ABSTRACT
This chapter describes the impacts of projected population trends on business products and services. It illustrates some of the effects that future demographics will have on American business. Changing demographics have received extensive attention as factors differentially impacting savings, spending, and other financial characteristics of nations across the world. Businesses must pay close attention to the amount of discretionary income among consumers. The chapter examines impacts on two dimensions of housing: the impacts of demographic change on housing tenure and the impacts on total expenditures for owner and renter housing. The general expectation of slower growth in the US population and in households points to slower growing markets for many products and services. One area likely to be so impacted is the level of asset accumulation and changes in net worth that occur in the population as a whole and among specific population segments.
