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Demographic Study I Student Membership Forecast 7 <br /> These variations in the age structure of the NC population become even clearer when we look at the share of the <br /> population that is of school age (ages 5 through 17). The chart below shows how the share of the population by age <br /> group has changed over time and how it is forecasted to change in the future. In 2010, children aged 5 to 17 made up <br /> just over 17% of the population of North Carolina; by 2025, this number was just over 15% of the population, and by <br /> 2035, OSBM is forecasting that children of school age will make up just over 14% of the population of the state. <br /> North Carolina Estimates and Forecast: Population Percent by Age <br /> 2000 to 2060 <br /> 100% <br /> 75% <br /> 50% <br /> 25% <br /> 0% <br /> 2010 2020 2030 2040 2050 2060 <br /> ■ 65&Over ■ 35 to 44 18 to 24 ■ Under 5 Years <br /> ■ 45 to 64 25 to 34 ■ 5 to 17 <br /> Source:OSBM Population Projections, 2025 <br /> When evaluating the population estimates and current projections, it is important to recognize that we are currently <br /> experiencing demographic uncertainty, which may affect our forecasts moving forward, related to recent changes in <br /> net n international migration'. As noted by OSBM, recently, international migration has become a key driver of <br /> population growth in the state. Given changes in policy at the federal level, international migration numbers will be <br /> down for the foreseeable future. The question becomes, will additional domestic migration make up for the decline, or <br /> will this lead to slower growth for the state overall? The chart below shows the data for the state of North Carolina over <br /> the past several years. We can see in 2025 the large decline in net international migration. These data only cover the <br /> first 6 months of 2025, when changes in international migration were just starting to take place, and likely these <br /> numbers declined even more in the back half of 2025 and into 2026. <br /> ' https://www.osbm.nc.gov/blog/2026/03/17/immigration-become-sole-driver-us-population-growth <br /> C A R O L I N A �I T CAROLINA Demographic 4 <br /> DEMOGR PHY lJJNC <br /> POPULATION CENTER Analytics Advisors <br />