How big of a deal is Biden’s age?

This presidential election is likely to feature a showdown between two of the oldest presidents in U.S. history. If President Joe Biden is re-elected as president, he would enter his second term at the age of 82; leading Republican challenger Donald Trump would enter at the age of 78.

Biden’s age is a big deal for some talking heads in the media and seems to consistently poll as one of Biden’s main weaknesses heading into 2024. But how big of a deal is Biden’s age really?

Below are five charts on how Americans feel about the president’s age, age limits in the Oval Office, and how much Biden’s age is impacting him among voters.

1. Living history. Biden was already the oldest president in the history of the U.S. at the time of his inauguration. Before that, former President Trump was the oldest when he was first inaugurated, and that was six years ago. We are entering uncharted territory when it comes to presidents and age.
2. Age caps. Most Americans think there should be an age cap for the head of state. There isn’t a consensus where, but nearly all think the POTUS job should be capped before the age of 80. That would be bad news for Biden, who (if re-elected) would enter his second term at the age of 82.
3. Too old. Three in four Americans think Biden is too old to work in government. This notion isn’t just political – a majority of Democrats believe the same. What does that mean for 2024? We will see.
4. It’s more than just age. Americans who question Biden’s mental sharpness are more likely to say they would support Trump in a potential election compared to Americans who think Biden is too old to hold government office. Yes, age is an issue. But overcoming the notion that he isn’t mentally sharp may be a more important hurdle for both candidates to overcome.
5. He’s still their guy. Age concerns aside, Biden seems entrenched as the Democratic candidate heading into 2024. His campaign hasn’t made any indications that they won’t run again in 2024, either. And in a hypothetical 2024 head-to-head matchup, Biden and Trump come out neck and neck.

How much of the concern around Biden’s age is just noise? His grasp on the Democratic party – as well as the age of his most likely competitor, Trump – suggests that Biden still seems to be the Democrats’ best chance at the executive office come 2024, even if it remains a concern for Americans (Democrats and independents included).

The election is about a year away. Trump and Biden aren’t getting any younger. How will their respective ages play into an election that seems to have more moving parts than any other in recent history? We will see.