In the United States, age follows a normal distribution, which means that most people tend to be around the average age, with fewer individuals at the extremes (very young or very old). With a mean age of 46 years and a standard deviation of 13 years, we can classify the population into various age groups.
Children are defined as those younger than 18 years. This group is crucial for many societal aspects, such as education policies and child welfare programs. To dive deeper, we note that up to one standard deviation below the mean (i.e., 46 – 13 = 33), a significant portion of the population would be young adults and teenagers, but still, the official classification for children remains under 18 years old.
On the other hand, middle-aged citizens are often classified as those aged between 45 and 65 years. This classification is rather fluid but generally includes individuals who are in their career peak and are often raising families or caring for aging parents.
In summary, in the context of a normal distribution of age in the United States:
- Children: Younger than 18 years
- Middle-aged citizens: Typically between 45 and 65 years old
These age classifications help in understanding demographic trends and making policies that cater to the different needs of these groups.