Most of the famous Founding Fathers were surprisingly young in 1776: many key figures were in their 30s and early 40s, with a handful still in their 20s, and only a few elder statesmen in their 60s.

Ages of key Founders in 1776

Here are approximate ages of some of the best‑known Founding Fathers in 1776 (the year of the Declaration of Independence):

  • George Washington – about 44 years old.
  • John Adams – about 40 years old (born 1735).
  • Thomas Jefferson – about 33 years old.
  • James Madison – about 25 years old.
  • Alexander Hamilton – early 20s (about 21).
  • John Jay – early 30s (about 30).
  • Benjamin Franklin – about 70 years old, the elder statesman of the group.

Overall age pattern

  • The average age of the Declaration’s signers was in the early‑ to mid‑40s, but a significant number were under 40, and a few were barely out of their teens or in their early 20s when they began playing political or military roles.
  • Modern people often imagine the Founders as uniformly old, in part because portraits usually show them later in life, but in 1776 many were “founding young adults” rather than elderly patriarchs.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.