Older Workers by State, Industry

The six states with the highest percentage of people age 50 and older in 2006 were:

• Maine (43.7%)
• West Virginia (43.3%)
• Vermont (42.7%)
• Montana (42.2%)
• Florida (42.0%)
• Pennsylvania (41.9%)

There can be significant variation in the age composition of workforces by industry sector. For example, workers age 50 and older comprise only 10.8% of the workforce in the food services and drinking industry (nationally) but 41.2% of the agriculture industry (nationally). Industry sectors with workforces where employees age 50 and older comprise 35% or more of that industry sector include:

• Membership associations (43.7%)
• Agriculture (41.2%)
• Real estate (38.7%)
• Textile, apparel and leather manufacturing (37.2%)
• Forestry, logging, fishing, hunting and trapping (35.7%)
• Utilities (35.5%); equipment and appliance manufacturing (35.3%)
• Public administration (35.2%)
• Machinery manufacturing (35.0%)

Source: 21st Century Age Demographics: Opportunities for Visionary State Leadership (March 2008), Sloan Center on Aging & Work at Boston College