Honestly, for decades, if you asked anyone about the senior member of the "Presidential Club," the answer was automatic. It was Jimmy Carter. The man from Plains, Georgia, was a constant, a centenarian who seemed to defy every biological clock. But things have changed. Since Carter passed away in December 2024 at the age of 100, the title has shifted.
If you’re looking for who's the oldest living president right now, the answer is Joe Biden.
It’s kinda surreal when you think about it. For a long time, the ages of our leaders were something we only talked about during election cycles. Now, it's a matter of historical record-breaking. Biden, born in November 1942, currently holds the mantle. He’s 83 years old. He didn't just take over as the oldest living; he was already the oldest person to ever hold the office during his actual term.
The Current Standings: Who’s Left in the Club?
The group of living former presidents is smaller than it used to be. It’s a tight-knit, exclusive, and—let’s be real—pretty elderly group. Aside from Joe Biden, we have four others.
What’s wild is how close in age most of them are. We have this weird "Class of '46" thing happening. Three of our former commanders-in-chief were born in the same year, just months apart.
- Joe Biden (born Nov. 20, 1942): The current title holder.
- Donald Trump (born June 14, 1946): Currently 79. He actually holds the record for being the oldest person inaugurated, having been 78 when he started his second term in January 2025.
- George W. Bush (born July 6, 1946): Also 79. He’s been out of office since 2009, which makes his "retirement" feel much longer than Trump’s, even though they are the same age.
- Bill Clinton (born August 19, 1946): The third member of the '46 trio. He’s also 79. It’s sort of crazy to remember he was the "young, cool" president in the 90s.
- Barack Obama (born August 4, 1961): The "baby" of the group. At 64, he’s significantly younger than the rest.
Why the Title of Oldest Living President Matters
It isn't just a trivia fact. It’s about the "Post-Presidency."
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Jimmy Carter changed the game. Before him, most presidents sort of... faded away? Or they died relatively soon after leaving the White House. James K. Polk, for instance, died only 103 days after his term ended. Imagine that. You spend years under that kind of stress and then you don't even get a full year of rest.
Carter lived for over 40 years after his presidency. He built houses. He negotiated peace. He basically invented the modern idea of using the "former president" title as a force for humanitarian work. Now that Biden is who's the oldest living president, people are looking at him through that same lens. What does a 100-year-life look like for a man who spent 50 years in Washington?
The Longevity Gap
Modern medicine is the obvious factor here. But there’s also the "Executive Bubble." Presidents get the best healthcare on the planet. Period. Even after they leave, they have a staff, security, and a pension that ensures they aren't stressing about the electric bill.
But stress does things to the body. You’ve seen those "before and after" photos of presidents. They go in with dark hair and come out looking like they’ve seen a ghost. Or several. George W. Bush once joked that the job "ages you in dog years."
Breaking Down the Records
If we're talking strictly about the numbers, the records are being shattered left and right lately.
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- Oldest Ever: Jimmy Carter (100 years). He is the only president to hit the triple digits.
- Oldest at Inauguration: Donald Trump. He broke Joe Biden’s record when he was sworn in for his second term at 78 years, 7 months, and 6 days old.
- Oldest Serving: Joe Biden. He was 82 when his term ended in early 2025.
It’s a bit of a moving target. By the time Donald Trump finishes his current term in 2028, he will be the oldest person to ever serve as president, assuming everything goes according to schedule. He’d be 82, surpassing Biden by a few months.
What People Get Wrong About Presidential Age
Most people think being the "oldest" means being the "longest retired." That’s not true.
Herbert Hoover lived for 31 years after his presidency. That was the record for a long time. Then Carter came along and smashed it by staying retired for over 43 years. Biden, on the other hand, became the oldest living president while he was still technically in the transition or just freshly out of office.
There's also a misconception that the "oldest" is always the one from the furthest back in time. Nope. Bill Clinton was president before George W. Bush, but they were born in the same year. Clinton is actually the youngest of the 1946 trio by a few weeks.
The Obama Factor
Barack Obama is the outlier. He’s 64. He could easily be the "oldest living president" thirty years from now. Because he was so young when he took office (47), his post-presidency might actually end up being the longest in history if he lives as long as Carter did.
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Think about that. Obama could still be around in the 2060s.
The Role of Plains and Public Health
We can't talk about presidential longevity without mentioning the "Hospice Effect." When Jimmy Carter entered hospice in early 2023, everyone thought it was the end. The news cycle prepared the obituaries.
He stayed in hospice for nearly two years.
It changed how Americans look at end-of-life care. It wasn't about "giving up"; it was about "living well" in the time remaining. He proved that even the oldest living president could still have a "good" quality of life in a very diminished physical state.
Actionable Insights for History Buffs
If you’re tracking this stuff or just want to stay informed about the health and status of our former leaders, here’s how to do it right:
- Follow The Carter Center: Even though Jimmy is gone, the center remains the gold standard for how a former president manages their legacy. They often release updates on the family's activities.
- Watch the Class of '46: Keep an eye on the health of Clinton, Bush, and Trump. Since they are all within months of each other, we are in a unique historical period where we could lose three former presidents in a very short window—or see three more centenarians.
- Check the Library Records: Presidential libraries (like the Clinton Library in Little Rock or the Bush Library in Dallas) are where the real data on their post-presidential activities lives.
The title of who's the oldest living president is more than just a number on a birthday cake. It’s a reflection of the era they served and the stamina required to survive the most stressful job on earth. Right now, Joe Biden holds that record. But in the world of presidential history, the only constant is that the records are eventually meant to be broken.
To keep up with these milestones, regularly check the official White House biographical pages or the National Archives. They maintain the verified "longevity" tables that track every day a former president is with us. These stats update daily, and as we've seen with the 1946 group, every month counts.