By 2033, some 14.8 million American workers — roughly one in 12 — will be 65 or older, according to a report released this week by Seniorly Resource Center. Research shows that staying in the workforce even a little bit longer than planned can significantly boost the odds of a financially successful retirement.
Today, a record 11.2 million older Americans are in the workforce, up from 4.8 million in 2003 and 8.1 million in 2013.
The projected growth in the coming years will be driven by a projected 79% surge in workers ages 75 and up, as well as by a 22.4% increase among those ages 65 to 74, by 2033, according to Seniorly, which cited U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data.
The report noted that as people live and stay active longer in life, many older adults are still professionally at the top of their game. Consider that 23% of employer businesses are owned by someone 65 or older, according to the most recently available Census Bureau data.
Seniorly analyzed the best and worst states for older workers in 2025. Researchers looked at the most recent data across six categories, including age-related discrimination, labor force participation, income and remote work among older adults, which it said can be an indicator of how flexible and self-directed their jobs are. They also included income taxes and new business growth to shed light on how easy it is to do business in a state.
Overall across the U.S., 30.2% of older adults are in the labor force, while senior householders are bringing in $56,038 per year, on average, and 17% of older employees are working from home, according to the Census Bureau.
But they also face challenges in the workplace, with 98 complaints of age discrimination per 100,000 eligible workers — rising to more than double that number in the worst state.
The research showed that the worst states for older workers tended to have higher rates of age discrimination at the workplace, the lowest household incomes in the U.S., relatively few remote workers among older adults and a poor entrepreneurial environment.
Meanwhile, several states stood out as especially senior friendly — although there is no one perfect location for older workers, Seniorly said.
See the gallery for the 12 best states for workers 65 and older.
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