• In 1999, 12% (4.0 million) of Americans aged 65 and older were in the labor force, either employed or actively seeking employment, including 2.3 million men and 1.7 million women.
• Workers aged 65 and older constitute 2.9% of the U.S. labor force.
• About 3.1% of older Americans categorize themselves as "unemployed" (meaning that they would want to hold either a part-time or full-time job if hired).
• In 1900, 66% of men 65 and older participated in the labor force. Today that figure is at 16%-17%.
• In 1900, 8% of women 65 and older participated in the labor force. That figure remains almost the same today.
• In 1999, more than 20% of workers older than 65 were self-employed, compared with 7% for younger workers. More than two-thirds (70%) of these older self-employees were men.

(Source: National Aging Information Center, AoA. For more statistics on employment and the older labor force, see the U.S. Government Bureau of Labor Statistics Web site.)

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