Older-worker labor force participation differs sharply by age. In the United States, the 2025 participation rate was 66.6% for people ages 55 to 64, 26.7% for people ages 65 to 74, and 8.5% for people age 75 and older. Across the entire 55-and-older group, the rate was 38.1%. These measures describe the share of each population group that was working or looking for work during the stated period, and the age bands should not be treated as interchangeable.
Contents
- Current U.S. participation by age
- How participation among people 65 and older changed
- Differences between men and women
- Race and ethnicity patterns
- Population, labor force, employment, and unemployment
- Participation across selected countries
- BLS projections through 2033
Current U.S. participation by age
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported a 38.1% labor force participation rate for U.S. people age 55 and older in 2025. That broad measure combines several age groups with substantially different participation patterns. The rate was 66.6% among people ages 55 to 64, 26.7% among people ages 65 to 74, and 8.5% among people age 75 and older.
| U.S. age group | Labor force participation rate | Period |
|---|---|---|
| 55 and older | 38.1% | 2025 |
| 55 to 64 | 66.6% | 2025 |
| 65 to 74 | 26.7% | 2025 |
| 75 and older | 8.5% | 2025 |
Source: Civilian labor force participation rate by age, sex, race, and ethnicity, Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025.
The figures show why a single “older worker” statistic needs an age definition. The 55-to-64 group had a participation rate more than twice the rate for ages 65 to 74, while the rate for people 75 and older was lower still. These are annual figures for 2025, not a forecast and not a count of workers.
How participation among people 65 and older changed
The long-run record reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows a pronounced change in participation among Americans age 65 and older. The rate was 27.0% in the 1948 annual average. It reached a low of 10.8% in 1985, then stood at 12.9% in 2000, 17.4% in 2010, 19.4% in 2020, and 19.5% in 2024.
| Period | Participation rate, age 65 and older |
|---|---|
| 1948 annual average | 27.0% |
| 1985 annual average | 10.8% |
| 2000 annual average | 12.9% |
| 2010 annual average | 17.4% |
| 2020 annual average | 19.4% |
| 2024 annual average | 19.5% |
Source: Golden years: older Americans at work and play, Bureau of Labor Statistics. The historical figures are annual averages for the periods shown.
The historical series also records a large sex difference in the early years. In 1948, the participation rate was 46.8% for men age 65 and older and 9.1% for women in that age group. At the 1985 low for the combined group, the rate was 15.8% for men and 7.3% for women. The combined rate later rose to 19.5% in 2024.
These dates matter when comparing the figures. The 1948, 1985, 2000, 2010, 2020, and 2024 observations are annual averages, while the current age-band comparison above is for 2025. They indicate changes across periods but do not by themselves explain why participation moved.
Differences between men and women
The BLS 2023 annual averages show higher participation for men than women in both older age ranges reported here. Among people ages 55 to 64, the rate was 71.6% for men and 60.2% for women. Among people age 65 and older, it was 23.2% for men and 16.0% for women.
For ages 55 to 64, the employment-population ratio was 69.7% for men and 58.8% for women. The unemployment rate was 2.7% for men and 2.4% for women. Participation, employment-population ratio, and unemployment rate are different measures: participation includes people who are employed and people looking for work, while the employment-population ratio refers to employment relative to the population and the unemployment rate concerns people in the labor force who are unemployed.
Source: Labor force characteristics by race and ethnicity, 2023, Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2023 annual averages.
| Group, 2023 annual average | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| Ages 55 to 64: participation | 71.6% | 60.2% |
| Age 65 and older: participation | 23.2% | 16.0% |
| Ages 55 to 64: employment-population ratio | 69.7% | 58.8% |
| Ages 55 to 64: unemployment rate | 2.7% | 2.4% |
The 2023 figures make two distinctions visible. First, the participation gap between men and women appears in both age groups. Second, the unemployment rates for men and women ages 55 to 64 were close even though their participation and employment-population ratios differed. A participation comparison therefore should not be replaced with an unemployment comparison.
Race and ethnicity patterns
In the BLS 2023 annual averages, participation among people ages 55 to 64 was 66.5% for White people, 61.2% for Black or African American people, 70.6% for Asian people, and 66.3% for Hispanic or Latino people. Among people age 65 and older, the corresponding rates were 19.2%, 19.4%, 19.5%, and 20.2%.
| Race or ethnicity | Ages 55 to 64 | Age 65 and older |
|---|---|---|
| White | 66.5% | 19.2% |
| Black or African American | 61.2% | 19.4% |
| Asian | 70.6% | 19.5% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 66.3% | 20.2% |
Source: Labor force characteristics by race and ethnicity, 2023, Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2023 annual averages.
The age bands again produce different patterns. For ages 55 to 64, the listed rates ranged from 61.2% to 70.6%. For age 65 and older, the listed rates were between 19.2% and 20.2%. The figures are descriptive annual averages for the specified population groups; they do not establish reasons for the differences.
The same BLS report provides selected sex-by-ethnicity figures for ages 55 to 64. Hispanic or Latino men had a 75.3% participation rate and Hispanic or Latino women had a 57.3% rate. Asian men had an 80.1% rate and Asian women had a 62.5% rate. These observations add sex detail to the broader race and ethnicity comparison while remaining limited to the 2023 annual average and the 55-to-64 age group.
Population, labor force, employment, and unemployment
Counts help put the 2023 participation rate for people ages 55 to 64 in context. The U.S. civilian noninstitutional population in this age group numbered 41.402 million. The labor force numbered 27.251 million, including 26.562 million employed people and 689,000 unemployed people. Another 14.151 million people were not in the labor force.
The same BLS data report a 2.5% unemployment rate for people ages 55 to 64. The count categories describe different statuses within the population: employment and unemployment together make up the labor force, while people not in the labor force are outside that labor-force count. Because the population, labor force, employment, unemployment, and participation rate are all reported for the 2023 annual average, they should be read as a single period-specific snapshot.
Source: Labor force characteristics by race and ethnicity, 2023, Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2023 annual averages.
| Measure for ages 55 to 64 | 2023 annual average |
|---|---|
| Civilian noninstitutional population | 41.402 million |
| Labor force | 27.251 million |
| Employment | 26.562 million |
| Unemployment | 689,000 |
| Not in the labor force | 14.151 million |
| Unemployment rate | 2.5% |
These counts are useful when a rate needs a population frame. A rate such as 66.5% or 61.2% applies to a defined group, while a count such as 27.251 million describes the size of the labor force in the entire 55-to-64 population. Neither type of figure should be generalized to people age 65 and older without a separate measure.
Participation across selected countries
The OECD Employment Outlook 2020 statistical annex reported 2019 labor force participation rates for people ages 55 to 64 in several countries. The rates were 67.2% in Australia, 56.4% in Austria, 54.3% in Belgium, 66.8% in Canada, 68.7% in Chile, 65.5% in Colombia, and 68.0% in the Czech Republic.
| Country | Participation rate, ages 55 to 64 | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Australia | 67.2% | 2019 |
| Austria | 56.4% | 2019 |
| Belgium | 54.3% | 2019 |
| Canada | 66.8% | 2019 |
| Chile | 68.7% | 2019 |
| Colombia | 65.5% | 2019 |
| Czech Republic | 68.0% | 2019 |
Source: Statistical annex: OECD Employment Outlook 2020, Table C1, OECD, 2019 data.
The selected countries show a spread from 54.3% in Belgium to 68.7% in Chile. These are international 2019 observations for ages 55 to 64, not current 2025 U.S. figures. The comparison is therefore useful for showing variation across the listed countries and period, but it should not be presented as a same-year comparison with the U.S. statistics above.
BLS projections through 2033
BLS projections distinguish the expected direction for separate older age groups. The projected participation rate for people age 55 and older is 37.4% in 2033, described as a 1.2-percentage-point decline from 2023. For ages 55 to 64, BLS projects a 69.1% rate in 2033, 3.3 percentage points above 2023. For ages 65 to 74, the projection is 30.4%, 3.5 percentage points above 2023. For people age 75 and older, the projection is 10.1%, 1.9 percentage points above 2023.
| Age group | 2033 projected rate | Change from 2023 stated by BLS |
|---|---|---|
| 55 and older | 37.4% | 1.2 percentage points lower |
| 55 to 64 | 69.1% | 3.3 percentage points higher |
| 65 to 74 | 30.4% | 3.5 percentage points higher |
| 75 and older | 10.1% | 1.9 percentage points higher |
Source: Labor force and macroeconomic projections overview and highlights, 2023–33, Bureau of Labor Statistics. The 2033 figures are projections; the comparison baseline is 2023 historical data.
The overall 55-and-older projection can move differently from each narrower age group because the composition of the older population also changes. BLS projects that people age 75 and older will make up 32% of the 55-and-older population in 2033, up from 24% in 2023. That projected shift is reported alongside the participation projections and is one reason the broad older-worker measure should be read separately from the age-specific rates.
The projections are not observations of a completed year. They are BLS estimates for 2033 based on the source’s projection framework, whereas the 2023, 2024, and 2025 figures above describe historical annual averages. Keeping those labels visible is essential when using older-worker labor force participation statistics for community and work analysis.