Decrease in proportion of children in US population

The percentage of US population who are children declined slightly, as well as the number of children living in the United States, according to the annual America’s Children: Key National Indicators of Well-Being, 2013,report.

However, according to the report, the percentage of Asian, non-Hispanic and children who are two or more races in the United States increased. The population of children who are white, non-Hispanic and black, non-Hispanic decreased.

By 2050, half of the population aged 17 years and younger is projected to be Hispanic, Asian or two or more races. Among the population that is aged 17 years and younger, 36% will be Hispanic, 6% will be Asian and 7% will be two or more races.

Other findings in the report include:

A drop in percentage of infants born preterm for the fifth year in a row; 12.8% in 2006 to 11.7% in 2011.
Decrease in births to adolescents; 17 per 1,000 girls aged 15 to 17 years in 2009 to 15 per 1,000 in 2011.
Decrease in percentage of births to unwed mothers aged 15 to 44 years; 40.8% in 2010 to 40.7% in 2011.

For a complete list of findings see the full report.

For more information:

NIH. America’s Children: Key National Indicators of Well-Being 2013 Report. Available at: http://www.childstats.gov/pdf/ac2013/ac_13.pdf. Accessed July 16, 2013.