As the Class of 2013 migrates into the labor market, many fresh college grads will be startled by the lack of jobs. They might want to ask their grandparents if they know anything about that.

The lean labor market has become a cutthroat turf battle, with many workers reluctant to cede ground to newcomers. And one reason opportunities for young workers are scarce is that workers over 55 are holding on to their jobs longer than ever.

It’s well-known that the Great Recession trashed retirement prospects for many baby boomers, denting nest eggs, puncturing living standards and sending some to the unemployment line during what should have been their peak earning years. Boomers have responded in a perfectly rational way: By extending their careers and sometimes working well beyond retirement age, to make up for lost wealth and bring in needed income.

A rise in retirement age

The average age at which Americans say they retire is now 61, the highest it’s been in the 22 years Gallup has been

Many colleges across the country boast of a small-town atmosphere or a peaceful, bucolic setting. But those things could actually impede your hunt for a good job once you graduate.

New research from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York helps confirm what many recent college grads already know: Big cities (along with a big-city education) can provide better job opportunities than smaller ones.

Fed researchers specifically wanted to find out if big cities offer recent grads two types of advantages: The ability to land a job that actually requires a college degree, along with one that’s related to the field they studied in school. The answer to both questions is yes. The Fed’s research shows that recent grads are about 6% more likely to get a college-level job in a metropolis such as New York than in a medium-size city such as Syracuse or Dayton. And they’re about 9% more likely to get a job in a field they majored in.

A quality increase

“The larger and thicker labor markets of big