The labor force is getting older
June 26, 2001
The median age of the labor force is rising. It will approach 41 years by 2008—a very high level by historical standards.

[Chart data—TXT]
Many of the changes in the age structure of the labor force reflect the aging of the baby boom.
Data on labor force participation are from the Current Population Survey. Projections are from the Employment Projections program. Find out more about labor force projections in Working in the 21st Century, (Bureau of Labor Statistics, June 2001).
OF INTEREST
Recent editions of Spotlight on Statistics
- Union Membership, Activity, and Compensation in 2022
Examines trends in union membership, work stoppages, and pay and benefits among union members.
- A Look at a Neat Industry: Distilleries
Examines trends in employment, establishments, wages, and consumer prices for distilleries.
- A Look at Projected Employment in Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services, 2021‒31
Examines projected employment growth for the 2021–31 decade for the sector and its detailed industries and top-employing occupations.
- Business Responses to the COVID-19 Pandemic
Looks at differences in private industry businesses' responses to COVID-19 across firm sizes.
- Inflation Experiences for Lower and Higher Income Households Presents consumer price indexes for the lowest and highest household incomes to examine how different spending patterns change measures of inflation.