Over the last decade, the population of the United States increased by 7.4%, according to the 2020 Census.
Sadly, we’re not seeing that growth here. Allen County is down by 6.3%, along with just about all of rural America. Our population is now just below 12,500.
The growth is concentrated in the cities and came primarily from Hispanics, Latinos and Asians, which now comprise 42% of the population, with whites at 58%.
Curiously, a big sector of growth came from those that identify themselves as belonging to two or more races. These multi-racial numbers more than tripled in the last decade, from 9 million to almost 34 million and account for 10% of the population.
I read this as a beautiful sign of greater understanding and acceptance among us. 
This diversification is also what keeps us young-ish. The share of children in the U.S. declined because of falling birth rates, while it grew for adults, driven by aging baby boomers. Those 65 and older comprise 16.5% of the population.
Still, we’re a far cry from the old gray mare, Japan, where close to 30% is over 65 — the oldest population in the world.
As a result, programs like Social Security and Medicare are increasingly restricted. If a country doesn’t have enough young people to work and pay taxes, such benefits are simply too costly.
Japan’s population is in a downward spiral for primarily two reasons.
One is that women are choosing their careers over starting a family primarily because Japanese society remains stuck in the Dark Ages when it comes to men accepting greater responsibilities in child rearing and household duties.
If a woman is expected to not only have a career but also carry the burden of raising children and maintaining the house, then something’s gotta give.
Japan’s government now projects that unless the birth rate changes, the country’s population of 126 million will fall below 100 million by 2053.
The second reason Japan is desperate for more young and strong backs is that until only a few years ago its doors were closed to non-Japanese immigrants.
Even now, the restrictions on immigration are severe, and frankly, inhospitable: Workers cannot bring their families and stays are limited to five years with no paths to citizenship.
Besides helping keep a country young, the best argument for welcoming those from abroad is that it makes for a diverse country, which in turn makes it stronger.
