The Longevity Economy® Outlook reports are a series of data analyses from AARP that explore the wide-ranging impacts of the 50-plus population in the U.S. The 2026 report indicates that adults in this group accounted for $12.5 trillion in annual economic activity in 2024, and their contribution is projected to grow through 2060.

Since AARP last conducted the “Longevity Economy Outlook” study, in 2018, the population of adults 50 and over has grown by more than 1 million people a year, reaching 123 million in 2024. It’s projected to increase to nearly 158 million by 2060.

Some of the key takeaways of the new report include the following:

• In 2024, adults age 50-plus generated 43% of U.S. GDP—$12.5 trillion—enough to be the world’s third-largest economy.
• Unpaid contributions are economically essential: adults 50-plus provided the equivalent of $1.2 trillion in unpaid care and volunteering in 2024.
• The 50-plus population is not just growing; it is also aging rapidly. This is shifting the cohort toward later-life stages while reshaping work and spending.
• Nearly 57 million people age 50-plus are in the labor force, underscoring how critical older workers have become as growth among younger workers lags.
• Population aging is a national trend, the pace of which varies across the 50 states, with highly uneven economic effects.

The report also identifies key areas of action, which include the following:

• Make longer working lives productive, not precarious.
• Treat age-ready housing as essential infrastructure.
• Create products that help people live better as they age.
• Invest more for an aging society.
• Recognize unpaid and charitable contributions as essential drivers of the economy.
• Build a functioning care economy.

More information is available here and the video below: