List of vice presidents of the United States by age
This is a list of vice presidents of the United States by age. The first table charts the age of each vice president of the United States at the time of that person's inauguration (first inauguration if that person was elected to multiple and consecutive terms), at the time that that person left office, and at the time of that person's death. Each vice president's age at death and that person's lifespan are measured in two ways; this is to allow for the differing number of leap days occurring within each one's life. The first figure is the number of days between date of birth and date of death, allowing for leap days; in parentheses the same period given in years and days, with the years being the number of whole years that the vice president lived, and the days being the number of days after that person's last birthday. Where the vice president is still living, lifespan is calculated up to August 21, 2024.
Age of vice presidents
editThe median age upon accession to the vice presidency is around 54 years and 10 months. This is about how old John Adams and Hubert Humphrey were at the time they entered office. The youngest person to assume office was John C. Breckinridge, at the age of 36 years, 47 days. Serving only one term, he became and remains the youngest at the time of leaving office; the oldest at the time of entering office was Alben W. Barkley, at the age of 71 years, 57 days. He was also the oldest when he left office.
Born on January 16, 1821, John C. Breckinridge was younger than five of his successors, the greatest number to date: Andrew Johnson (12 years and 18 days); Hannibal Hamlin (11 years, 4 months, and 20 days); Henry Wilson (8 years and 11 months); William A. Wheeler (1 year, 6 months, and 17 days); and Thomas A. Hendricks (1 year, 4 months, and 9 days).
Born on July 8, 1908, Nelson Rockefeller was older than five of his predecessors, the greatest number to date: Lyndon B. Johnson (1 month and 19 days); Hubert Humphrey (2 years, 10 months, and 19 days); Richard Nixon (4 years, 6 months, and 1 day); Gerald Ford (5 years and 6 days); and Spiro Agnew (10 years, 4 months, and 1 day).[1]
Three vice presidents—Hannibal Hamlin, Charles G. Dawes, and Lyndon B. Johnson—were born on August 27 (in 1809, 1865, and 1908 respectively). This is the only day of the year having the birthday of multiple vice presidents.[1]
The oldest living vice president is Dick Cheney, born on January 30, 1941 (age 83 years, 204 days). The youngest living vice president is the incumbent, Kamala Harris, born on October 20, 1964 (age 59 years, 306 days). The shortest-lived vice president was Daniel D. Tompkins, who died at the age of 50 years, 355 days, only 99 days after leaving office. The longest-lived was John Nance Garner, who died on November 7, 1967, at the age of 98 years, 350 days. He is one of six U.S. vice presidents (along with Levi P. Morton, George H. W. Bush, Gerald Ford, Walter Mondale and John Adams) to have lived into their 90s.
Daniel D. Tompkins had the shortest post-vice-presidency timespan, dying just three months after leaving office. Walter Mondale had the longest post-vice-presidency timespan, dying 40 years after leaving office.
Vice presidential age-related data
editNo. | Vice president | Born | Age at start of vice presidency |
Age at end of vice presidency |
Post-VP timespan | Lifespan | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Died | Age | ||||||
1 | John Adams | Oct 30, 1735 | 53 years, 173 days Apr 21, 1789 |
61 years, 125 days Mar 4, 1797 |
29 years, 122 days | Jul 4, 1826 | 90 years, 247 days |
2 | Thomas Jefferson | Apr 13, 1743 | 53 years, 325 days Mar 4, 1797 |
57 years, 325 days Mar 4, 1801 |
25 years, 122 days | Jul 4, 1826 | 83 years, 82 days |
3 | Aaron Burr | Feb 6, 1756 | 45 years, 26 days Mar 4, 1801 |
49 years, 26 days Mar 4, 1805 |
31 years, 194 days | Sep 14, 1836 | 80 years, 221 days |
4 | George Clinton | Jul 26, 1739 | 65 years, 221 days Mar 4, 1805 |
72 years, 269 days Apr 20, 1812 |
[a] | 0 daysApr 20, 1812 | 72 years, 269 days |
5 | Elbridge Gerry | Jul 17, 1744 | 68 years, 230 days Mar 4, 1813 |
70 years, 129 days Nov 23, 1814 |
[a] | 0 daysNov 23, 1814 | 70 years, 129 days |
6 | Daniel D. Tompkins | Jun 21, 1774 | 42 years, 256 days Mar 4, 1817 |
50 years, 256 days Mar 4, 1825 |
99 days | Jun 11, 1825 | 50 years, 355 days |
7 | John C. Calhoun | Mar 18, 1782 | 42 years, 351 days Mar 4, 1825 |
50 years, 285 days Dec 28, 1832[b] |
17 years, 93 days | Mar 31, 1850 | 68 years, 13 days |
8 | Martin Van Buren | Dec 5, 1782 | 50 years, 89 days Mar 4, 1833 |
54 years, 89 days Mar 4, 1837 |
25 years, 142 days | Jul 24, 1862 | 79 years, 231 days |
9 | Richard M. Johnson | Oct 17, 1780 | 56 years, 138 days Mar 4, 1837 |
60 years, 138 days Mar 4, 1841 |
9 years, 260 days | Nov 19, 1850 | 70 years, 33 days |
10 | John Tyler | Mar 29, 1790 | 50 years, 340 days Mar 4, 1841 |
51 years, 6 days Apr 4, 1841[c] |
20 years, 289 days | Jan 18, 1862 | 71 years, 295 days |
11 | George M. Dallas | Jul 10, 1792 | 52 years, 237 days Mar 4, 1845 |
56 years, 237 days Mar 4, 1849 |
15 years, 302 days | Dec 31, 1864 | 72 years, 174 days |
12 | Millard Fillmore | Jan 7, 1800 | 49 years, 56 days Mar 4, 1849 |
50 years, 183 days Jul 9, 1850[c] |
23 years, 242 days | Mar 8, 1874 | 74 years, 60 days |
13 | William R. King | Apr 7, 1786 | 66 years, 331 days Mar 4, 1853 |
67 years, 11 days Apr 18, 1853 |
[a] | 0 daysApr 18, 1853 | 67 years, 11 days |
14 | John C. Breckinridge | Jan 16, 1821 | 36 years, 47 days Mar 4, 1857 |
40 years, 47 days Mar 4, 1861 |
14 years, 74 days | May 17, 1875 | 54 years, 121 days |
15 | Hannibal Hamlin | Aug 27, 1809 | 51 years, 189 days Mar 4, 1861 |
55 years, 189 days Mar 4, 1865 |
26 years, 122 days | Jul 4, 1891 | 81 years, 311 days |
16 | Andrew Johnson | Dec 29, 1808 | 56 years, 65 days Mar 4, 1865 |
56 years, 107 days Apr 15, 1865[c] |
10 years, 107 days | Jul 31, 1875 | 66 years, 214 days |
17 | Schuyler Colfax | Mar 23, 1823 | 45 years, 346 days Mar 4, 1869 |
49 years, 346 days Mar 4, 1873 |
11 years, 315 days | Jan 13, 1885 | 61 years, 296 days |
18 | Henry Wilson | Feb 16, 1812 | 61 years, 16 days Mar 4, 1873 |
63 years, 279 days Nov 22, 1875 |
[a] | 0 daysNov 22, 1875 | 63 years, 279 days |
19 | William A. Wheeler | Jun 30, 1819 | 57 years, 247 days Mar 4, 1877 |
61 years, 247 days Mar 4, 1881 |
6 years, 92 days | Jun 4, 1887 | 67 years, 339 days |
20 | Chester A. Arthur | Oct 5, 1829 | 51 years, 150 days Mar 4, 1881 |
51 years, 349 days Sep 19, 1881[c] |
5 years, 60 days | Nov 18, 1886 | 57 years, 44 days |
21 | Thomas A. Hendricks | Sep 7, 1819 | 65 years, 178 days Mar 4, 1885 |
66 years, 75 days Nov 25, 1885 |
[a] | 0 daysNov 25, 1885 | 66 years, 79 days |
22 | Levi P. Morton | May 16, 1824 | 64 years, 292 days Mar 4, 1889 |
68 years, 292 days Mar 4, 1893 |
27 years, 73 days | May 16, 1920 | 96 years, 0 days |
23 | Adlai Stevenson I | Oct 23, 1835 | 57 years, 132 days Mar 4, 1893 |
61 years, 132 days Mar 4, 1897 |
17 years, 102 days | Jun 14, 1914 | 78 years, 234 days |
24 | Garret Hobart | Jun 3, 1844 | 52 years, 274 days Mar 4, 1897 |
55 years, 171 days Nov 21, 1899 |
[a] | 0 daysNov 21, 1899 | 55 years, 171 days |
25 | Theodore Roosevelt | Oct 27, 1858 | 42 years, 128 days Mar 4, 1901 |
42 years, 322 days Sep 14, 1901[c] |
17 years, 114 days | Jan 6, 1919 | 60 years, 71 days |
26 | Charles W. Fairbanks | May 11, 1852 | 52 years, 297 days Mar 4, 1905 |
56 years, 297 days Mar 4, 1909 |
9 years, 92 days | Jun 4, 1918 | 66 years, 24 days |
27 | James S. Sherman | Oct 24, 1855 | 53 years, 131 days Mar 4, 1909 |
57 years, 6 days Oct 30, 1912 |
[a] | 0 daysOct 30, 1912 | 57 years, 6 days |
28 | Thomas R. Marshall | Mar 14, 1854 | 58 years, 355 days Mar 4, 1913 |
66 years, 355 days Mar 4, 1921 |
4 years, 89 days | Jun 1, 1925 | 71 years, 79 days |
29 | Calvin Coolidge | Jul 4, 1872 | 48 years, 243 days Mar 4, 1921 |
51 years, 29 days Aug 2, 1923[c] |
9 years, 156 days | Jan 5, 1933 | 60 years, 185 days |
30 | Charles G. Dawes | Aug 27, 1865 | 59 years, 189 days Mar 4, 1925 |
63 years, 189 days Mar 4, 1929 |
22 years, 50 days | Apr 23, 1951 | 85 years, 239 days |
31 | Charles Curtis | Jan 25, 1860 | 69 years, 38 days Mar 4, 1929 |
73 years, 38 days Mar 4, 1933 |
2 years, 341 days | Feb 8, 1936 | 76 years, 14 days |
32 | John Nance Garner | Nov 22, 1868 | 64 years, 102 days Mar 4, 1933 |
72 years, 59 days Jan 20, 1941 |
26 years, 291 days | Nov 7, 1967 | 98 years, 350 days |
33 | Henry A. Wallace | Oct 7, 1888 | 52 years, 105 days Jan 20, 1941 |
56 years, 105 days Jan 20, 1945 |
20 years, 302 days | Nov 18, 1965 | 77 years, 42 days |
34 | Harry S. Truman | May 8, 1884 | 60 years, 257 days Jan 20, 1945 |
60 years, 339 days Apr 12, 1945[c] |
27 years, 258 days | Dec 26, 1972 | 88 years, 232 days |
35 | Alben W. Barkley | Nov 24, 1877 | 71 years, 57 days Jan 20, 1949 |
75 years, 57 days Jan 20, 1953 |
3 years, 101 days | Apr 30, 1956 | 78 years, 158 days |
36 | Richard Nixon | Jan 9, 1913 | 40 years, 11 days Jan 20, 1953 |
48 years, 11 days Jan 20, 1961 |
33 years, 92 days | Apr 22, 1994 | 81 years, 103 days |
37 | Lyndon B. Johnson | Aug 27, 1908 | 52 years, 146 days Jan 20, 1961 |
55 years, 87 days Nov 22, 1963[c] |
9 years, 61 days | Jan 22, 1973 | 64 years, 148 days |
38 | Hubert Humphrey | May 27, 1911 | 53 years, 238 days Jan 20, 1965 |
57 years, 238 days Jan 20, 1969 |
8 years, 358 days | Jan 13, 1978 | 66 years, 231 days |
39 | Spiro Agnew | Nov 9, 1918 | 50 years, 72 days Jan 20, 1969 |
54 years, 335 days Oct 10, 1973[b] |
22 years, 343 days | Sep 17, 1996 | 77 years, 313 days |
40 | Gerald Ford | Jul 14, 1913 | 60 years, 145 days Dec 6, 1973[d] |
61 years, 26 days Aug 9, 1974[c] |
32 years, 139 days | Dec 26, 2006 | 93 years, 165 days |
41 | Nelson Rockefeller | Jul 8, 1908 | 66 years, 164 days Dec 19, 1974[d] |
68 years, 196 days Jan 20, 1977 |
2 years, 6 days | Jan 26, 1979 | 70 years, 202 days |
42 | Walter Mondale | Jan 5, 1928 | 49 years, 15 days Jan 20, 1977 |
53 years, 15 days Jan 20, 1981 |
40 years, 89 days | Apr 19, 2021 | 93 years, 104 days |
43 | George H. W. Bush | Jun 12, 1924 | 56 years, 222 days Jan 20, 1981 |
64 years, 222 days Jan 20, 1989 |
29 years, 314 days | Nov 30, 2018 | 94 years, 171 days |
44 | Dan Quayle | Feb 4, 1947 | 41 years, 351 days Jan 20, 1989 |
45 years, 351 days Jan 20, 1993 |
31 years, 214 days | (living) | 77 years, 199 days |
45 | Al Gore | Mar 31, 1948 | 44 years, 295 days Jan 20, 1993 |
52 years, 295 days Jan 20, 2001 |
23 years, 214 days | (living) | 76 years, 143 days |
46 | Dick Cheney | Jan 30, 1941 | 59 years, 356 days Jan 20, 2001 |
67 years, 356 days Jan 20, 2009 |
15 years, 214 days | (living) | 83 years, 204 days |
47 | Joe Biden | Nov 20, 1942 | 66 years, 61 days Jan 20, 2009 |
74 years, 61 days Jan 20, 2017 |
7 years, 214 days | (living) | 81 years, 275 days |
48 | Mike Pence | Jun 7, 1959 | 57 years, 227 days Jan 20, 2017 |
61 years, 227 days Jan 20, 2021 |
3 years, 214 days | (living) | 65 years, 75 days |
49 | Kamala Harris | Oct 20, 1964 | 56 years, 92 days Jan 20, 2021 |
(incumbent) | (incumbent) | (living) | 59 years, 306 days |
# | Vice president | Born | Age at start of vice presidency |
Age at end of vice presidency |
Post-VP timespan | Died | Age |
Lifespan |
Notes
edit
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b Strock, Ian Randal (2016). Ranking the Vice Presidents: True Tales and Trivia, from John Adams to Joe Biden. Skyhorse Publishing. pp. 11, 16. ISBN 978-1-63144-061-8. Retrieved January 8, 2017.