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Show Population by Age Table 4. Percent of Population by Age Age Year Utah U.S. Utah has the highest percentage of population under age 5. Utah has the lowest percentage of population aged 18-64, and the second lowest percentage of population 65 and over. The median age in Utah is over 7 years younger than in the U.S. Utah's age distribution plays a large role in making Utah's population seem healthy. Younger populations have lower mortality rates and utilize fewer health care resources than older populations. In addition, hospital stays of older people are generally longer and costlier than those of younger people. For these reasons, states with older populations are likely to appear worse in measures of health care utilization and costs. Use of age-adjusted data provides a more realistic and fair comparison of these measures. However, while age-adjustment is commonly used in reporting mortality data, it is infrequently used in the reporting of other health care measures. Table 4. Sources: Utah: Utah State Economic Coordinating Committee (1997). Economic Report to the Governer 1997. Salt Lake City. p.70. Utah State Economic Coordinating Committee (1992). Economic Report to the Governor 1992. Salt Lake City. p. 120. U.S.: United State Bureau of the Census (1992). Statistical Abstract of the United States: 1992 (112th ed.). Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office, p. 19. Table . Sources: Governor's Office of Planning and Budget (1999). Economic Report to the Governor. Available:[Online] http://www.governor.ut.us/dea U.S. Census Bureau (1999). Statistical Abstract of the United States 1998. Availible: [online] http://www.census.gov < 5 years 1980 13.0 7.2 1990 9.8 7.5 1995 9.4 7.5 2000 9.8 N/A 5-17 1980 24.0 20.9 1990 26.6 18.2 1995 25.2 18.7 2000 22.5 N/A 18-64 1980 55.5 60.6 1990 54.9 61.8 1995 56.6 61.1 2000 59.1 N/A 65+ 1980 7.5 11.3 1990 8.7 12.5 1995 8.8 12.8 2000 8.7 N/A Median 1980 24.0 30.0 Age 1990 26.0 32.8 1995 26.8 34.3 1997 26.9 34.9 Figure 1 ;e Distribution 1980 80 -| 55.5 60.6 ¦ Utah ? U.S. Percentage of Population 60 -40 -20 -0 - ; 13.0 7 .2 24.0 20.9 ¦ n 7.5 H.3 , ___d--------1 . Under 5 ¦ i 5 to 17 18 to 64 65+ Figure 2 Age Distribution 1990 80 -| 54.9 61.8 ¦ Utah ? U.S. Percentage of Population 60 -40 -20 -0 - ! 9.8 7 ¦¦Hi- .5 ------1 26.6 18 .,wmr .2 H+. ¦ D 8.7 12-5 , ^mJ----1 , Under 5 5 to 17 18 to 64 65+ 52 |