Maine Has a Shortage of Young People… And That’s a Problem

Alright, Mainers - keep your dentures in, 'cause we have some news for you.

It's no secret that Maine the is the oldest state in the union - our median age here is 43.5 years, which is noticeably older than the national average of 37.4. However, unlike most of the country, that age is only getting older. While that might explain the abundance of Buick LeSabres in our fine state, it also presents a problem for the future of Maine's work force. According to WCSH6, experts say that the situation is growing more severe by the day, and that Maine is in serious need of more young people to keep the state's industry and economy alive.

A recent study found that there are roughly 100,000 fewer people in Maine between ages 0-20 than there are between the ages of 40 and 60, meaning that when the older of those two groups starts retiring, there will be a serious shortage of new faces to fill those jobs. Maine's leaders in education, business, and government are putting their heads together to figure out how to make Maine more attractive to young people from out of state, and to keep the youth we already have here to stay and work. We at WCYY recommended free hoverboards for every person under 25 that moves here... But something tells us they won't be taking that suggestion.

What do you think would be a good incentive to attract and retain young people in Maine? Let us know in the comments!