Retirement
Source and Methodological Information
List of Indicators
Percent of People 65 Years Old and over in the Labor Force
Percent of People 65 Years Old and over who are Employed
Percent of People 65 Years Old and over who are Unemployed
Percent of People 60 to 64 Years Old in the Labor Force
Percent of People 60 to 64 Years Old who are Employed
Percent of People 60 to 64 Years Old who are Unemployed
Median Family Income of People Age 65 and Over
Percent of Aged Units Receiving Income from Assets
Asset Income as a Percent of the Total Income of Aged Units
Total Accumulations in Retirement Account Balances
Percent of People 65 Years Old and over in the Labor Force
Description
Number of people 65 years old and over in the civilian labor force, as a percentage of the total population 65 years old and over.
Source
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Statistics from the Current Population Survey.
Methodological Notes
The civilian labor force includes two main groups of people: those who are currently employed, and those who are not currently employed but have actively looked for work in the prior four weeks and are currently available for work. People who are not working and are waiting to be recalled to a job from which they have been temporarily laid off are also counted as part of the labor force.
The percentage reported here is known as the labor force participation rate.
Percent of People 65 Years Old and over who are Employed
Description
Number of people 65 years old and over who are employed, as a percentage of the total population 65 years old and over.
Source
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Statistics from the Current Population Survey.
Methodological Notes
People employed either part-time or full-time are counted as employed.
The percentage reported here is known as the employment to population ratio.
Percent of People 65 Years Old and over who are Unemployed
Description
Number of people 65 years old and over who are unemployed, as a percentage of the civilian labor force 65 years old and over.
Source
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Statistics from the Current Population Survey.
Methodological Notes
People are classified as unemployed if they do not have a job, have actively looked for work in the prior four weeks, and are currently available for work. Persons who are not working and are waiting to be recalled to a job from which they have been temporarily laid off are also counted as unemployed.
The civilian labor force includes people who are currently working and people who are unemployed according to the above definition.
For more information about how the Bureau of Labor Statistics measures unemployment (and labor underutilization more broadly), see the documents “How the Government Measures Unemployment" and “Measures of Labor Underutilization from the Current Population Survey” (Steven A. Haugen, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Working Paper, March 2009).
The percentage reported here is known as the unemployment rate.
Percent of People 60 to 64 Years Old in the Labor Force
Description
Number of people age 60 to 64 years old in the civilian labor force, as a percentage of the total population age 60 to 64.
Source
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Statistics from the Current Population Survey.
Methodological Notes
The civilian labor force includes two main groups of people: those who are currently employed, and those who are not currently employed but have actively looked for work in the prior four weeks and are currently available for work. People who are not working and are waiting to be recalled to a job from which they have been temporarily laid off are also counted as part of the labor force.
The percentage reported here is known as the labor force participation rate.
Percent of People 60 to 64 Years Old who are Employed
Description
Number of people ages 60 to 64 who are employed, as a percentage of the total population ages 60 to 64.
Source
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Statistics from the Current Population Survey.
Methodological Notes
People employed either part-time or full-time are counted as employed.
The percentage reported here is known as the employment to population ratio.
Percent of People 60 to 64 Years Old who are Unemployed
Description
Number of people ages 60 to 64 who are unemployed, as a percentage of the civilian labor force ages 60 to 64.
Source
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Statistics from the Current Population Survey.
Methodological Notes
People are classified as unemployed if they do not have a job, have actively looked for work in the prior four weeks, and are currently available for work. Persons who are not working and are waiting to be recalled to a job from which they have been temporarily laid off are also counted as unemployed.
The civilian labor force includes people who are currently working and people who are unemployed according to the above definition.
For more information about how the Bureau of Labor Statistics measures unemployment (and labor underutilization more broadly), see the documents “How the Government Measures Unemployment" and “Measures of Labor Underutilization from the Current Population Survey” (Steven A. Haugen, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Working Paper, March 2009).
The percentage reported here is known as the unemployment rate.
Median Family Income of People 65 Years Old and Over
Description
Median family income of people age 65 and older, in constant dollars.
Source
Social Security Administration, “Income of the Population 55 or Older."
Methodological Notes
Income includes earnings, retirement benefits, income from assets, veterans’ benefits, unemployment compensation, workers’ compensation, cash public assistance, noncash benefits and personal contributions. Data are adjusted for inflation by the Stanford Center on Poverty and Inequality, using the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers – Research Series.
Percent of Aged Units Receiving Income from Assets
Description
Percent of aged units receiving income from assets.
Source
Social Security Administration, “Income of the Population 55 or Older."
Methodological Notes
The Social Security Administration defines an “aged unit” as either an unmarried individual over age 65 or a married couple in which at least one person is over age 65. Demographic characteristics such as race are those of the husband unless the husband is under age 65, in which case they are those of the wife.
Income from assets includes interest; dividends; rent or royalties; and estates or trusts. If either spouse has income from assets, the unit is considered to be a recipient unit.
Asset Income as a Percent of the Total Income of Aged Units
Description
Income from assets as a share of the aggregate income of aged units.
Source
Social Security Administration, “Income of the Population 55 or Older."
Methodological Notes
The Social Security Administration defines an “aged unit” as either an unmarried individual over age 65 or a married couple in which at least one person is over age 65. Demographic characteristics such as race are those of the husband unless the husband is under age 65, in which case they are those of the wife.
Income from assets includes interest; dividends; rent or royalties; and estates or trusts. If either spouse has income from assets, the unit is considered to be a recipient unit.
Total Accumulations in Retirement Account Balances
Description
Total assets in retirement accounts at the end of reference year, in constant dollars.
Source
Methodological Notes
Retirement accounts include defined contribution plans and IRAs. Balances are adjusted for inflation by the Stanford Center on Poverty and Inequality using the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers – Research Series.