The average congressperson is far older than the average American, a fact that won’t surprise most people. But senators and representatives are increasingly staying in office into their later years, a trend that worries some and smacks of ageism for others.
The average age of members of the House of Representatives at the beginning of the current Congress was 58.4 years old while the average age for senators was 64.3, according to an August report from the Congressional Research Service, making it the oldest Congress in at least two decades, according to CNN.
In 1980, only 5% of Congress was over the age of 70. By 2022, that statistic had more than quadrupled to 23%, according to a new analysis from Insider. Many in leadership positions in Congress are even older. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is 82 years old and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell is 80.
