Sixty Percent of Americans Believe ``Old'' is Age 71 and over Most Americans Wish They Were under 40, According to Metlife Mature Market Institute/Zogby International Poll

"This data shows that the phrase from the 1960's, don't trustanyone over 30, may have gone the way of flower power and groovy,"said Sandra Timmermann, Ed.D., director of the MetLife Mature MarketInstitute. "Since the population is aging and there are more people inmiddle age than ever before, the idea that old begins at 30 isoutdated and people are not considered old until much later in life."

The study indicates that even younger people, those between 18 and24, have adjusted their idea of old. A majority, 59% in that agegroup, refers to old as someone over 60. Furthermore, though mostpeople over 35 say they wish they were younger and there is a cleardesire to be young, there are a significant number of older people,31% of those over 70, who are content with their current age.

"The implications for workforce participation and socialinvolvement will be far-reaching," Timmermann predicted. "As time goeson, changed attitudes will result in increased numbers of older peoplewho will continue to work, to start their own businesses, or to joinwith younger generations to help meet community needs. No longer willthere be social pressure to 'hang it up' at a certain age."

How Old is Old?

Thirty-two percent of respondents to the poll say the ages between71 and 80 are old. Eighteen percent say 81 to 90 is old and 12% sayold is between 41 and 60.

Respondents living in the west (37%) were the most likely to sayold is 71 to 80, while southerners (23%) were most likely to put "old"in the 61 to 70 range.

As might be expected, as age increases, so does the answer to thequestion, "how old is old?" Thirty percent of those under 30 say 61 to70 is old, while more than one in three 50 to 64-year-olds say 71 to80 is old.

Whites are slightly more likely than African Americans andHispanics to choose a younger age as old.

In general, single respondents are more likely than married onesto choose a younger age as old, while those who are married are morelikely to choose an older age.

And, displaying a distinct difference between the sexes, men aremore likely than women to say an age under 60 is old (22% of men vs.8% of women).

How Old Do You Wish You Were?

According to the survey's second question, "how old do you wishyou were?," 35% of respondents say they would like to be between 21and 30. Another 17% wish they were between 31 and 40. There is a smallgroup of six and five percent, respectively, who would like to bebetween 51 and 60 and 61 and 70, reflecting people who are contentwith their current age. Almost no one wants to be over 81.

Men are more likely than women to wish they were an age under 30.One in five women (20%) wish they were between 31 and 40, compared to13% of men with that desire.

Eighteen to 29-year-olds are the most satisfied with their currentage, or close to it, as 62% say they would like to be 21 to 30. Two infive (40%) 30 to 49-year-olds wish they were in their twenties, nearlytwice as many of that age group who wish they were in their thirties.Fifty to 64-year-old are closely divided between wishing they were 21to 30 (24%) or 51 to 60 (21%) and respondents 65 and older are closelydivided in wishing they were 21 to 50 and 61 to 80.

Americans are now expected to live to age 77. The median age ofthose in the U.S. is now 35.3, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.There were 36.3 million people 65 and over in the United States onJuly 1, 2004. This age group accounts for 12% of the total population.Between 2003 and 2004, 351,000 people moved into this age group.

The Zogby International survey of likely voters was conductedbetween June 20 and June 22, 2005 with questions posed to a randomsample of 1,000 people. There is a margin of error of +/-3.2percentage points.

The MetLife Mature Market Institute is MetLife's information andpolicy resource center on issues related to aging, retirement,long-term care and the mature market. The Institute, staffed bygerontologists, provides research, training and education,consultation and information to support MetLife, its corporatecustomers and business partners.

MetLife, a subsidiary of MetLife, Inc. (NYSE: MET) is a leadingprovider of insurance and other financial services to millions ofindividual and institutional customers throughout the United States.Through its subsidiaries and affiliates, MetLife, Inc. offers lifeinsurance, annuities, automobile and homeowner's insurance and retailbanking services to individuals, as well as group insurance,reinsurance and retirement and savings products and services tocorporations and other institutions. Outside the U.S., the MetLifecompanies have direct insurance operations in Asia Pacific, LatinAmerica and Europe. For more information, please visitwww.metlife.com.

Editor's note: Report available at:http://www.maturemarketinstitute.com/