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Congress by the Numbers
Key statistics about the 119th Congress — party composition, tenure, and geography — computed from current member data.
Data as of November 9, 2026
Quick Answer
- Total voting members
- 539 (100 senators, 439 House members)
- Average age
- 59.9 years (median 60)
- Women in Congress
- 156 (29% of all members)
- Average tenure
- Senate 12 yrs · House 9.4 yrs
- Senate seats up in 2026
- 33 Class II seats
Composition
Age of Congress
As of November 9, 2026, the average member of the 119th Congress is 59.9 years old. Senators average 65.4; House members average 58.6. 135 members (25%) are 70 or older, and 28 are 80 or older. The oldest sitting member is Chuck Grassley at 93; the youngest is Maxwell Frost at 29.
Oldest senators
Oldest House members
Birthdates from the public-domain unitedstates/congress-legislators dataset (539 of 539 current members); ages computed daily. Citing these numbers? Please link this page — it stays current as membership changes.
Women in Congress
As of November 9, 2026, 156 women serve in the 119th Congress — 27 in the Senate and 129 in the House (including non-voting delegates) — about 29% of all members. Counts update as membership changes.
Generations in Congress
In the 119th Congress, Baby Boomers remain the largest cohort at 42.3% of Congress, while Millennials hold 14.5% of seats and Generation Z has a single member. Generational spans follow Pew Research Center definitions.
Veterans, Religion & Backgrounds
98 members — 18.1% of Congress — have served in the military, including 9 women. That share has fallen for decades: 73% of members were veterans in the 92th Congress (1971–1972) and 64% of members were veterans in the 97th Congress (1981–1982).
Religion
| Protestant | 295 · 55.1% | |
|---|---|---|
| Catholic | 150 · 28% | |
| Jewish | 32 · 6% | |
| Latter-day Saints | 9 · 1.7% | |
| Muslim | 4 | |
| Hindu | 4 |
96% of members report a specific religion. Most are Christian, and Protestants are the majority (295 members); Catholics are the largest single denomination (150). There are 32 Jewish members (23 in the House, 9 in the Senate), 4 Muslim and 4 Hindu representatives, and 3 Buddhists.
Race and ethnicity
| Group | House | Senate |
|---|---|---|
| African AmericanHouse incl. 2 Delegates | 61 | 5 |
| Hispanic or LatinoHouse incl. 2 Delegates and the Resident Commissioner | 50 | 6 |
| Asian American or Pacific IslanderHouse 18 Representatives and 3 Delegates | 21 | 3 |
| Native American | 3 | 1 |
Before Congress, 305 representatives (70%) and 82 senators had held elected office, and at least 135 representatives and 28 senators had owned, founded or run a business.
Source: CRS R48535, Membership of the 119th Congress: A Profile, updated August 4, 2025; religion and veteran status as of January 2025. Unlike the live counts elsewhere on this page, these figures are fixed to that report.
Seniority & Tenure
As of November 9, 2026, the longest-serving current senator is Chuck Grassley (Iowa), who has served 45 years in the Senate since 1981. In the House, the longest continuously serving member holds the formal title of Dean of the House: that’s currently Harold Rogers (Kentucky), with 45 years since 1981.
Counting service in both chambers, the longest-serving member of Congress overall is Chuck Grassley (Senate, Iowa), with 51 total years in Congress since 1975.
The average senator has served 12 years (median 11); the average House member has served 9.4 years (median 7). 9 senators and 77 House members are freshmen in their first term (≤ 2 years served). There are no federal term limits on Congress.
Longest-Serving Senators
Ranked by years in the Senate specifically
- 1.Chuck Grassley(Iowa)45 yrs
- 2.Mitch McConnell(Kentucky)41 yrs
- 3.Patty Murray(Washington)33 yrs
- 4.Ron Wyden(Oregon)30 yrs
- 5.Jack Reed(Rhode Island)29 yrs
- 5.Richard Durbin(Illinois)29 yrs
- 5.Susan Collins(Maine)29 yrs
- 8.Charles Schumer(New York)27 yrs
Longest-Serving Representatives
Ranked by years in the House specifically
- 1.Christopher Smith(New Jersey)45 yrs
- 1.Steny Hoyer(Maryland)45 yrs
- 1.Harold Rogers(Kentucky)45 yrs
- 4.Marcy Kaptur(Ohio)43 yrs
- 5.Frank Pallone(New Jersey)39 yrs
- 5.Nancy Pelosi(California)39 yrs
- 7.Richard Neal(Massachusetts)37 yrs
- 8.Jerrold Nadler(New York)35 yrs
Longest Careers in Congress
Total years across both chambers combined — includes prior House or Senate service
- 1.Chuck Grassley(Sen., Iowa)51 yrs
- 2.Edward Markey(Sen., Massachusetts)49 yrs
- 3.Christopher Smith(Rep., New Jersey)45 yrs
- 4.Steny Hoyer(Rep., Maryland)45 yrs
- 5.Harold Rogers(Rep., Kentucky)45 yrs
Tenure is computed from each member’s current term-start date and updates automatically. Citing these numbers? Please link this page — it stays current as membership changes.
Geography
Largest House Delegations
- 1.California52 seats
- 2.Texas37 seats
- 3.Florida27 seats
- 4.New York26 seats
- 5.Pennsylvania17 seats
Single-Seat States
States with only 1 House representative (at-large)
States with Unified Delegations
States where every congressional seat (House + Senate) is held by one party
All-Democratic (11)
The 2026 Senate Map
Every Senate seat belongs to one of three classes that stagger elections so roughly one-third of senators face voters every two years. Learn how Senate classes work →
See the full breakdown of 2026 majority math: Democrats’ path · Republicans’ path
Frequently Asked Questions
How many members of Congress are there?
There are 539 voting members of Congress in the 119th Congress: 100 senators and 439 House members. Additionally, there are non-voting delegates representing territories and the District of Columbia.
Which party controls the Senate?
In the 119th Congress, Republicans hold 53 Senate seats and Democrats hold 45, giving Republicans the majority. There are also 2 Independent senators.
Which party controls the House?
In the 119th Congress, Republicans hold 221 House seats and Democrats hold 217, giving Republicans the majority.
What is the average age of Congress?
The average member of the 119th Congress is 59.9 years old (median 60). Senators average 65.4 years old and House members average 58.6. Ages are computed daily from members' birthdates.
How many members of Congress are over 70?
135 of the 539 current members of Congress are 70 or older — about 25% — and 28 are 80 or older.
Who is the oldest member of Congress?
Chuck Grassley is currently the oldest sitting member of Congress at 93. The youngest is Maxwell Frost at 29.
How many women are in Congress?
156 women currently serve in the 119th Congress — 27 senators and 129 House members (including non-voting delegates) — about 29% of all members.
How many members of Congress are veterans?
98 members — 18.1% of Congress — have served in the military: 80 in the House and 18 in the Senate, according to CRS (January 2025). In the 97th Congress (1981–1982), 64% of members were veterans.
How many members of Congress are Jewish, Catholic or Muslim?
At the start of the 119th Congress: 150 Catholic, 32 Jewish, 4 Muslim and 4 Hindu members, with Protestants the majority at 295 (Pew Research Center and CQ, via CRS).
How many Black and Hispanic members are in Congress?
66 African American members (61 in the House, 5 in the Senate) and 56 Hispanic or Latino members (50 House, 6 Senate), counting non-voting members, per CRS as of August 2025.
How long has the average member of Congress served?
The average senator has served approximately 12 years in the Senate (median 11); the average House member about 9.4 years in the House (median 7). These averages include all current members regardless of tenure. There are no federal term limits on Congress.
Who is the longest-serving member of Congress?
Chuck Grassley (Senate, Iowa) is currently the longest-serving member of Congress, with 51 total years across both chambers since 1975.
Who is the Dean of the House?
The Dean of the House is the longest continuously serving member of the House of Representatives, regardless of party — an honorary title with no special legislative power. The current Dean is Harold Rogers (Kentucky), who has served in the House since 1981 and assumed the title on March 18, 2022.
How many Senate seats are up in 2026?
33 Senate seats were on the November 3, 2026 ballot: the Class II seats, whose terms expire on January 3, 2027, plus any special elections. The winners take office that day; the next Senate election is November 7, 2028 (Class III). Each Senate class comes up for election on a rotating six-year cycle.
Related Resources
What Is the Senate Voting On?
The Senate’s most recent roll-call votes — question, result and tally — from the official record, refreshed every 15 minutes.
How Many Days Does Congress Work?
Session days for every year since 1995 and every Congress — and whether Congress really works less than it used to.
When Is Congress in Session?
The House and Senate schedules for the year — session weeks, recesses, and when each chamber is next back.
What Number Congress Is This?
The current Congress, and every Congress since 1973 — party control, Speakers, laws passed and days in session.