Ohio has lower share of working seniors than other Midwestern states
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Nearly 16% of Ohioans 65 and older remain in the workforce, which is lower than the U.S. average of 18.7% and the lowest share in the Midwest, according to preliminary 2023 census data.
Why it matters: The 2024 rematch between President Biden and former President Trump has sparked a fresh conversation about age, ability and mental acuity.
The big picture: It's more common these days for older Americans to stay in the workforce, especially in states with older populations.
- Today's older workers are better educated, working more hours, and more likely to be receiving employer benefits, compared with past decades, per a 2023 Pew Research Center report.
By the numbers: Vermont (25.6%), Iowa (23.9%) and Maryland (23.4%) have the largest share of 65-and-up adults in the workforce.
- Ohio's neighbor to the southeast, West Virginia, has the lowest share (13.3%).
Between the lines: The share of older adults in the workforce nationally has been generally rising for more than 30 years, reports Axios' Emily Peck.
- That's in part because of changes to Social Security and retirement plans, and in part because medical advances are extending Americans' lives and their time in the workforce.
Go deeper: America's senior cities, mapped