The minimum age for the presidency is 35 years, but there is no upper limit. The last two presidential elections in which the now 81-year-old President Biden and former President Donald Trump took part 78to the White House, are evidence of this political reality.

The Founding Fathers removed a maximum age limit from the Constitution and gave those in their golden years the opportunity to run for the highest office in the land.

According to Pew Research, 19 inaugurations involved presidents in their 60s, and only four inaugurations involved presidents in their 70s. The average age of US presidents on their first day in office is 55. Vice President Kamala Harris turned 60 in October.

The 2024 election cycle caused renewed debate How old is too old for office, which accelerated after Mr. Biden's broadcast The debate fumbles in June. The political firestorm led to his his decision To resign as the Democratic candidate a few weeks later. Critics did it too given cause for concern about Trump's age and competence.

Here's a look at the history of the oldest presidents – in the Oval Office and beyond:

Who were the oldest US presidents elected and in office?

The two oldest presidents ever sworn in are Mr. Biden, who was 78 when he took office in 2021, and Trump, who was 70 when he took office in 2017.

With Mr. Biden officially leaving the 2024 race, Trump is the oldest candidate. If elected, he would eclipse Mr. Biden by several months as he is the oldest president ever sworn in at his inauguration in January, six months before his 79th birthday.

The third oldest president at his inauguration was Ronald Reagan, who was 69 when he was sworn in in 1981. “I will not exploit my opponent's youth and inexperience for political gain,” Reagan said in 1984 when running for re-election against Walter Mondale.

In fourth place is the country's ninth president, William Henry Harrison. Harrison was elected in 1841 at the age of 68, but his term as president was short-lived. He died 32 days into his first term, making his presidency the shortest in U.S. history.

Who are the oldest living US presidents?

Jimmy Carter, the celebrated its 100th birthday Born on October 1st, is the oldest living former US president in history. Carter, a Democrat from Georgia, served one term from 1977 to 1981. He passed the longevity milestone in 2019At 94, he overtook George HW Bush to become the longest-living president. More than 1,000 people recently paid tribute to the former president at a Benefit concert before his 100th birthday.

After leaving office more than 40 years ago, Carter remained busy building more than 4,000 homes for Habitat for Humanity, traveling the world to promote human rights and winning the Nobel Peace Prize.

The second oldest after Mr. Carter is Mr. Biden, who turns 82 on November 20, just weeks after the election. Three former presidents, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton and Donald Trump, all 78, are tied for roughly third place.

Complete list of US presidents, from oldest to youngest at the end of the presidency

The list ranges from the current president, who will turn 82 in the weeks after this year's election, to John F. Kennedy, who was just 46 when he was assassinated.

• Joe Biden will be 82 years old on November 20, 2024
• Ronald Reagan, 77
• Donald Trump, 74
• Dwight D. Eisenhower, 70
• Andrew Jackson, 69
• James Buchanan, 69
• William Henry Harrison, 68
• Harry S. Truman, 68
• George HW Bush, 68
• James Monroe, 66
• George Washington, 65
• John Adams, 65
• Thomas Jefferson, 65
• James Madison, 65
• Zachary Taylor, 65
• Woodrow Wilson, 64
• Franklin D. Roosevelt, 63
• Gerald Ford, 63
• George W Bush, 62
• John Quincy Adams, 61
• Richard Nixon, 61
• Andrew Johnson, 60
• Lyndon B. Johnson, 60
• Benjamin Harrison, 59
• Grover Cleveland, 59
• Martin Van Buren, 58
• Rutherford Birchard Hayes, 58
• William McKinley, 58
• Herbert Hoover, 58
• Warren G. Harding, 57
• Abraham Lincoln, 56
• Calvin Coolidge, 56
• Jimmy Carter, 56
• Chester A. Arthur, 55
• William Howard Taft, 55
• Barack Obama, 55
• John Tyler, 54
• Ulysses S. Grant, 54
• Bill Clinton, 54
• James Knox Polk, 53
• Millard Fillmore, 53
• Franklin Pierce, 52
• Grover Cleveland, 51
• Theodore Roosevelt, 50
• James A. Garfield, 49
• John F Kennedy, 46