A survey by Gallup's Economy and Personal Finance division found that the average U.S. retirement age has increased from 57 to 61 over the past two decades.
"Because most of the uptick came before the 2008 recession, this shift may reflect more than just a changing economy," Alyssa Brown, Gallup's associate editor, said.
"It may also indicate changing norms about the value of work, the composition of the workforce, the decrease in jobs with mandatory retirement ages and other factors."
According to the study, the average non-retired American plans to retire at 66, up from 60 in 1995.
"I think this trend is one of the most important changes we've seen in the labor force in the last quarter of a century," Richard Johnson, director of Urban Institute's Program on Retirement Policy, said.
"I think it's a really positive development. A lot of people are working longer because they want to work longer. The incentives to work longer have increased."
The number of people who plan to retire after age 65 is also increasing with 37 percent stating they plan to do this compared to 22 percent in 2003 and 14 percent in 1995, the Des Moines Register is reporting.
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