Final answer:
By 2030, it is projected that over 20 percent of the U.S. population will be aged 65 or older due to the aging baby boomer generation, marking a significant demographic shift with implications for healthcare and policy.
Step-by-step explanation:
By 2030, more than 20 percent of the population of the United States will be aged 65 years or older. The aging demographic, commonly referred to as "the graying of America", has been experiencing a significant increase. In 1900, only about 4 percent of the total U.S. population was over sixty-five years old. However, by 2013, the Census Bureau reported that 20% of the U.S. population was over 60 years old. As the baby boomer generation continues to age, the elderly population has been expanding. This demographic trend is not just a statistical phenomenon but has important implications for healthcare services and policy decisions.