While economists sound alarms about Gen Z unemployment, research points to a quieter crisis: Gen X workers retiring years before 65—and paying a steep cognitive price for it.
About 35% of workers who have been unemployed for more than 24 weeks are over the age of 55, according to an April 2025 analysis. Over the last 35 years, the retirement age for men in particular has gotten younger, with about half of retirees saying they made the choice to stop working.
