By OPEN MINDS Circle
About 60% of the health services workforce in the United States is over age 50, according to a recent report issued by AARP, the highest concentration across other major industry sectors. Nationwide, workers age 50 and older account for over one-third of workers, at 57 million people, compared to 111 million between ages 16 and 49. Although adults age 50 and older represent about one-third of workers, they held 46% of all jobs in 2024.
Among major industry sectors, health services had the highest concentration of older workers representing 15.2 million workers. Other sectors with a high percentage of workers age 50 and older included:
- Other services, 54% (6.5 million workers)
- Finance, insurance, and real estate, 49% (11.4 million workers)
- Wholesale and retail trade, 47% (12.0 million workers)
- Utilities, 47% (0.3 million workers)
- Leisure and hospitality, 45% (9.5 million workers)
The researchers used a forecasting model to estimate the economic contributions of adults age 50 and older, including their impact on gross domestic product (GDP), employment, wages, salaries, taxes, and unpaid activities such as family caregiving.
Adults age 65 and older now represent 8% of all workers. The share of workers age 65 and older has increased from 3% in 2001 to 8% in 2026.
Nationally, approximately 36.3% of the population is age 50 or older. As of 2024, 29 states had a larger-than-average share of residents age 50 and older. By 2060, all states except Alaska are projected to exceed the current national average of 36.3%.
According to the report, several states with relatively younger populations today, including Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Texas, and Utah, are expected to experience particularly rapid population aging over the coming decades, creating workforce and service delivery challenges with less time for adjustment.
These findings were presented in The Longevity Economy Outlook, by Ani Harutyunyan, Ph.D., of AARP, with Matt Terry and Viibhav Sahgal of Economist Impact. The goal was to assess the economic impact of older adults in the United States.
The full text of The Longevity Economy® Outlook was published on June 4, 2026, by AARP. A free copy is available (accessed June 17, 2026).
For more information, contact: AARP Thought Leadership, AARP Foundation, 601 E Street Northwest, Washington, District of Columbia 20049; 202-434-2932; Email: thoughtleadership@aarp.org; Website: https://www.aarp.org/aarp-foundation/