List of presidents of the United States by age

Last updated

The first table below charts the age of each president of the United States at the time of their presidential inauguration (first inauguration if elected to multiple and consecutive terms), upon leaving office, and at the time of death. Where the president is still living, their lifespan and post-presidency timespan are calculated through March 7, 2025.

Contents

Age of presidents

Age of U.S. presidents when assuming office Age of U.S. presidents when assuming office 2025.png
Age of U.S. presidents when assuming office

Article Two of the United States Constitution provides that U.S. presidents must be at least 35 years old at the time they take office. The median age at inauguration of incoming U.S. presidents is 55 years. [1] [2] The youngest person to become U.S. president was Theodore Roosevelt at age 42, who succeeded to the office after the assassination of William McKinley. [1] The oldest person inaugurated president is Donald Trump, at age 78 years, 7 months, for his second term. [1] [3]

Assassinated at age 46, John F. Kennedy was the youngest president at the end of his tenure, and his lifespan was the shortest of any president. [4] The oldest president at the end of his tenure is Joe Biden at age 82 years, 2 months. Jimmy Carter had the longest lifespan of any president, becoming the first president to reach the age of 100. [5]

James K. Polk had the shortest retirement of any president, dying of cholera only 103 days after leaving office, at age 53 (the youngest president to die of natural causes). [6] Carter's retirement at 43 years, 344 days, is the longest in American presidential history. Former president Biden is the oldest of the five living U.S. presidents, age 82 years, 107 days. [2] The youngest living former president is Barack Obama, age 63 years, 215 days.

No.PresidentBornAge at
start of presidency
Age at
end of presidency
Post-presidency
timespan
Lifespan
DiedAge
1 George Washington Feb 22, 1732 [a] 57 years, 67 days
Apr 30, 1789
65 years, 10 days
Mar 4, 1797
2 years, 285 daysDec 14, 179967 years, 295 days
2 John Adams Oct 30, 1735 [a] 61 years, 125 days
Mar 4, 1797
65 years, 125 days
Mar 4, 1801
25 years, 122 daysJul 4, 182690 years, 247 days
3 Thomas Jefferson Apr 13, 1743 [a] 57 years, 325 days
Mar 4, 1801
65 years, 325 days
Mar 4, 1809
17 years, 122 daysJul 4, 182683 years, 82 days
4 James Madison Mar 16, 1751 [a] 57 years, 353 days
Mar 4, 1809
65 years, 353 days
Mar 4, 1817
19 years, 116 daysJun 28, 183685 years, 104 days
5 James Monroe Apr 28, 175858 years, 310 days
Mar 4, 1817
66 years, 310 days
Mar 4, 1825
6 years, 122 daysJul 4, 183173 years, 67 days
6 John Quincy Adams Jul 11, 176757 years, 236 days
Mar 4, 1825
61 years, 236 days
Mar 4, 1829
18 years, 356 daysFeb 23, 184880 years, 227 days
7 Andrew Jackson Mar 15, 176761 years, 354 days
Mar 4, 1829
69 years, 354 days
Mar 4, 1837
8 years, 96 daysJun 8, 184578 years, 85 days
8 Martin Van Buren Dec 5, 178254 years, 89 days
Mar 4, 1837
58 years, 89 days
Mar 4, 1841
21 years, 142 daysJul 24, 186279 years, 231 days
9 William Henry Harrison Feb 9, 177368 years, 23 days
Mar 4, 1841
68 years, 54 days
Apr 4, 1841
Apr 4, 184168 years, 54 days
10 John Tyler Mar 29, 179051 years, 6 days
Apr 4, 1841
54 years, 340 days
Mar 4, 1845
16 years, 320 daysJan 18, 186271 years, 295 days
11 James K. Polk Nov 2, 179549 years, 122 days
Mar 4, 1845
53 years, 122 days
Mar 4, 1849
103 daysJun 15, 184953 years, 225 days
12 Zachary Taylor Nov 24, 178464 years, 100 days
Mar 4, 1849
65 years, 227 days
Jul 9, 1850
Jul 9, 185065 years, 227 days
13 Millard Fillmore Jan 7, 180050 years, 183 days
Jul 9, 1850
53 years, 56 days
Mar 4, 1853
21 years, 4 daysMar 8, 187474 years, 60 days
14 Franklin Pierce Nov 23, 180448 years, 101 days
Mar 4, 1853
52 years, 101 days
Mar 4, 1857
12 years, 218 daysOct 8, 186964 years, 319 days
15 James Buchanan Apr 23, 179165 years, 315 days
Mar 4, 1857
69 years, 315 days
Mar 4, 1861
7 years, 89 daysJun 1, 186877 years, 39 days
16 Abraham Lincoln Feb 12, 180952 years, 20 days
Mar 4, 1861
56 years, 62 days
Apr 15, 1865
Apr 15, 186556 years, 62 days
17 Andrew Johnson Dec 29, 180856 years, 107 days
Apr 15, 1865
60 years, 65 days
Mar 4, 1869
6 years, 149 daysJul 31, 187566 years, 214 days
18 Ulysses S. Grant Apr 27, 182246 years, 311 days
Mar 4, 1869
54 years, 311 days
Mar 4, 1877
8 years, 141 daysJul 23, 188563 years, 87 days
19 Rutherford B. Hayes Oct 4, 182254 years, 151 days
Mar 4, 1877
58 years, 151 days
Mar 4, 1881
11 years, 319 daysJan 17, 189370 years, 105 days
20 James A. Garfield Nov 19, 183149 years, 105 days
Mar 4, 1881
49 years, 304 days
Sep 19, 1881
Sep 19, 188149 years, 304 days
21 Chester A. Arthur Oct 5, 182951 years, 349 days
Sep 19, 1881
55 years, 150 days
Mar 4, 1885
1 year, 259 daysNov 18, 188657 years, 44 days
22 Grover Cleveland Mar 18, 183747 years, 351 days
Mar 4, 1885
51 years, 351 days
Mar 4, 1889
4 years, 0 days [c] Jun 24, 190871 years, 98 days
23 Benjamin Harrison Aug 20, 183355 years, 196 days
Mar 4, 1889
59 years, 196 days
Mar 4, 1893
8 years, 9 daysMar 13, 190167 years, 205 days
24 Grover Cleveland Mar 18, 183755 years, 351 days
Mar 4, 1893
59 years, 351 days
Mar 4, 1897
11 years, 112 days [d] Jun 24, 190871 years, 98 days
25 William McKinley Jan 29, 184354 years, 34 days
Mar 4, 1897
58 years, 228 days
Sep 14, 1901
Sep 14, 190158 years, 228 days
26 Theodore Roosevelt Oct 27, 185842 years, 322 days
Sep 14, 1901
50 years, 128 days
Mar 4, 1909
9 years, 308 daysJan 6, 191960 years, 71 days
27 William Howard Taft Sep 15, 185751 years, 170 days
Mar 4, 1909
55 years, 170 days
Mar 4, 1913
17 years, 4 daysMar 8, 193072 years, 174 days
28 Woodrow Wilson Dec 28, 185656 years, 66 days
Mar 4, 1913
64 years, 66 days
Mar 4, 1921
2 years, 336 daysFeb 3, 192467 years, 37 days
29 Warren G. Harding Nov 2, 186555 years, 122 days
Mar 4, 1921
57 years, 273 days
Aug 2, 1923
Aug 2, 192357 years, 273 days
30 Calvin Coolidge Jul 4, 187251 years, 29 days
Aug 2, 1923
56 years, 243 days
Mar 4, 1929
3 years, 307 daysJan 5, 193360 years, 185 days
31 Herbert Hoover Aug 10, 187454 years, 206 days
Mar 4, 1929
58 years, 206 days
Mar 4, 1933
31 years, 230 daysOct 20, 196490 years, 71 days
32 Franklin D. Roosevelt Jan 30, 188251 years, 33 days
Mar 4, 1933
63 years, 72 days
Apr 12, 1945
Apr 12, 194563 years, 72 days
33 Harry S. Truman May 8, 188460 years, 339 days
Apr 12, 1945
68 years, 257 days
Jan 20, 1953
19 years, 341 daysDec 26, 197288 years, 232 days
34 Dwight D. Eisenhower Oct 14, 189062 years, 98 days
Jan 20, 1953
70 years, 98 days
Jan 20, 1961
8 years, 67 daysMar 28, 196978 years, 165 days
35 John F. Kennedy May 29, 191743 years, 236 days
Jan 20, 1961
46 years, 177 days
Nov 22, 1963
Nov 22, 196346 years, 177 days
36 Lyndon B. Johnson Aug 27, 190855 years, 87 days
Nov 22, 1963
60 years, 146 days
Jan 20, 1969
4 years, 2 daysJan 22, 197364 years, 148 days
37 Richard Nixon Jan 9, 191356 years, 11 days
Jan 20, 1969
61 years, 212 days
Aug 9, 1974 [e]
19 years, 256 daysApr 22, 199481 years, 103 days
38 Gerald Ford Jul 14, 191361 years, 26 days
Aug 9, 1974
63 years, 190 days
Jan 20, 1977
29 years, 340 daysDec 26, 200693 years, 165 days
39 Jimmy Carter Oct 1, 192452 years, 111 days
Jan 20, 1977
56 years, 111 days
Jan 20, 1981
43 years, 344 daysDec 29, 2024100 years, 89 days
40 Ronald Reagan Feb 6, 191169 years, 349 days
Jan 20, 1981
77 years, 349 days
Jan 20, 1989
15 years, 137 daysJun 5, 200493 years, 120 days
41 George H. W. Bush Jun 12, 192464 years, 222 days
Jan 20, 1989
68 years, 222 days
Jan 20, 1993
25 years, 314 daysNov 30, 201894 years, 171 days
42 Bill Clinton Aug 19, 194646 years, 154 days
Jan 20, 1993
54 years, 154 days
Jan 20, 2001
24 years, 46 days78 years, 200 days
43 George W. Bush Jul 6, 194654 years, 198 days
Jan 20, 2001
62 years, 198 days
Jan 20, 2009
16 years, 46 days78 years, 244 days
44 Barack Obama Aug 4, 196147 years, 169 days
Jan 20, 2009
55 years, 169 days
Jan 20, 2017
8 years, 46 days63 years, 215 days
45 Donald Trump Jun 14, 194670 years, 220 days
Jan 20, 2017
74 years, 220 days
Jan 20, 2021
4 years, 0 days [f] 78 years, 266 days
46 Joe Biden Nov 20, 194278 years, 61 days
Jan 20, 2021
82 years, 61 days
Jan 20, 2025
46 days82 years, 107 days
47 Donald Trump Jun 14, 194678 years, 220 days
Jan 20, 2025

(Incumbent)

(Incumbent)78 years, 266 days
  1. 1 2 3 4 Birthdate as changed to New Style
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Died in office
  3. This is the length of Cleveland's first (1889–1893) post-presidential retirement, between his two terms in office.
  4. This is the length of Cleveland's second (1897–1908) post-presidential retirement, after his second term in office.
  5. Resigned from office
  6. This is the length of Trump's first (2021–2025) post-presidential retirement, between his two terms in office.

Graphical representation

This is a graphical lifespan timeline of the presidents of the United States. They are listed in order of office, with Grover Cleveland and Donald Trump listed in the order of their first presidencies.

Joe BidenDonald TrumpBarack ObamaGeorge W. BushBill ClintonGeorge H. W. BushRonald ReaganJimmy CarterGerald FordRichard NixonLyndon B. JohnsonJohn F. KennedyDwight D. EisenhowerHarry S. TrumanFranklin D. RooseveltHerbert HooverCalvin CoolidgeWarren G. HardingWoodrow WilsonWilliam Howard TaftTheodore RooseveltWilliam McKinleyBenjamin HarrisonGrover ClevelandChester A. ArthurJames A. GarfieldRutherford B. HayesUlysses S. GrantAndrew JohnsonAbraham LincolnJames BuchananFranklin PierceMillard FillmoreZachary TaylorJames K. PolkJohn TylerWilliam Henry HarrisonMartin Van BurenAndrew JacksonJohn Quincy AdamsJames MonroeJames MadisonThomas JeffersonJohn AdamsGeorge WashingtonList of presidents of the United States by age

The following chart shows presidents by their age (living presidents in green), with the years of their presidency in blue. The vertical blue line at 35 years indicates the minimum age to be president.

List of presidents of the United States by age

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 McCarthy, Niall (November 9, 2020). "Biden Set To Become The Oldest President In U.S. History". Forbes . Retrieved January 27, 2021.
  2. 1 2 Diaz, Johnny (January 18, 2021) [Updated January 20, 2021]. "Biden Is the Oldest President to Take the Oath". The New York Times. Archived from the original on December 28, 2021. Retrieved January 24, 2021.
  3. Merrill, Dave; Caronello, Sophie (January 19, 2021). "Biden to Become Oldest President Ever at Inauguration". Bloomberg News. Archived from the original on January 28, 2021. Retrieved January 21, 2021.
  4. Merelli, Annalisa (January 20, 2021). "What happens if Joe Biden dies in office?". Quartz . Archived from the original on April 16, 2021. Retrieved January 31, 2021.
  5. Vinnett, Mya (October 1, 2024). "President Jimmy Carter becomes the first US president to live to 100 years old". USA Today News. Retrieved October 1, 2024.
  6. "James Polk". biography.com. A&E Television Networks. October 24, 2019 [April 2, 2014]. Retrieved January 24, 2021.

Sources