If you’ve lived in the Pacific Northwest for more than five minutes, you probably feel like you know Jim Dever. He’s that guy. The one who spent over three decades popping up on your screen at 7:30 p.m., usually while doing something slightly ridiculous like training to be an Avenger or painting the Space Needle. For years, he was the face of Evening (formerly Evening Magazine) on KING 5.
But since he stepped away from the daily grind of local television in early 2025, people have been asking one specific thing: how old is Jim Dever? It’s a fair question. The man has a sort of ageless, energetic vibe that makes it hard to pin down a number.
The Real Story Behind the Numbers
Honestly, tracking down a definitive birth date for local TV personalities can be surprisingly tricky. They aren't A-list Hollywood stars with publicists who blast their vitals to IMDb every morning. However, we can do some pretty solid math based on his career timeline and personal history.
Jim Dever was born in Dayton, Ohio, though he spent a huge chunk of his childhood in Pennsylvania. He graduated from college and started his career as a news photographer in a tiny station in Altoona, PA. By the time he landed in Seattle and joined the Evening crew, the year was 1991.
Think about that for a second. 1991. That was the year Nevermind by Nirvana came out. If Jim was, say, 25 or 26 when he started at KING 5 (a standard age for someone who had already worked their way through a smaller market), that would put his birth year somewhere around 1965 or 1966.
As of early 2026, Jim Dever is likely in his late 50s or very early 60s.
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While he hasn't publicly broadcasted his exact age to the world—probably because he's too busy planning his next travel adventure—his 34-year tenure at KING 5 is the biggest clue. Most folks don't spend 34 years at one station unless they started fairly young and stuck it out through the long haul.
Why Everyone Is Searching for Jim Dever Right Now
The sudden spike in interest regarding his age and whereabouts really kicked off on March 31, 2025. That was Jim’s final day on Evening. It wasn’t a sad departure; it was more of an "exit ramp" situation, as he put it himself.
After 34 years, he decided it was time to stop being the one telling the stories and start living some new ones. He mentioned wanting to travel more with his wife, Anita Woo (who is also a familiar face to Seattle news viewers), and just seeing "what's out there."
When someone who has been a constant presence in your living room for three decades suddenly leaves, you get curious. You start wondering about their life, their age, and whether they’re actually retiring or just moving on to a different gig.
A Career Built on Being "The Guy"
You can't talk about how old Jim Dever is without talking about the sheer volume of work he squeezed into those years. He won 25 Emmys. Twenty-five! That’s a staggering amount of hardware for a local reporter.
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His segments weren't just "here’s a cool restaurant." They were experiences. He had these recurring bits like "Jim on the Job" or "Dare Dever" where he’d basically let the producers throw him into uncomfortable situations for our entertainment.
- He joined the Evergreen City Ballet (and famously complained about the wardrobe).
- He ran the American Ninja Warrior course.
- He traveled to Romania to cover serious stories about orphanages.
- He interviewed everyone from George Clooney to the Spice Girls.
There’s a legendary photo from 1997 of the Spice Girls giving him a very close "inspection" during an interview. If you look at that photo and compare it to his final broadcasts in 2025, the guy hasn't actually changed that much. Maybe it’s the Seattle rain keeping everyone's skin hydrated, or maybe he’s just got great genes.
What Is Jim Doing in 2026?
So, if he’s not on your TV every weeknight, where is he?
Jim didn't just disappear into a rocking chair. He’s been active in the Seattle community as an auctioneer. If you’ve been to a high-end charity gala in the Puget Sound area lately, there’s a decent chance you’ve seen him on stage "bringin' in the bucks," as his own website puts it. He’s raised millions for local charities over the years, using that same comedic timing and energy that made him a TV star.
He’s also a dad. He and Anita have two kids, Eli and Reilly. In a 2014 look-back segment, Jim noted that his daughter Reilly had interviewed Barney the Dinosaur when she was two years old. By 2014, she was a junior at the University of Washington. Do the math on that, and it further reinforces that Jim has been a pillar of the community for a literal generation.
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The Legacy of a Local Icon
The reason people care about how old Jim Dever is isn't just about a number on a driver's license. It’s about the passage of time. For many of us, Jim was the guy who told us what to do on a Friday night or introduced us to the weirdest roadside attractions in Washington state.
His departure from Evening marked the end of an era for local broadcasting. He was one of the last "magazine" style hosts who truly understood how to mix humor with genuine storytelling.
- Fact Check: He didn't retire because he had to; he retired because he wanted to.
- The Vibe: He’s currently living his best life, likely traveling and doing freelance video work.
- The Impact: He left the show in the hands of Saint Bryan and Jose Cedeno, but his DNA is still all over the program.
Final Insights on Jim’s Journey
If you’re looking for a specific "happy birthday" date to mark on your calendar, you might be out of luck unless you’re in his inner circle. But the reality is that Jim Dever has spent over half of his life in front of a camera in Seattle.
If you want to keep up with what he's doing now, his official website is still the best place to see his auctioneer schedule and any new video projects he’s tinkering with. He hasn't stopped telling stories; he’s just changed the platform.
To stay connected with the local scene Jim helped build, you can follow the current Evening crew on KING 5 or check out Jim's personal social media for updates on his travels. He’s a reminder that "old" is a relative term—especially when you’ve spent your career jumping out of planes and dancing in ballets for the sake of a good story.