The 6 Youngest U.S. Vice Presidents Ever: The Definitive List (and The Newest Entrant)

The concept of a young, energetic leader ascending to the second-highest office in the United States has always captured the public imagination, often signaling a generational shift in American politics. As of today, December 18, 2025, the conversation around youthful political power has been reignited with the recent inauguration of one of the nation’s youngest Vice Presidents in decades, making this a perfect time to look back at the historical figures who shattered age barriers to reach the Vice Presidency.

The office of the Vice President has a constitutional age requirement of just 35 years, yet the median age for a Vice President at inauguration hovers around 55. This makes the few individuals who took the oath of office in their 30s and early 40s truly exceptional. Their stories are not just a list of names and dates; they are tales of rapid political ascent, ambition, and, in some cases, dramatic historical upheaval, including the Civil War and the rise of the modern Republican party.

The Definitive List of the 6 Youngest U.S. Vice Presidents

The following list ranks the youngest individuals to ever assume the office of Vice President of the United States, based on their precise age in years and days at their respective inaugurations. This list includes the most recent entrant, JD Vance, whose age places him firmly among the youngest in U.S. history.

• The Enduring Legacy Of Haylor 5 Shocking Facts About Harry Styles And Taylor Swifts Relationship 10 Years Later Sf662

• 1. John C. Breckinridge: 36 years, 42 days

Inauguration: March 4, 1857 | President: James Buchanan | Party: Democrat

• 2. Richard Nixon: 40 years, 11 days

Inauguration: January 20, 1953 | President: Dwight D. Eisenhower | Party: Republican

• 3. JD Vance: 40 years, 171 days

Inauguration: January 20, 2025 | President: Donald J. Trump | Party: Republican

• The Unseen Story Jessica Simpsons Battle For Privacy And Body Image In A Digital Age Mlvqa
• 4. Dan Quayle: 41 years, 351 days

Inauguration: January 20, 1989 | President: George H.W. Bush | Party: Republican

• 5. Theodore Roosevelt: 42 years, 128 days

Inauguration: March 4, 1901 | President: William McKinley | Party: Republican

• 6. John C. Calhoun: 42 years, 351 days

Inauguration: March 4, 1825 | President: John Quincy Adams | Party: Democratic-Republican

• 7 Shocking Things Jessica Capshaw Revealed About Growing Up With Steven Spielberg As Her Stepfather 892ho

John C. Breckinridge: The Unbreakable Record Holder

Kentucky native John Cabell Breckinridge holds a political record that has stood for over 168 years: he is the youngest person to ever become Vice President of the United States.

Breckinridge’s rise to power was meteoric. He was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives at the age of 30, served a term, and was then chosen as the running mate for presidential candidate James Buchanan in the 1856 election.

A Career Defined by Sectional Crisis

Assuming office in 1857 at just 36 years and 42 days old, Breckinridge served during one of the most tumultuous periods in American history, the lead-up to the Civil War.

Despite his youth, his term was marked by deep political division over the issue of slavery and states' rights, a conflict that would ultimately define his legacy. In 1860, he ran for president as the candidate of the Southern Democratic Party, splitting the vote and helping to ensure the election of Abraham Lincoln.

His post-Vice Presidency was even more dramatic: he served as a Major General in the Confederate Army and later as the Confederate Secretary of War, making him the only former Vice President to take up arms against the United States government.

The Modern Era of Youthful VPs: From Nixon to Vance

The 20th and 21st centuries have seen a trend toward older presidential and vice-presidential candidates, making the few younger entrants all the more notable. The most recent and most prominent examples since the Civil War era are Richard Nixon, Dan Quayle, and the Vice President-elect, JD Vance.

Richard Nixon: A Young Strategist

Richard Milhous Nixon's ascent to the Vice Presidency was remarkably fast. When Dwight D. Eisenhower selected him as his running mate in 1952, Nixon was a U.S. Senator from California and a relatively fresh face on the national stage. He was elected at 39 and inaugurated at 40 years and 11 days old, making him the youngest Vice President for over 70 years until the recent election.

Nixon's youth was an asset to the Eisenhower ticket, contrasting sharply with the older President. His time as VP from 1953 to 1961 was highly active; he traveled extensively internationally, gaining foreign policy experience, and was instrumental in expanding the role of the Vice Presidency, a key development in the office's topical authority.

Dan Quayle: The Youngest Baby Boomer VP

James Danforth Quayle, a Senator from Indiana, was selected by George H.W. Bush in 1988, becoming Vice President at 41 years, 351 days old. His selection was an attempt to appeal to a younger generation of conservative voters.

Quayle's four-year term (1989-1993) was often controversial, but he championed important policy issues, including space exploration and regulatory reform. His youth and relative inexperience, compared to his peers, became a frequent subject of media scrutiny, highlighting the intense pressure placed on young leaders in high office.

JD Vance: The Newest Entry and Millennial Milestone

The most significant recent addition to this list is James David Vance, who was inaugurated on January 20, 2025, at the age of 40 years and 171 days.

Vance, a former U.S. Senator from Ohio, author of the bestselling memoir *Hillbilly Elegy*, and a venture capitalist, brings a unique background to the office. His entry marks him as the youngest Vice President since Richard Nixon in 1953, and the first Vice President who is a member of the Millennial generation.

His rapid political trajectory—from author to Senator in 2022 to Vice President in 2025—underscores the modern path to high office, which often relies on a combination of media visibility, intellectual profile, and an ability to articulate a new political vision.

The Significance of Youth in the Vice Presidency

The careers of these youthful Vice Presidents offer a fascinating historical analysis of ambition, succession, and the constitutional age requirement. The minimum age of 35 for both the Presidency and Vice Presidency is a relatively low bar, yet the historical data shows that most candidates wait until their 50s or 60s to reach the office. This suggests that the political system generally favors experience and established records over raw potential.

The youthful VPs often serve a critical political function, balancing the ticket and injecting a sense of generational change. Theodore Roosevelt, for example, was seen as a dynamic, progressive counterpoint to the older William McKinley. His youth proved critically important when he ascended to the presidency after McKinley’s assassination, becoming the youngest president in U.S. history at 42 years old.

The presence of young leaders like JD Vance on the national stage suggests a potential shift toward prioritizing new voices and energy. Whether they are seen as a political risk or a necessary injection of new blood, these youngest Vice Presidents—from the antebellum era’s John C. Breckinridge to the 21st century's JD Vance—represent a powerful, if rare, moment of transition in American governance. Their stories continue to shape the narrative of what it means to lead the nation.