The Best States and Industries for Older Workers

By Samanda Dorger

Instead of retiring, millions of Americans age 65+ are staying or returning to the workforce as health care costs and living expenses continue to rise. A record 11.2 million Americans ages 65 and older are working, a number expected to climb to 14.8 million by 2033, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

For many older Americans who can’t afford to retire, working is a financial necessity. Still, others choose to extend their careers for personal fulfillment, mental stimulation and the social connections their jobs provide.

For whatever reason, employment has become a key factor for older Americans when deciding where to spend their later years.

To find the best states for older workers in 2025, Seniorly, a resource and search database for senior living options, analyzed the most recent data in all 50 states and D.C. across six categories.

These include:

age-related discrimination

labor force participation

income

remote work among older adults

income taxes

new business growth

Best and Worst States for Older Workers

Washington state ranked first for a strong business environment, no personal income tax and the highest rate of new business growth last year (88.6%).

Washington also has a high median income for senior households ($63,963) and a strong work-from-home culture (22.4% of older adults are remote).

The other top states were:

2. New Hampshire

3. Alaska

4. Maryland

5. Colorado

The lowest-ranked state was Mississippi, with a high rate of age-related discrimination in the workplace, low labor force participation among older adults and few remote work opportunities.

The other lowest-ranking states:

50. Arkansas

49. Alabama

48. West Virginia

47. Kentucky

46. Louisiana

Best Industries for Older Workers

Here are the industries that have the most workers over 65:

K-12 Schools (638,000 senior workers)

Hospitals (421,000)

Real Estate (344,000)

College/Professional Schools (293,000)

Restaurants (272,000)

Methodology: Seniorly used data from the Census Bureau, BLS, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and Federation of Tax Administrators to determine the best states for older workers based on age-related discrimination, labor force participation, income, remote work among older adults, income taxes and new business growth in all 50 states and D.C. See the full ranking and read more here.

Overall Ranking by State