Utahns more likely than average to work after age 65

A larger share of people ages 65 and up in Utah work compared to nationally, according to preliminary 2023 census data.

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

The intrigue: Today's older workers are better educated, working more hours, and are more likely to be receiving employer benefits, compared to past decades, per a 2023 Pew Research Center report .

By the numbers: 21.3% of 65+ Utahns are employed, compared to 18.7% nationally.

• That's the 12th-highest rate in the country, just behind Washington, D.C.

Yes, but: Fewer older Americans are working now than they did just before the COVID-19 pandemic, Axios' Emily Peck reports .

Catch up quick: The share of older adults in the workforce has been generally rising since the late 1980s, 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: America's senior cities, mapped