Born in 1998: How Old Are You in 2026?
Anyone born in 1998 is 27 or 28 years old in 2026 — 28 once their birthday has passed, 27 until then.
Your age updates against today's date.
Your age today
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How old are you if you were born in 1998?
The year on its own only narrows the answer to two numbers. Which one applies depends on whether this year’s birthday has already come around.
Find your birth month below. Months that share a row with two ages are the ones the birthday falls inside right now.
| Born in | Age in 2026 | Birthday |
|---|---|---|
| January 1998 | 28 | Already passed |
| February 1998 | 28 | Already passed |
| March 1998 | 28 | Already passed |
| April 1998 | 28 | Already passed |
| May 1998 | 28 | Already passed |
| June 1998 | 28 | Already passed |
| July 1998 | 27 or 28 | This month |
| August 1998 | 27 | Still ahead |
| September 1998 | 27 | Still ahead |
| October 1998 | 27 | Still ahead |
| November 1998 | 27 | Still ahead |
| December 1998 | 27 | Still ahead |
The calendar year 1998
1998 was a common year: 365 days, with 28 days in February. It opened on a Thursday.
1998 is Generation Z
Births from 1997 to 2012 fall inside Generation Z, putting 1998 2 of 16 years into the cohort.
Those cut-offs are the Pew Research Center definitions, which are the ones most US reporting follows. Pew itself notes that generational boundaries are a convention, not a hard science.
Milestone years for someone born in 1998
Each row is a US age threshold and the calendar year a 1998 birth reaches it. Exact dates depend on the birthday itself.
| Age | Year | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| 16 | 2014 | Old enough to drive in most states |
| 18 | 2016 | Legal adult — eligible to vote |
| 21 | 2019 | Legal drinking age nationwide |
| 25 | 2023 | Most car-rental young-driver surcharges end |
| 30 | 2028 → | Turns 30 |
| 40 | 2038 → | Turns 40 |
| 50 | 2048 → | Turns 50 |
| 62 | 2060 → | Earliest age to claim Social Security retirement benefits |
| 65 | 2063 → | Medicare eligibility begins |
| 67 | 2065 → | Full Social Security retirement age (67) |
| 70 | 2068 → | Delayed retirement credits stop accruing |
Full retirement age by year of birth follows the Social Security Administration schedule set by the 1983 amendments. Driving, drinking, and rental thresholds are the common US rules and vary by state and company.
Frequently asked questions
How old is someone born in 1998?
In 2026 they are 27 or 28 years old. They turn 28 on their birthday, so anyone whose birthday has already passed this year is 28, and anyone still waiting is 27. The month-by-month table on this page gives the answer for each birth month.
What generation is 1998?
Someone born in 1998 belongs to Generation Z, which covers births from 1997 to 2012. That boundary comes from the Pew Research Center.
Was 1998 a leap year?
No. 1998 was a common year of 365 days, with 28 days in February.
When does someone born in 1998 reach full retirement age?
Under the Social Security schedule, someone born in 1998 has a full retirement age of 67, which they reach in 2065. They could claim a reduced benefit as early as 2060, and Medicare eligibility begins in 2063. Social Security treats anyone born on 1 January as belonging to the previous birth year.
What day of the week did 1998 start on?
1 January 1998 fell on a Thursday.
Other birth years
Every birth year
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