Pennsylvania 'advanced age' population balloons as number of kids shrinks
When a new Legislature gets to work in Harrisburg next year it will grapple with a state financial picture in which the ink is mostly red - but the bigger picture is that Pennsylvania continues to turn gray. The school-age population in the state shrank by more than 3% in the five years ending in 2025 and will shrink at even greater rates between now and 2035, according to a new report from the state Independent Fiscal Office. Meanwhile, the "advanced age" category increased by nearly 10% in the same stretch and will continue growing at a rate of 18% or more. Lawmakers in Harrisburg ...