as opposed to by distribution), from 1900 through 2060. The population data and estimates are from the Census Bureau (actual through 2010 and projections through 2060).

Also - by request - I've slowed the animation down to 2 seconds per slide (and included a slower distribution animation below).

There are many interesting points - the Depression baby bust, the baby boom, the 2nd smaller baby bust following the baby boom, the "echo" boom" and more. What jumps out at me are the improvements in health care. And also that the largest cohorts will all soon be under 40. Heck, in the last frame (2060), any remaining Boomers will be in those small (but growing) 95 to 99, and 100+ cohorts.

Animation updates every two seconds.

Notes: Population is in thousands (not labeled)! Prior to 1940, the oldest group in the Census data was "75+".  From 1940 through 1985, the oldest group was "85+".  Starting in 1990, the oldest group is 100+.

The second graph is by distribution (updates every 2 seconds).