Aging Ohio: The Impact of Demographic Change on State Fiscal Policy

By Jon Honeck, Senior Fellow
Matt Bird, Public Policy Assistant
Regionomics LLC

October 22, 2014
Prepared with support from The Cleveland Foundation

Executive Summary
Ohio 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.