By the year 2050, the population of McKean County would fill a little more than half the seats at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, N.Y.
The Center for Rural Pennsylvania predicts a population loss of 8.1%, for a total of 37,123 residents of McKean County by the year 2050. In Elk County, the loss is predicted at 15.4%, for a total population of 26,154.
Potter County’s population loss is predicted at 9.3% for a population of 14,856, and Cameron County’s loss is predicted at 9.7% for a population of 4,091.
Sen. Gene Yaw, R-Wellsboro, chairman of the board for the center, said, “These projections reveal significant population and demographic changes forthcoming in Pennsylvania, and it is more important now than ever, to start the discussion on long-term solutions to not only preserve and sustain rural areas in the Commonwealth, but also help them to thrive.”
The data showed a population increase of 4.1% in urban counties, and a decline of 5.8% in rural counties.
“These projections also suggest a significant aging of the Commonwealth’s population, which
will have further ramifications for a wide range of policy issues, including workforce needs and trends, housing, health care, education, transportation and more,” read a report from the center.
The Baby Boomers are aging out of the workforce, causing the number of residents over the age of 65 to increase.
“This trend, contrasted with a declining statewide birth rate, means that rural Pennsylvanians over the age of 65 will soon outnumber those under 20,” the report read. “This shift in population has significant implications for workforce and economic planning, as governments and the private sector adapt to supporting more retired and elderly residents with a smaller workforce.”
The report continued, saying this trend is approaching quickly.
“It is important to note that Pennsylvania’s retirement-age population will peak in 2035, suggesting that the economic adjustments to support the aging population may require expedient action,” the report stated.
Planners and policymakers must be ready.
“Current demographic trends and the retirement of America’s largest generation suggest substantial economic pressures are coming in the next decade,” the report continued. Already troubled rural areas will see exacerbated pressures from the aging population.
Now is the time to start planning.
“While these challenges are significant, they are not insurmountable,” the report stated. “Communities across Pennsylvania should carefully consider the implications of these projections.
“Given the wide range of policies that are implicated by population change, long-term planning that incorporates the expertise of a variety of stakeholders — e.g., state and local officials, nonprofit groups, business and industry leaders, among others — will ensure that the Commonwealth is prepared for these changes, and that our rural communities remain resilient in the coming decades.”
