The Oldest United States Presidents in History

At 81, President Biden is the oldest president in history. Before he stepped down from the presidential race, if he had been reelected, he would have been 82 upon re-entering the White House and 86 at the end of his term. Most Americans begin their retirement process in their 60s, and according to Forbes, the average age of retirement for men is 65, for women, it's 62. Yet, a select group of men bucked this trend and continued working, becoming the oldest United States presidents in history.

Many jobs are fraught with tension and pressure but none more so than of the U.S. president, often said to be the most stressful position in the world. When many are readily, and happily, leaving these positions for a life of leisure, these men have done the opposite and pledged their lives to dealing with issues on the most public of all forums. From the time an elected official enters office to the time they leave, the toll the job takes is visually evident.

To compile the list of the oldest United States presidents in history, 24/7 Tempo reviewed several governmental sources. These include U.S. News & World, WhiteHouse.gov, and The Hill. There is often a fine line between having enough experience and energy to understand what's actively happening in the United States and the world. (Some presidents also ranked high in their military careers. Click here for more on the 12 presidents who were generals.)

• Time in office: 3 years, 8 months as of September 2024
• Date of birth: November 20, 1942
• Age at inauguration 78 years old

• Time in office: 4 years
• Date of birth: June 14, 1946
• Age at inauguration 70 years old

• Time in office: 8 years
• Date of birth: February 16, 1911
• Age at inauguration 69 years old

• Time in office: 1 month
• Date of birth: February 9, 1773
• Age at inauguration 68 years old

• Time in office: 4 years
• Date of birth: April 23, 1791
• Age at inauguration 65 years old

• Time in office: 4 years
• Date of birth: June 12, 1924
• Age at inauguration 64 years old

• Time in office: 1 year, 2 months
• Date of birth: November 24, 1784
• Age at inauguration 64 years old

• Time in office: 8 years
• Date of birth: October 14, 1890
• Age at inauguration 62 years old

• Time in office: 8 years
• Date of birth: March 15, 1767
• Age at inauguration 61 years old

• Time in office: 4 years
• Date of birth: October 30, 1735
• Age at inauguration 61 years old

• Time in office: 2 years and six months
• Date of birth: July 14, 1913
• Age at inauguration 61 years old

• Time in office: 7 years and eight months
• Date of birth: May 8, 1884
• Age at inauguration 60 years old

• Time in office: 8 years
• Date of birth: April 28, 1758
• Age at inauguration 58 years old

• Time in office: 8 years
• Date of birth: March 16, 1751
• Age at inauguration 57 years old

• Time in office: 8 years
• Date of birth: April 13, 1743
• Age at inauguration 57 years old

• Time in office: 4 years
• Date of birth: July 11, 1767
• Age at inauguration 57 years old

• Time in office: 8 years
• Date of birth: February 22, 1732
• Age at inauguration 57 years old

• Time in office: 4 years
• Date of birth: December 29, 1808
• Age at inauguration 56 years old

• Time in office: 8 years
• Date of birth: December 28, 1856
• Age at inauguration 56 years old

• Time in office: 5 years, 8 months
• Date of birth: January 9, 1913
• Age at inauguration 56 years old