(KTLA) — The median age of Americans reached a record high of 38.9 years between 2021 and 2022, according to new data released by the U.S. Census Bureau on Thursday.

During that timeframe, the median age in the nation has increased by 0.2 years.

The rapid rise is noteworthy, since the median age in 2000 was 35 and in 1980 it was 30.

“As the nation’s median age creeps closer to 40, you can really see how the aging of baby boomers, and now their children — sometimes called echo boomers — is impacting the median age,” Kristie Wilder, a demographer in the Census Bureau’s Population Division, said in a statement.

Researchers found that about 17 states had median ages above 40 in 2022. Maine led the group with the highest median age with 44.8 and New Hemisphere followed with 43.3.

On the contrary, Utah, the District of Columbia and Texas had the lowest median ages in the nation. Utah had a median age of 31.9, the District of Columbia had a median age of 34.8 and Texas had a median age of 35.5.

Hawaii had the largest increase in median age among states, up 0.4 years to 40.7, according to a news release.

No state experienced a decrease in its median age.

“While natural change nationally has been positive, as there have been more births than deaths, birth rates have gradually declined over the past two decades. Without a rapidly growing young population, the U.S. median age will likely continue its slow but steady rise.” Wilder said.

About 3.7 million babies were born in the U.S. in 2022, about 3,000 fewer than the year before. Since 2007, birth rates have been on a steady decline, the Associated Press reported.

From 2007 to 2013, birth rates declined an average of 2% per year and 1% per year from 2014 to 2019, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control.

Rates increased by 1% in 2021 compared to 2020 but still are lower than figures from 2019.