How Many Americans Are Working Past 65? Analyzing Workforce Trends in Retirement
This article analyzes workforce trends among Americans aged 65 and older, based on 2024 Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Nearly 20% of this age group remains in the labor force, with about 12% working full-time and 7.5% part-time. Among working seniors, 38.3% work part-time, a much higher share than the 14.2% of workers aged 55-64. Men (23.4%) are more likely than women (16.2%) to work past 65. The article notes that while labor force participation among older Americans declined through the mid-20th century to a low of 11-12% in the 1980s-1990s, it has since reversed and climbed upward, interrupted only briefly by the COVID-19 pandemic. The trend reflects longer lifespans, shifting work patterns, and financial pressures. The article concludes that retirement is becoming more of a transition than a fixed endpoint, driven by needs for supplemental income, social connection, or gradual career wind-down.
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