The Fact
BLS reports that labor-force participation among people age 65 and older reached a low of 10.8% in 1985. By 2024, 19.5% of people age 65 and older were working or actively looking for work.
What This Means
Working past 65 has become much more common over the adult lifetime of Gen X. The statistic does not tell us whether each person works from preference or necessity—BLS explicitly notes both—but it establishes a major change in what retirement age looks like in practice.
Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, “Golden years: older Americans at work and play,” Beyond the Numbers, 2025; Current Population Survey.