Working Years vs. Golden Years: Why Americans Retire Later Than the French

When it comes to retirement age France and the United States tell very different stories. While Europeans enjoy early exits from the workforce, Americans clock in significantly longer. But here’s the twist: comparing the retirement age across these nations reveals less about work ethic and more about systemic design, healthcare costs, and longevity.

The Numbers: Retirement Age in the US

Americans typically punch out around age 65 for men and 62 for women—a noticeable jump from the 1990s when 60 was the magic number. What’s driving this shift? The answer lies in insufficient personal savings. With Americans squirreling away just 3.4% of their income, many workers lack the financial cushion to call it quits earlier.

Social Security benefits have also taken a hit. The purchasing power of these payments has plummeted 36% since 2000, forcing retirees to either stretch their benefits further or continue earning income. Yet not all late-working Americans are desperate. Some genuinely prefer staying active through part-time gigs or fulfilling work, recognizing that engagement beats boredom in retirement.

France’s Earlier Exit Strategy

Cross the Atlantic, and the retirement age France operates on looks dramatically different. French men typically retire at 62, while French women work until 62 and a half. The earlier departure age reflects a fundamentally different social contract—one where the state shoulders more retirement responsibility through generous pension systems.

The Money Question: Who Actually Gets More?

On paper, American retirees come out ahead. The average monthly Social Security payment sits at $1,783 as of mid-2024, while the typical French pension checks in at €1,457 (roughly $1,630). American workers pocket an extra $150 monthly—or do they?

The real picture emerges when cost of living enters the equation. France’s overall expenses run 4.5% lower than the US, but housing costs make the disparity stark: 23.8% cheaper. After adjusting for this housing gap, French retirees effectively receive $1,630 in buying power compared to Americans’ $1,359. The retirement age France supports suddenly looks more sustainable when you factor in what money actually buys.

The Longevity Advantage

Here’s where France pulls decisively ahead: life expectancy. The average French citizen lives to 81.9 years, compared to just 76.4 in the US—a gap of 5.5 years. For men specifically, this translates to roughly 20 years of retirement in France versus 11 in America. That additional decade of retirement support explains much about France’s higher pension payouts.

Whether this longevity stems from lifestyle, healthcare access, or dietary choices (the country’s famous cheese and wine culture gets regular credit) remains debatable. What’s certain is that living longer makes retiring younger financially feasible.

The Sustainability Question

France’s generous system faces mounting pressure. An aging population combined with low birth rates threatens the pension system’s solvency. Similarly, America’s Social Security faces a projected insolvency date of 2033 without reform. Both nations confront the same demographic reality: fewer workers supporting more retirees.

The retirement age conversation ultimately reflects deeper policy choices. France opted for earlier exits and robust state pensions; America emphasized individual responsibility and delayed benefits. Each approach carries trade-offs. As global populations gray, both systems will need reckoning—whether through higher contribution rates, later retirement ages, or reduced benefits. The question isn’t which country works harder, but which can sustain their retirement promises.