Here is a Profile of the Typical American Retiree

Who do you envision when you think of the typical American retiree? You would be correct if you picture a high school-educated, married female living in the south or northeast. Business Insider just did a profile on American retirees and discovered the following fun facts:

• Around 57 percent of retirees are women, compared to about 43 percent who are men. This is not surprising when you consider that women typically outlive men.
• Most of America’s retirees — nearly 60 percent — are still married, about a fifth are widowed, and 13.5 percent are separated or divorced.
• Retirees have an average income of around $35,000, but almost 25 percent make less than $10,000 per year. While some seniors still receive some type of wages, most get income from Social Security benefits.
• The vast majority of retirees are over the age of 70, with 39.9 percent falling between 70 and 79 years of age and 22.6 percent being over the age of 80. Only 6.9 percent of retirees are under the age of 60.
• People with only a high school degree make up the largest percentage of retirees — 32.9 percent. Among those who pursued higher education, 25.5 percent have some college or an associate degree, 18.5 percent have a bachelor’s degree and 13.4 percent have a post-graduate degree.
• Retirees seem to prefer Florida or New England, with the Sunshine State, Maine, and New Hampshire being home to the greatest percentage of retirees. In fact, 20 percent of the population in Florida is retired.

The Seniors Trust is devoted to improving Social Security for all retirees. It wants Congress to enact the Social Security Expansion Act which will establish a fair cost-of-living adjustment (COLA), increase benefits, create a strong and long-lasting trust fund, and guarantee every retired worker receives adequate Social Security benefits they have earned.