Virginia's aging workforce

Virginia has the highest share of 65-and-up adults in the workforce in the Southeast, 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.

• In Virginia, 21.1% of adults 65 and over are still working. Nationally, the average is 18.7%.
• Vermont (25.6%), Iowa (23.9%) and Maryland (23.4%) have the highest share of 65-and-up adults in the workforce.
• Today's older workers are better educated, working more hours and more likely to receiving employer benefits compared to past decades, per a 2023 Pew Research Center report .

The intrigue: The share of older adults in the workforce has been generally rising since the late '80s, Axios' Emily Peck reports.

Meanwhile: The 65-and-up population grew in all of America's biggest cities from 2020 to 2023.

• Richmond had a 11.5% increase, more than than the 9.4% national average.
• Raleigh, BTW, saw one of the largest surges in retirement-age residents in the nation with an 18.3% increase.

Go deeper: America's senior cities, mapped .