Adults ages 50+ contribute more than half (55%) of all volunteer hours in the United States, according to a new AARP Foundation analysis of the US Census Bureau's Current Population Survey Civic Engagement and Volunteering Supplement. While older adults make up 36% of the US population, they account for 44% of its volunteers, contributing an estimated $92.2 billion in economic value annually.

Older adults contribute an average of 89 volunteer hours annually, compared with 56 hours among volunteers under age 50, and they volunteer more consistently; 73% volunteer at least once a month, compared with 63% of volunteers under 50.

The report also found that volunteering among older adults is closely tied to broader civic and social engagement. Older adults who volunteer are more likely to vote than the 50+ population overall (79% versus 61%) and more likely to belong to civic groups or associations (67% versus 29%). They also report stronger neighborhood ties, with 90% spending time with neighbors, compared with 77% of all older adults, and 57% doing favors for neighbors at least monthly, compared with 41% overall.

Volunteer participation was similar across the 50-64 and 65+ age groups, suggesting engagement depends less on retirement status and more on how accessible and meaningful the volunteer opportunity is.

"Older adults are an extraordinary force for good in our communities," said AARP Foundation President Claire Casey. "They put a lifetime of skills and experience to work for others, benefitting all of us by making our neighborhoods and communities stronger and more connected."

To download the full report, published by the AARP Foundation, click here

https://www.aarp.org/content/dam/aarpfoundation/thought-leadership/Older_Adult_Volunteers_A_Pillar_of_Community_and_Civic_Life_Sep_2026.pdf