There are 50 states, the District of Columbia, and 5 permanently inhabited territories: the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, the US Virgin Islands, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands.
The average age of Members of the House at the beginning of the 116th Congress was 57.6 years; of Senators, 62.9 years. Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Rep. Don Young (R-AK-At Large) are the oldest members of Congress.
Over the past 30 years the average age of a Member of Congress has increased with almost every new Congress. In 1981, the average age of a Representative was 49 and the average of a Senator was 53. Today, the average age of a Representative is 57 and the average of a Senator is 61.
The overwhelming majority, 96%, of Members of Congress have a college education.
The dominant professions of Members are public service/politics, business, and law.
54.9% of Members (233 in the House, 60 in the Senate) are Protestant, with Baptist as the most represented denomination, followed by Methodist; 30.5% of Members (141 in the House, 22 in the Senate) are Catholic; 6.4% of Members (26 in the House, 8 in the Senate) are Jewish; 1.9% of Members (6 in the House, 4 in the Senate) are Mormon (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints); 2 Members (1 in the House, 1 in the Senate) are Buddhist, 3 Representatives are Muslim, and 3 Representatives are Hindu; and other religious affiliations represented include Greek Orthodox, Pentecostal Christian, Unitarian Universalist, and Adventist.
The average length of service for Representatives at the beginning of the 116th Congress was 8.6 years (4.3 House terms); for Senators, 10.1 years (1.7 Senate terms).
A record 131 women Members (24.2% of the total membership) serve in the 116th Congress, 22 more than at the beginning of the 115th Congress. One hundred five women, including 3 Delegates as well as the Resident Commissioner, serve in the House and 26 in the Senate. Of the 105 women in the House, 90 are Democrats, including 2 of the Delegates, and 15 are Republicans, including 1 Delegate as well as the Resident Commissioner. Of the 26 women in the Senate, 17 are Democrats and 9 are Republicans. By comparison, approximately 35 years ago in the 99th Congress (1985-1986), 23 women served in the House, and 2 in the Senate. Approximately 45 years ago, in the 94th Congress (1975-1976), there were 19 women in the House and none in the Senate.
There are 53 African American Members of the House and 3 in the Senate. This House number includes two Delegates. ( The 116th Congress began with 57 African American Members; one African American House Member passed away in October 2019, one was sworn into the House in May 2020, and another passed away in July 2020.)
There are 51 Hispanic or Latino Members (a record number) serving: 46 in the House, including 2 Delegates and the Resident Commissioner, and 5 in the Senate.
There are 20 Members (14 Representatives, 3 Delegates, and 3 Senators) who are Asian Americans, Indian Americans, or Pacific Islander Americans. This is also a record number. (Those like Kamala Harris, with membership in multiple groups, are counted multiple times.)
A record four American Indians (Native Americans) serve in the House.
What is the difference between a delegate and a resident commissioner? The Virgin Islands, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and American Samoa, as well as the District of Columbia, are represented in the House by a Delegate, while Puerto Rico is represented by a Resident Commissioner. They are able to speak in the House and serve on committees, but may not vote.
| Name | Population (2019) | Rank/56 |
| American Samoa | 49,437 | 56 |
| Northern Mariana Islands | 51,433 | 55 |
| US Virgin Islands | 106,235 | 54 |
| Guam | 168,485 | 53 |
| Washington D.C. | 705,749 | 50 |
| Puerto Rico | 3,193,694 | 31 |
50 states, D.C and the 5 inhabited Territories = 56
Sources: Quorum.us, History, Art and Archives of the US House of Representatives, and Congressional Research Service.