The percentage of older Americans — those age 65 and above — has been on the rise since the early 1990s. This brief examines workforce trends for this population by gender, education level, marital status, and rural versus urban settings.
The more education a person has, the more likely they are to work past age 65.
College educated women represent the fastest-growing segment of the over-65 workforce — up 22% from 1995 to 2009.
More than one in four older women who are divorced or separated are still working — a significantly higher rate than married, never married and widowed women. Men show few differences by marital status.
The percentage of older Americans in the labor force has grown steadily since 1995. While most working older Americans have part-time/ or easonal jobs, more and more are working full-time, year-round jobs.
