A shortage of young men in the workforce could weigh on housing, Social Security, and growth for years to come

• Declining workforce participation among younger men could weigh on the US economy for years.
• The trend could be a drag on economic growth, housing, and Social Security funds, experts say.
• The effects could last decades as there are no clear ways to spark a turnaround. 

America's job market is mysteriously short of young men.

It's a trend experts say will drag on the economy and could take years to fix, mainly because men have already been dropping out of the workforce for decades.