The 117th U.S. Congress
The 117th Congress was elected on November 3, 2020. The new legislative period began on January 3, 2021 and ended in January 2023. There are 435 members in the U.S. House of Representatives and 100 members in the U.S. Senate. The minimum age to be eligible as member of the House is 25. Senators must be at least 30 years old. There were 0 vacancies at the time of writing.
Demographic Background
According to the Pew Research Center, based on data from the U.S. Census, Millennials have become the largest generation in the United States, with about 31 percent. The second largest generation are Baby Boomers (30.88 percent). About 28 percent of the U.S. population belong to Generation X. The smallest generation is the Silent Generation (9.91 percent).
The 117th House of Representatives
- the median age of Representatives was 58 years
- the youngest Representative was born in 1995
- the oldest Representative was born in 1933
- 32 Representatives were Millennials
- 12 Representatives were Young Elected Leaders age 35 or younger
Partisanship in the 117th House of Representatives
In the 117th House, 225 Representatives belonged to the Democratic Party and 213 Representatives were Republicans. The median age of Democratic Representatives at the time of the election was 60. The median age of Republican Representatives at the time of the election was 57.
Young Elected Representatives in the Democratic Party
| Name | Birth year | Year first elected to Congress | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Josh | Harder | 1986 | 2018 |
| Lauren | Underwood | 1986 | 2018 |
| Jake | Auchincloss | 1988 | 2020 |
| Alexandria | Ocasio-Cortez | 1989 | 2018 |
| Ritchie | Torres | 1988 | 2020 |
| Mondaire | Jones | 1987 | 2020 |
| Sara | Jacobs | 1989 | 2020 |
Young Elected Representatives in the Republican Party
| Name | Birth year | Year first elected to Congress | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lauren | Boebert | 1986 | 2020 |
| Kat | Cammack | 1988 | 2020 |
| Jake | LaTurner | 1988 | 2020 |
| Peter | Meijer | 1988 | 2020 |
| Madison | Cawthorn | 1995 | 2020 |
Gender in the 117th House of Representatives
In the 117th House, 28.08 percent of Representatives were female and 71.92 percent male. The median age of female Representatives at the time of the election was 58. The median age of male Representatives at the time of the election was 58.
Of 12 Young Elected Leaders, 5 were female and 7 male.
Race and Ethnicity in the 117th House of Representatives
Generations by Race/Ethnicity in the 117th House
| Boomer Generation | Generation X | Millennial Generation | Silent Generation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Indian/Alaska Native | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Asian | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Black/African American | 26 | 11 | 4 | 10 |
| Hispanic/Latinx | 16 | 16 | 1 | 2 |
| Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Other/More than One Ethnicity | 4 | 8 | 2 | 0 |
| White | 177 | 104 | 23 | 15 |
The 117th Senate
- the median age of Senators was 64.5 years
- the youngest Senator was born in 1987
- the oldest Senator was born in 1933
- 1 Senator was a Millennial
- 1 Senator was a Young Elected Leader age 35 or younger
Partisanship in the 117th Senate
In the 117th Senate, 48 Senators belonged to the Democratic Party and 50 Senators were Republicans. The median age of Democratic Senators at the time of the election was 62.5. The median age of Republican Senators at the time of the election was 65.
Young Elected Senators in the Democratic Party
| Name | Birth year | Year first elected to Congress | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jon | Ossoff | 1987 | 2021 |
Young Elected Senators in the Republican Party
There were no Young Elected Leaders from the Republican Party in the Senate.
Gender in the 117th Senate
In the 117th Senate, 24.00 percent of Senators were female and 76.00 percent male. The median age of female Senators at the time of the election was 63. The median age of male Senators at the time of the election was 65.
The one Young Elected Leader in the Senate was male.
Race and Ethnicity in the 117th Senate
Generations by Race/Ethnicity in the 117th Senate
| Boomer Generation | Generation X | Millennial Generation | Silent Generation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Asian | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Black/African American | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Hispanic/Latinx | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| White | 65 | 12 | 1 | 11 |
Notes
The Young Elected Leaders Project applies the generational categorization of the Pew Research Center:
- Silent Generation: 1928 – 1945
- Baby Boomer Generation: 1946 – 1964
- Generation X: 1965 – 1980
- Millennial Generation: 1981 – 1996
- Generation Z: 1997 – 2012
This analysis is based on data from March 2021.
Citation Guideline
Please reference the project and center in any publication.
In referencing the Young Elected Leaders Project in publication please use the following language: “The Young Elected Leaders Project is housed at the Center for Youth Political Participation at Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey.”
Bibliographic Citation For this document
Author: Young Elected Leaders Project
Corresponding Authors: Brit Anlar and Isabel Köhler
Year: 2023
Title: The 117th U.S. Congress