United States Age Structure

Question

In 2-3 sentences, propose one environmental, or economic factor that could explain why the Baby Boomer generation is so much larger than the Gen X, Gen Y, or Gen Z cohorts Predict how Gen Y and Gen Z will affect the age structure and growth rate of the United States and will change once Gen X reaches retirement ago (65+)

(4 points)

Use the passage to answer the question

This diagram depicts a population pyramid showing the age structure of the United States from 2016 to 2020. The age structure is broken down based on number of males and females, and the color-coded bars indicate the relative population size of each indicated generation: Baby Boomers, Gen X, Gen Y, and Gen Z

2016-2020

JEE

Male Female

A)

Age

75-79 +

70-74 65-69 1

60-64+

55-59

50-54 1

45-49 T

35-39 40-44

47

30-34

25-29 20-24

15-19

600 M

400 M

200 M

OM

200 M

Gen Z

Baby Boomer

Gen X

Gen Y

400 M

POPULATION PYRAMID: WORLD

10-14 5-9

04 I

Answer 1

One economic factor that could explain why the Baby Boomer generation is much larger than Gen X, Gen Y, or Gen Z cohorts is the post-World War II economic boom in the United States. This period of economic growth led to increased prosperity and stability, prompting many couples to have more children, resulting in the Baby Boom. Gen Y and Gen Z, with their smaller cohorts, may affect the age structure and growth rate of the United States by potentially leading to a smaller working-age population to support an aging population of Baby Boomers. Once Gen X reaches retirement age (65+), this trend may continue, exacerbating the challenges of supporting a larger elderly population with a smaller working-age population.