List of governors of California by age

Main article: Governor of California

Living as of 14 October 2021

Governor	Date of birth	Period of office
Pete Wilson	(1933-08-23) August 23, 1933 (age 88)	1991–1999
Jerry Brown	(1938-04-07) April 7, 1938 (age 83)	1975–1983, 2011–2019
Gray Davis	(1942-12-26) December 26, 1942 (age 78)	1999–2003
Arnold Schwarzenegger	(1947-07-30) July 30, 1947 (age 74)	2003–2011
Gavin Newsom	(1967-10-10) October 10, 1967 (age 54)	2019–

Below is a list of governors of California by age.

The youngest person to become California Governor was J. Neely Johnson (30 years, 160 days). ^[1] The oldest person to become Governor of California for the first time was Frank Merriam who became Governor on June 2, 1934 at 68 years, and 162 days old. The oldest Governor to be inaugurated overall was Jerry Brown on January 3, 2011, ^[2] who became Governor at 72 years, 271 days old. Brown had previously been the sixth-youngest person to become Governor in 1975, and the youngest since the 1860s, ^[3] at 36 years, 275 days old (his third term began 28 years to the day after his second term expired). The median age of accession is roughly 49 years, and 4 days which falls between William Irwin (20th) and Henry Markham (21st).

The oldest living former governor is Pete Wilson, born August 23, 1933 (aged 88 years, 52 days). The youngest living former California Governor is Arnold Schwarzenegger, born July 30, 1947 (aged 74 years, 76 days), followed by Gray Davis, born December 26, 1942 (aged 78 years, 292 days). Incumbent Governor Gavin Newsom, born October 10, 1967 (aged 54 years, 4 days) is the youngest of the five living governors.

The shortest-lived Governor was J. Neely Johnson, who died at the age of 47 years, 29 days. The longest-lived Governor was Ronald Reagan, who died at the age of 93 years and 120 days (Reagan was also the longest-lived U.S. President at the time of his death, but Gerald Ford, George H. W. Bush, and Jimmy Carter have since surpassed his record). Pat Brown was the second longest-lived, almost 3 years short of Reagan. The oldest living Governor, Pete Wilson, will tie Brown if he lives to June 19, 2024, and tie Reagan if he lives to December 21, 2026.

The Governor with the longest retirement is Peter H. Burnett. He left office on January 9, 1851, and died 44 years, and 128 days later on May 17, 1895. The Governor with the shortest retirement is Robert Waterman, who died on April 12, 1891, 94 days after leaving office on January 8, 1891.

# in office	Governor	# by age	Date of birth	Date of inauguration	Age at inauguration	End of term	Age at end of term	Date of death	Length of retirement	Lifespan
1	Peter H. Burnett	9	November 15, 1807	December 20, 1849	42 years, 35 days	January 9, 1851	43 years, 55 days	May 17, 1895	44 years, 128 days	87 years, 183 days
2	John McDougall	4	January 1, 1818 [4]	January 9, 1851	33 years, 8 days	January 8, 1852	34 years, 7 days	March 30, 1866	14 years, 81 days	48 years, 88 days
3	John Bigler	19	January 8, 1805	January 8, 1852	47 years, 0 days	January 9, 1856	51 years, 1 day	November 29, 1871	15 years, 324 days	66 years, 325 days
4	J. Neely Johnson	1	August 2, 1825	January 9, 1856	30 years, 160 days	January 8, 1858	32 years, 159 days	August 31, 1872	14 years, 236 days	47 years, 29 days
5	John B. Weller	15	February 22, 1812	January 8, 1858	45 years, 320 days	January 9, 1860	47 years, 321 days	August 17, 1875	15 years, 220 days	63 years, 176 days
6	Milton Latham	3	May 23, 1827	January 9, 1860	32 years, 231 days	January 14, 1860	32 years, 236 days	March 4, 1882	22 years, 49 days	54 years, 285 days
7	John G. Downey	2	June 24, 1827	January 14, 1860	32 years, 204 days	January 10, 1862	34 years, 200 days	March 1, 1894	32 years, 50 days	66 years, 250 days
8	Leland Stanford	7	March 9, 1824	January 10, 1862	37 years, 307 days	December 10, 1863	39 years, 276 days	June 21, 1893	29 years, 193 days	69 years, 104 days
9	Frederick Low	5	June 30, 1828	December 10, 1863	35 years, 163 days	December 5, 1867	39 years, 158 days	July 21, 1894	26 years, 228 days	66 years, 21 days
10	Henry H. Haight	10	May 20, 1825	December 5, 1867	42 years, 199 days	December 8, 1871	46 years, 202 days	September 2, 1878	6 years, 268 days	53 years, 105 days
11	Newton Booth	16	December 30, 1825	December 8, 1871	45 years, 343 days	February 27, 1875	49 years, 59 days	July 14, 1892	17 years, 138 days	66 years, 197 days
12	Romualdo Pacheco	11	October 31, 1831	February 27, 1875	43 years, 119 days	December 9, 1875	44 years, 39 days	January 23, 1899	23 years, 45 days	67 years, 84 days
13	William Irwin	20	January 1, 1827 [5]	December 9, 1875	48 years, 342 days	January 8, 1880	53 years, 7 days	March 15, 1886	6 years, 66 days	59 years, 73 days
14	George C. Perkins	8	August 23, 1839	January 8, 1880	40 years, 138 days	January 10, 1883	43 years, 140 days	February 26, 1923	40 years, 47 days	83 years, 187 days
15	George Stoneman	34	August 8, 1822	January 10, 1883	60 years, 155 days	January 8, 1887	64 years, 153 days	September 5, 1894	7 years, 240 days	72 years, 28 days
16	Washington Bartlett	38	February 29, 1824	January 8, 1887	62 years, 314 days	September 12, 1887 [6]	63 years, 196 days	September 12, 1887	N/A	63 years, 196 days
17	Robert Waterman	35	December 15, 1826	September 12, 1887	60 years, 271 days	January 8, 1891	64 years, 24 days	April 12, 1891	94 days	64 years, 118 days
18	Henry Markham	21	November 16, 1840	January 8, 1891	50 years, 53 days	January 11, 1895	54 years, 56 days	October 9, 1923	28 years, 271 days	82 years, 327 days
19	James Budd	12	May 18, 1851	January 11, 1895	43 years, 238 days	January 4, 1899	47 years, 231 days	July 30, 1908	9 years, 208 days	57 years, 73 days
20	Henry Gage	17	December 25, 1852	January 4, 1899	46 years, 10 days	January 7, 1903	50 years, 13 days	August 28, 1924	21 years, 234 days	71 years, 247 days
21	George Pardee	14	July 25, 1857	January 7, 1903	45 years, 166 days	January 9, 1907	49 years, 168 days	September 1, 1941	34 years, 235 days	84 years, 38 days
22	James Gillett	18	September 20, 1860	January 9, 1907	46 years, 111 days	January 3, 1911	50 years, 105 days	April 20, 1937	26 years, 107 days	76 years, 212 days
23	Hiram Johnson	13	September 2, 1866	January 3, 1911	44 years, 123 days	March 15, 1917	50 years, 194 days	August 6, 1945	28 years, 144 days	78 years, 338 days
24	William Stephens	31	December 26, 1859	March 15, 1917	57 years, 79 days	January 8, 1923	63 years, 13 days	April 25, 1944	21 years, 108 days	84 years, 121 days
25	Friend Richardson	30	December 1, 1865	January 9, 1923	57 years, 39 days	January 4, 1927	61 years, 34 days	September 6, 1943	16 years, 245 days	77 years, 279 days
26	C. C. Young	33	April 28, 1869	January 4, 1927	57 years, 251 days	January 6, 1931	61 years, 253 days	December 24, 1947	16 years, 352 days	78 years, 240 days
27	James Rolph	36	August 23, 1869	January 6, 1931	61 years, 136 days	June 2, 1934 [6]	64 years, 283 days	June 2, 1934	N/A	64 years, 283 days
28	Frank Merriam	39	December 22, 1865	June 2, 1934	68 years, 162 days	January 2, 1939	73 years, 11 days	April 25, 1955	16 years, 113 days	89 years, 124 days
29	Culbert Olson	37	November 7, 1876	January 2, 1939	62 years, 56 days	January 4, 1943	66 years, 58 days	April 13, 1962	19 years, 99 days	85 years, 157 days
30	Earl Warren	23	March 19, 1891	January 4, 1943	51 years, 291 days	October 5, 1953	62 years, 200 days	July 9, 1974	20 years, 277 days	83 years, 112 days
31	Goodwin Knight	29	December 9, 1896	October 5, 1953	56 years, 300 days	January 5, 1959	62 years, 27 days	May 22, 1970	11 years, 137 days	73 years, 164 days
32	Edmund G. "Pat" Brown, Sr.	24	April 21, 1905	January 5, 1959	53 years, 259 days	January 2, 1967	61 years, 256 days	February 16, 1996	29 years, 45 days	90 years, 301 days
33	Ronald Reagan	26	February 6, 1911	January 2, 1967	55 years, 330 days	January 7, 1975	63 years, 335 days	June 5, 2004	29 years, 150 days	93 years, 120 days
34	Edmund G. "Jerry" Brown, Jr. (I)	6	April 7, 1938	January 7, 1975	36 years, 275 days	January 3, 1983	44 years, 271 days		N/A [7]	83 years, 190 days
35	George Deukmejian	25	June 6, 1928	January 3, 1983	54 years, 211 days	January 7, 1991	62 years, 215 days	May 8, 2018	27 years, 121 days	89 years, 336 days
36	Pete Wilson	32	August 23, 1933	January 7, 1991	57 years, 137 days	January 4, 1999	65 years, 134 days		22 years, 283 days	88 years, 52 days
37	Gray Davis	27	December 26, 1942	January 4, 1999	56 years, 9 days	November 17, 2003	60 years, 326 days		17 years, 331 days	78 years, 292 days
38	Arnold Schwarzenegger	28	July 30, 1947	November 17, 2003	56 years, 110 days	January 3, 2011	63 years, 157 days		10 years, 284 days	74 years, 76 days
39	Edmund G. "Jerry" Brown, Jr. (II)	40	April 7, 1938	January 3, 2011	72 years, 271 days	January 7, 2019	80 years, 275 days		2 years, 280 days	83 years, 190 days
40	Gavin Newsom	22	October 10, 1967	January 7, 2019	51 years, 89 days	Incumbent				54 years, 4 days
# in office	Governor	# by age	Date of birth	Date of inauguration	Age at inauguration	End of term	Age at end of term	Date of death	Length of retirement	Lifespan

^[8]

Oldest living governors of California

Not all governors live to become the oldest of their time. Of the 34 deceased governors, 14 eventually became the oldest of their time, while 20 did not (including both governors who died in office, and 18 others). George C. Perkins became the oldest living governor when Romualdo Pacheco died in 1899 and remained so until his death in 1923, for a record single period of 24 years and 34 days. Henry Markham became the oldest living governor after the death of George C. Perkins, but he survived Perkins by only 225 days.

On one occasion the oldest living governor lost this distinction not by his death, but due to the inauguration of a governor who was older. Peter H. Burnett lost this distinction when John Bigler was inaugurated, but when Bigler died in 1871, Burnett regained it again until his own death in 1895 for a total record period of 25 years and 188 days.

Ronald Reagan was the oldest to acquire this distinction at the age of 85 years, and 10 days. Hiram Johnson, who was 78 years, and 338 days old when he died, was the oldest governor to die without ever acquiring this distinction. Goodwin Knight who died on May 22, 1970 was the most recent governor to die without ever acquiring this distinction.

Governor	Period when oldest living governor		Age		Duration
	Start date	End date	at start	at end
Peter H. Burnett	December 20, 1849	January 8, 1852	42 years, 35 days	44 years, 54 days	2 years, 19 days
John Bigler	January 8, 1852	November 29, 1871	47 years, 0 days	66 years, 325 days	19 years, 325 days
Peter H. Burnett	November 29, 1871	May 17, 1895	64 years, 14 days	87 years, 183 days	23 years, 169 days
Romualdo Pacheco	May 17, 1895	January 23, 1899	63 years, 198 days	67 years, 84 days	3 years, 251 days
George C. Perkins	January 23, 1899	February 26, 1923	59 years, 153 days	83 years, 187 days	24 years, 34 days
Henry Markham	February 26, 1923	October 9, 1923	82 years, 102 days	82 years, 327 days	225 days
Henry Gage	October 9, 1923	24 August 1924	70 years, 288 days	71 years, 243 days	320 days
George Pardee	August 24, 1924	September 1, 1941	67 years, 30 days	84 years, 38 days	17 years, 8 days
William Stephens	September 1, 1941	April 25, 1944	81 years, 249 days	84 years, 121 days	2 years, 237 days
Frank Merriam	April 25, 1944	April 25, 1955	78 years, 121 days	89 years, 120 days	11 years, 0 days
Culbert Olson	April 25, 1955	April 13, 1962	78 years, 169 days	85 years, 157 days	6 years, 353 days
Earl Warren	April 13, 1962	July 9, 1974	71 years, 25 days	83 years, 112 days	12 years, 87 days
Pat Brown	July 9, 1974	February 16, 1996	69 years, 79 days	90 years, 301 days	21 years, 222 days
Ronald Reagan	February 16, 1996	June 5, 2004	85 years, 10 days	93 years, 120 days	8 years, 110 days
George Deukmejian	June 5, 2004	May 8, 2018	75 years, 365 days	89 years, 336 days	13 years, 337 days
Pete Wilson	May 8, 2018	–	84 years, 258 days	–	3 years, 159 days
Governor	Start date	End date	Age at start	Age at end	Duration

^[9]

Notes

1. "Governors of California - J. Neely Johnson". California State Library.
2. "Jerry Brown's Last Stand in California". The New York Times . May 8, 2011.
3. Emmott, Bill (2017). The Fate of the West: The Battle to Save the World's Most Successful Political Idea. London: The Economist. p. 102. ISBN   9781782832997.
4. McDougall was born in 1818, but his exact birthdate is unknown. All calculations here are made from January 1, 1818.
5. Irwin was born in 1827, but his exact birthdate is unknown. All calculations here are made from January 1, 1827.
6. Died in office on this date.
7. Jerry Brown returned to office as governor in 2011.
8. Updated daily according to UTC.
9. Updated daily according to UTC.

References

• JoinCalifornia.com - Dates of birth and death for Governors