Seniors More Likely to Work Longer in Big Metropolitan Areas

Analysis of U.S. Census data by the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found seniors in major metropolitan areas, especially in the Northeast and around Washington, D.C., are more likely to continue working beyond age 65 than those in other areas around the country, reports the Denver Post . "Those are the areas where all of the jobs are, really," says Anqi Chen at Boston College's Center for Retirement Research. "The coastal areas recovered well from the recession, while other areas have not." Analysts added that the jobs offered in those regions — government, finance, law, and academia — keep seniors employed longer. Milken Institute Center for the Future of Aging Chairman Paul Irving said seniors can be an advantage to regional economies, increasing tax revenues, encouraging growth with more consumer spending, and delivering additional skills and expertise at a time of low unemployment. "Despite whatever misnomers might exist, there is a great demand out there for mature workers," said Mary Branagan at Vermont-based Associates for Training and Development.