Iowa has the second-highest shareof people 65 and older in the workforce, according to preliminary 2023 census data.
Why it matters: The composition of a workforce influences business decisions and impacts the state's economy, Peter Orazem, an economist at Iowa State University, tells Axios.
State of play: Nationally, 18.7% of adults 65 or over were still working last year. Iowa had 23.9%, while Vermont had the most with 25.6%.
Threat level: Businesses factor in their ability to attract and retain workers when locating or exciting locations, Orazem said.
Workforce retention and attraction were the top concerns among Iowa executives in a recent Economic Outlook Survey from the Iowa Business Council, the DSM Register reports.
The big picture: It's not uncommon these days for older Americans to stay in the workforce, particularly in states with older populations.
Today's older workers are better educated, work more hours and are more likely to receive employer benefits, compared to past decades, per a 2023 Pew Research Center report.