Arkansas' senior worker rate is lower than U.S. average

Data: BLS ; Map: Kavya Beheraj/Axios

Arkansas' share of 65-and-up adults in the workforce (14.6%) is one of the lowest in the U.S., according to preliminary 2023 census data.

Why it matters: The 2024 presidential campaign between Joe Biden and Donald Trump is sparking a fresh conversation about age, ability and mental acuity.

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The big picture: It's not uncommon these days for older Americans to stay in the workforce, particularly in states with older populations.

• Nationally, 18.7% of adults 65 or over are still working.
• Today's older workers are better educated, working more hours, and more likely to be receiving employer benefits, compared to past decades, per a 2023 Pew Research Center report .

Data: Bureau of Labor Statistics; Note: Data is not seasonally adjusted; Chart: Axios Visuals

Between the lines: Fewer older Americans are working now compared to during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Axios' Emily Peck reports .

Yes, but: The share of older adults in the workforce has been generally rising since the late '80s, Emily writes.

• That's in part because of changes to Social Security and retirement plans, and in part because medical advances are extending Americans' lives and their time in the workforce.

Go deeper: NWA's senior population outgrew all others