As of the start of the 119th Congress, Maxwell Alejandro Frost remains the youngest member currently serving in Congress at 28 years old. Frost made history in the 2022 midterm elections when he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives at just 25 years of age, making him the first member of Generation Z elected to Congress.
While Frost is the first Gen Z representative and the youngest current member, he is far from the youngest U.S. representative in history.
In fact, despite the minimum age requirement of 25 years for the House of Representatives (and 30 years for the Senate), there have been representatives much younger than Frost.
The Youngest Men to Ever Serve in Congress
William Charles Cole Claiborne is believed to be the youngest member ever to serve in Congress, though his exact age is debated. Born sometime between 1773 and 1775, he was sworn into Congress in 1797 at an estimated age of 22 to 24 years old.
- William Claiborne (born 1773-1775) – 22-24 years old when sworn into Congress
- Jesse Wharton (born July 29, 1782) – 24 years, 7 months, 3 days old
- David Dickinson (born June 10, 1808) – 24 years, 8 months, 22 days old
- William King (born April 7, 1786) – 24 years, 10 months, 25 days old
- Daniel Cook (born 1794) – 24-25 years old when sworn into Congress
The Youngest Women to Ever Serve in Congress
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who took office in 2019 at age 29, remains the youngest woman ever to serve in the U.S. Congress.
- Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (born October 13, 1989) – 29 years, 2 months, 21 days old when sworn in
- Abby Finkenauer (born December 27, 1988) – 30 years, 0 months, 7 days old
- Elise Stefanik (born July 2, 1984) – 30 years, 6 months, 1 day old
- Katie Hill (born August 25, 1987) – 31 years, 4 months, 9 days old
- Elizabeth Holtzman (born August 11, 1941) – 31 years, 4 months, 23 days old
The Youngest Male Currently in Congress
As of the 119th Congress, Maxwell Alejandro Frost remains the youngest member of Congress at 28 years old.
The Youngest Female Currently in Congress
Yassamin Ansari (D-AZ-3), born April 7, 1992, is the youngest woman currently serving in Congress at 32 years old. She is serving her first term in Congress.
The Youngest Male Senators in History
John Henry Eaton remains the youngest U.S. senator in history, taking office in 1818 at just 28 years, 4 months, and 29 days old—falling short of the constitutionally required 30 years.
- John Eaton (born June 18, 1790) – 28 years, 4 months, 28 days old when sworn in to Congress
- Armistead Mason (born August 4, 1787) – 28 years, 4 months, 30 days old when sworn in to Congress
- John Crittenden (born September 10, 1787) – 29 years, 5 months, 22 days old when sworn in to Congress
- Henry Clay (born April 12, 1777) – 29 years, 8 months, 17 days old when sworn in to Congress
- Rush Holt (born June 19, 1905) – 30 years, 0 months, 2 days old when sworn in to Congress
The Youngest Female Senators in History
Blanche Lambert Lincoln, a Democrat from Arkansas, was the youngest female senator in U.S. history, assuming office in 1999 at age 38.
- Blanche Lambert Lincoln (born September 30, 1960) – 38 years, 3 months, 4 days old when sworn in to Congress
- Mary Landrieu (born November 23, 1955) – 41 years, 1 month, 11 days old when sworn in to Congress
- Kirsten Gillibrand (born December 9, 1966) – 42 years, 1 month, 17 days old when sworn in to Congress
- Maria Cantwell (born October 13, 1958) – 42 years, 2 months, 21 days old when sworn in to Congress
- Patty Murray (born October 11, 1950) – 42 years, 2 months, 23 days old when sworn in to Congress
The Youngest Current Male Senator
At 38 years old, Jon Ossoff (D-GA) remains the youngest senator in the 119th Congress. He assumed office in 2021 and is serving his first term.
The Youngest Current Female Senator
Katie Britt (R-AL), born February 2, 1982, is the youngest female senator in the 119th Congress at 43 years old. She also remains the youngest female Republican senator in history and the first female senator from Alabama. She assumed office in 2023 and is serving her first term.
Comparing the Youngest and Oldest Members of Congress
Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa, born in 1933, is currently the oldest serving member of Congress. In contrast, Maxwell Frost, born in 1997, remains the youngest. To highlight the generational differences, here’s a perspective on their birth years:
In 1933 (Grassley’s birth year):
- Adolf Hitler was appointed Chancellor of Germany
- Prohibition ended
- The board game Monopoly was invented
- The NFL hosted its first championship game
In 1997 (Frost’s birth year):
- Bill Clinton was sworn in for his second presidential term
- The DVD format was released
- Princess Diana passed away in a car accident
- The google.com domain was registered
Final Thoughts
The 119th Congress continues to reflect a broad generational span, from its youngest member, Maxwell Frost at 28, to its oldest, Chuck Grassley at 91. As younger generations step into leadership roles, Congress is slowly evolving to represent the changing demographics and priorities of the nation.