Aging Ohio: The Impact of Demographic Change on State Fiscal Policy
By Jon Honeck, Senior FellowMatt Bird, Public Policy AssistantRegionomics LLC
October 22, 2014Prepared with support from The Cleveland Foundation
Executive SummaryOhio will undergo an unprecedented demographic transformation over the next 20 years. By 2035, seniors—people age 65 or older—will comprise nearly one-fourth of the state’s population, the same proportion as children. The number of working-age adults will decrease. These trends will have a profound impact on the state’s fiscal condition, creating a scissors- effect that will lower revenue and increase spending. This report provides a detailed analysis of the impact of these trends on the sales and income taxes, the state’s Medicaid program, and the homestead property tax credit.