A new report indicates that nearly 1 in 4 U.S. workers are now at least 55 years old — highlighting a major demographic shift that is reshaping retirement patterns, labor supply, and workforce stability across industries.
The "Workforce Aging Report" from MyPerfectResume® — based on publicly available data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Current Population Survey (CPS) — found that older workers now comprise 23.2% of the workforce. That's up from 22.1% a decade ago. Even a one-point increase is significant in a workforce this large, according to MyPerfect Resume, and represents millions of people. What's more, older workforce growth outpaces total employment growth — 17.3% since 2014 compared to 11.7% overall.
"Workforce aging is no longer a future issue; it is happening right now across the American labor market," said Jasmine Escalera, a career expert at MyPerfectResume. "As more workers delay retirement and some industries struggle to attract younger talent, employers may face growing pressure to plan for succession, retention, and knowledge transfer."
Other key findings from the analysis:
- The number of workers age 65 and older increased by more than 40% over the past decade — from 8.0 million in 2014 to 11.4 million in 2025.
- Some occupations already have 30% to 50% of workers nearing retirement age — including farmers, bus drivers, clergy members, bookkeepers and accountants, and real estate brokers.
- The fastest-aging occupations include credit and loan officers, maids and housekeeping cleaners, food preparation workers, billing and posting clerks, and computer support specialists.
- Several occupations — such as laundry and dry-cleaning workers, payroll and timekeeping clerks, personal care aides, and lodging managers — are heavily concentrated with older workers and continuing to age quickly.
According to MyPerfectResume analysts, the report suggests that experience and institutional knowledge are concentrated among older workers, while some occupations aren't attracting enough younger workers to replace those who leave.
"Certain industries may face tighter labor conditions as retirements increase, [and] career timelines are shifting, with more people staying employed later in life," the report concludes.
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