List of presidents of the United States by age

In this list of presidents of the United States by age, the first table charts the age of each president of the United States at the time of 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 December 27, 2024.

Age of presidents

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 of taking 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, who, at age 42, succeeded to the office after the assassination of William McKinley.[1] The oldest person inaugurated president is Joe Biden, at the age of 78.[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 will be Joe Biden at 82.

James K. Polk had the shortest retirement of any president, dying of cholera only 103 days after leaving office, at the age of 53 (the youngest president to die of natural causes).[5] Jimmy Carter's retirement, currently 43 years, is the longest in American presidential history. Carter is the oldest of the six living U.S. presidents,[2] the nation's longest-lived former president, and the first former president to reach the age of 100.[6] The youngest living former president is Barack Obama, age 63.

No. President Born Age at
start of presidency 		Age at
end of presidency 		Post-presidency
timespan 		Lifespan
Died Age
1 George Washington Feb 22, 1732[a] 57 years, 67 days
Apr 30, 1789 		65 years, 10 days
Mar 4, 1797 		2 years, 285 days Dec 14, 1799 67 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 days Jul 4, 1826 90 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 days Jul 4, 1826 83 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 days Jun 28, 1836 85 years, 104 days
5 James Monroe Apr 28, 1758 58 years, 310 days
Mar 4, 1817 		66 years, 310 days
Mar 4, 1825 		6 years, 122 days Jul 4, 1831 73 years, 67 days
6 John Quincy Adams Jul 11, 1767 57 years, 236 days
Mar 4, 1825 		61 years, 236 days
Mar 4, 1829 		18 years, 356 days Feb 23, 1848 80 years, 227 days
7 Andrew Jackson Mar 15, 1767 61 years, 354 days
Mar 4, 1829 		69 years, 354 days
Mar 4, 1837 		8 years, 96 days Jun 8, 1845 78 years, 85 days
8 Martin Van Buren Dec 5, 1782 54 years, 89 days
Mar 4, 1837 		58 years, 89 days
Mar 4, 1841 		21 years, 142 days Jul 24, 1862 79 years, 231 days
9 William Henry Harrison Feb 9, 1773 68 years, 23 days
Mar 4, 1841 		68 years, 54 days
Apr 4, 1841 		0 days[b] Apr 4, 1841 68 years, 54 days
10 John Tyler Mar 29, 1790 51 years, 6 days
Apr 4, 1841 		54 years, 340 days
Mar 4, 1845 		16 years, 320 days Jan 18, 1862 71 years, 295 days
11 James K. Polk Nov 2, 1795 49 years, 122 days
Mar 4, 1845 		53 years, 122 days
Mar 4, 1849 		103 days Jun 15, 1849 53 years, 225 days
12 Zachary Taylor Nov 24, 1784 64 years, 100 days
Mar 4, 1849 		65 years, 227 days
Jul 9, 1850 		0 days[b] Jul 9, 1850 65 years, 227 days
13 Millard Fillmore Jan 7, 1800 50 years, 183 days
Jul 9, 1850 		53 years, 56 days
Mar 4, 1853 		21 years, 4 days Mar 8, 1874 74 years, 60 days
14 Franklin Pierce Nov 23, 1804 48 years, 101 days
Mar 4, 1853 		52 years, 101 days
Mar 4, 1857 		12 years, 218 days Oct 8, 1869 64 years, 319 days
15 James Buchanan Apr 23, 1791 65 years, 315 days
Mar 4, 1857 		69 years, 315 days
Mar 4, 1861 		7 years, 89 days Jun 1, 1868 77 years, 39 days
16 Abraham Lincoln Feb 12, 1809 52 years, 20 days
Mar 4, 1861 		56 years, 62 days
Apr 15, 1865 		0 days[b] Apr 15, 1865 56 years, 62 days
17 Andrew Johnson Dec 29, 1808 56 years, 107 days
Apr 15, 1865 		60 years, 65 days
Mar 4, 1869 		6 years, 149 days Jul 31, 1875 66 years, 214 days
18 Ulysses S. Grant Apr 27, 1822 46 years, 311 days
Mar 4, 1869 		54 years, 311 days
Mar 4, 1877 		8 years, 141 days Jul 23, 1885 63 years, 87 days
19 Rutherford B. Hayes Oct 4, 1822 54 years, 151 days
Mar 4, 1877 		58 years, 151 days
Mar 4, 1881 		11 years, 319 days Jan 17, 1893 70 years, 105 days
20 James A. Garfield Nov 19, 1831 49 years, 105 days
Mar 4, 1881 		49 years, 304 days
Sep 19, 1881 		0 days[b] Sep 19, 1881 49 years, 304 days
21 Chester A. Arthur Oct 5, 1829 51 years, 349 days
Sep 19, 1881 		55 years, 150 days
Mar 4, 1885 		1 year, 259 days Nov 18, 1886 57 years, 44 days
22 Grover Cleveland Mar 18, 1837 47 years, 351 days
Mar 4, 1885 		51 years, 351 days
Mar 4, 1889 		4 years, 0 days[c] Jun 24, 1908 71 years, 98 days
23 Benjamin Harrison Aug 20, 1833 55 years, 196 days
Mar 4, 1889 		59 years, 196 days
Mar 4, 1893 		8 years, 9 days Mar 13, 1901 67 years, 205 days
24 Grover Cleveland Mar 18, 1837 55 years, 351 days
Mar 4, 1893 		59 years, 351 days
Mar 4, 1897 		11 years, 112 days[d] Jun 24, 1908 71 years, 98 days
25 William McKinley Jan 29, 1843 54 years, 34 days
Mar 4, 1897 		58 years, 228 days
Sep 14, 1901 		0 days[b] Sep 14, 1901 58 years, 228 days
26 Theodore Roosevelt Oct 27, 1858 42 years, 322 days
Sep 14, 1901 		50 years, 128 days
Mar 4, 1909 		9 years, 308 days Jan 6, 1919 60 years, 71 days
27 William Howard Taft Sep 15, 1857 51 years, 170 days
Mar 4, 1909 		55 years, 170 days
Mar 4, 1913 		17 years, 4 days Mar 8, 1930 72 years, 174 days
28 Woodrow Wilson Dec 28, 1856 56 years, 66 days
Mar 4, 1913 		64 years, 66 days
Mar 4, 1921 		2 years, 336 days Feb 3, 1924 67 years, 37 days
29 Warren G. Harding Nov 2, 1865 55 years, 122 days
Mar 4, 1921 		57 years, 273 days
Aug 2, 1923 		0 days[b] Aug 2, 1923 57 years, 273 days
30 Calvin Coolidge Jul 4, 1872 51 years, 29 days
Aug 2, 1923 		56 years, 243 days
Mar 4, 1929 		3 years, 307 days Jan 5, 1933 60 years, 185 days
31 Herbert Hoover Aug 10, 1874 54 years, 206 days
Mar 4, 1929 		58 years, 206 days
Mar 4, 1933 		31 years, 230 days Oct 20, 1964 90 years, 71 days
32 Franklin D. Roosevelt Jan 30, 1882 51 years, 33 days
Mar 4, 1933 		63 years, 72 days
Apr 12, 1945 		0 days[b] Apr 12, 1945 63 years, 72 days
33 Harry S. Truman May 8, 1884 60 years, 339 days
Apr 12, 1945 		68 years, 257 days
Jan 20, 1953 		19 years, 341 days Dec 26, 1972 88 years, 232 days
34 Dwight D. Eisenhower Oct 14, 1890 62 years, 98 days
Jan 20, 1953 		70 years, 98 days
Jan 20, 1961 		8 years, 67 days Mar 28, 1969 78 years, 165 days
35 John F. Kennedy May 29, 1917 43 years, 236 days
Jan 20, 1961 		46 years, 177 days
Nov 22, 1963 		0 days[b] Nov 22, 1963 46 years, 177 days
36 Lyndon B. Johnson Aug 27, 1908 55 years, 87 days
Nov 22, 1963 		60 years, 146 days
Jan 20, 1969 		4 years, 2 days Jan 22, 1973 64 years, 148 days
37 Richard Nixon Jan 9, 1913 56 years, 11 days
Jan 20, 1969 		61 years, 212 days
Aug 9, 1974[e] 		19 years, 256 days Apr 22, 1994 81 years, 103 days
38 Gerald Ford Jul 14, 1913 61 years, 26 days
Aug 9, 1974 		63 years, 190 days
Jan 20, 1977 		29 years, 340 days Dec 26, 2006 93 years, 165 days
39 Jimmy Carter Oct 1, 1924 52 years, 111 days
Jan 20, 1977 		56 years, 111 days
Jan 20, 1981 		43 years, 342 days
–
 100 years, 87 days
40 Ronald Reagan Feb 6, 1911 69 years, 349 days
Jan 20, 1981 		77 years, 349 days
Jan 20, 1989 		15 years, 137 days Jun 5, 2004 93 years, 120 days
41 George H. W. Bush Jun 12, 1924 64 years, 222 days
Jan 20, 1989 		68 years, 222 days
Jan 20, 1993 		25 years, 314 days Nov 30, 2018 94 years, 171 days
42 Bill Clinton Aug 19, 1946 46 years, 154 days
Jan 20, 1993 		54 years, 154 days
Jan 20, 2001 		23 years, 342 days
–
 78 years, 130 days
43 George W. Bush Jul 6, 1946 54 years, 198 days
Jan 20, 2001 		62 years, 198 days
Jan 20, 2009 		15 years, 342 days
–
 78 years, 174 days
44 Barack Obama Aug 4, 1961 47 years, 169 days
Jan 20, 2009 		55 years, 169 days
Jan 20, 2017 		7 years, 342 days
–
 63 years, 145 days
45 Donald Trump Jun 14, 1946 70 years, 220 days
Jan 20, 2017 		74 years, 220 days
Jan 20, 2021 		3 years, 342 days
–
 78 years, 196 days
46 Joe Biden Nov 20, 1942 78 years, 61 days
Jan 20, 2021 		(Incumbent) (Incumbent)
–
 82 years, 37 days

Notes

  1. ^ a b c d Birthdate as changed to New Style
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h 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

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 listed in the order of his first presidency.

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 Washington

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.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c McCarthy, Niall (November 9, 2020). "Biden Set To Become The Oldest President In U.S. History". Forbes. Retrieved January 27, 2021.
  2. ^ a b 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. ^ "James Polk". biography.com. A&E Television Networks. October 24, 2019 [April 2, 2014]. Retrieved January 24, 2021.
  6. ^ "President Jimmy Carter becomes the first US president to live to 100 years old". USA Today News. October 1, 2024. Retrieved October 1, 2024.

Sources