ABSTRACT
Population change and characteristics, such as the age and race/ethnicity composition of a population, play central roles in the distribution of a society's resources, particularly its distribution of income and the incidence of poverty. This chapter examines the characteristics of future populations and households and the implications of change in these characteristics for the growth of resources in the population of United States. Economic trends in the world and national economies are major factors that determine the total amount of income growth and resources in a society. Households reflect the aging of population. By 2050, 32.6 percent of all households would be headed by a person over the age of 65 compared to 21.7 percent in 1990. The projected patterns are ones that lead to reduced income levels and increased poverty. Unless the incomes of minority populations are increased, and their rates of poverty decreased, the projected patterns are ones that could lead to a substantial reduction in income growth.
