More than one in four Marylanders age 65 and older is still on the job, and the state now ranks third in the nation for working seniors. A new analysis pegs 26.4% of retirement-age residents as employed, well above the national rate, suggesting that in Maryland, “retirement” often looks a lot like regular working life with a slightly older cast.
Study numbers and rankings
The figures come from a LendingTree analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data, which found 26.4% of Maryland residents 65 and older were employed in 2025, compared with a national employment rate of 18.7%. Nebraska led the country at 31.3% and logged the biggest jump from 2023, rising 9.4 percentage points. The report notes wide state-by-state swings in how and when older Americans step back from work.
Local reporting
Local coverage quickly picked up on the rankings, with FOX45/WBFF zeroing in on Maryland’s place near the top of the list of working seniors. The station flagged the state’s 26.4% figure in its round-up and pointed viewers and readers to the full tables for a deeper dive, as reported by Fox Baltimore. The attention reflects what many families are already seeing in real time, from grandparents still commuting to longtime employees postponing their farewell cake.
Which jobs older workers keep
The LendingTree breakdown shows that older workers are not evenly spread across the labor market. Broadcast announcers and radio disc jockeys top the list, with 44.4% of people in those roles age 65 or older. Legislators follow at 38.9%, and farmers and agricultural managers come in at 32.2%. The high concentrations hint that some jobs strongly reward experience or are less attractive to younger workers, according to LendingTree.
State response: Longevity Ready Maryland
The rise in older workers comes as the General Assembly has codified a 10-year Longevity Ready Maryland plan and created an Aging Resilience Fund to coordinate services, workforce pathways, and supports for older residents. The bills, recorded in the Maryland General Assembly files as the Longevity Ready Maryland Act and related measures, establish cross-agency planning and a non-lapsing fund intended to bolster programs for older adults, per the Maryland General Assembly.
Officials weigh in
“We're aging as a state faster than the rest of the country,” Department of Aging Secretary Caramel Roques told WYPR, saying the new law is designed to help Marylanders afford longer lives and find meaningful roles after 65. The outlet also reports that the Longevity Ready Maryland plan becomes state law on Oct. 1, and the Aging Resilience Fund will be available starting this July, with annual progress reports required to the governor and the General Assembly, according to WYPR.
For employers, policymakers, and families, the numbers raise familiar but urgent questions about retirement security, job conditions, and the safety net for older workers. Maryland’s new framework is meant to give those workers more options, but it will take time to see whether the policy turns into real flexibility for residents who want, or need, to keep clocking in.
