THE FUTURE IS BROWN, NOT BLUE-BLOOD:

New England's Youth Pitch: Aging Population Spurs State Initiatives to Keep College Graduates From Fleeing (JENNIFER LEVITZ, 10/24/11, WSJ)

The loss of young people is one factor in New England's slow growth, which puts the region at the forefront of a nationwide aging trend. State leaders in the region say innovation depends on smart, young people and many officials see the signs of that base dwindling. Maine Gov. Paul LePage, a Republican, said last week that employers have been complaining to him about a shortage of skilled workers.

Another worry: potential loss of political clout. States that lost congressional seats after the latest census were primarily in the Midwest and Northeast, including Massachusetts.

New England's population grew 3.8% in a decade, the 2010 census found, compared with the U.S.'s 9.7% overall growth. The population continues to shift South and West because of a combination of weather, cost of living and relatively low-skilled jobs for newcomers, said Brookings Institution demographer William Frey.

With fewer people arriving, New England leads in the graying of its population. Of just seven states with a median age of 40 or older, four are in New England: Maine (42.7), Vermont (41.5), New Hampshire (41.1) and Connecticut (40.0). There are bright spots--Boston continues to gain young people--but each New England state saw a decline in the under-45 group. Meantime, Arizona's under-45 population jumped 16%.

Why retain the problem when you can so easily import new Americans who actually have families?

Posted by oj at October 24, 2011 7:20 AM
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