MIAMI — Since LeaseTrader.com launched in 1999, the average age of lessees on the site has climbed almost six years, and the age group that has shown the most growth in the last five years has been the age 50-and-up demographic, according to the Web site.

More specifically, LeaseTrader.com noted that lease drivers on the site during 2009 had an average age of 42.4 years, compared to an average age of 36.6 in 1999.

Spurring some of the increase in the average age of lessees has been the 35.6-percent increase in lease drivers who are age 50 or older.

"The leasing generation has permeated all kinds of areas of our lives, including cars, where people now want the ability to enjoy variety on their own terms," stated Sergio Stiberman, chief executive officer and founder of LeaseTrader.com.

"Leasing has been embraced by car shoppers who've grown up with car leasing, along with older drivers who have warmed up to the leasing lifestyle where a person no longer holds onto a car for 10 years," he added.

Looking at individual regions, the Southeast had the oldest lessees, as its average age was 43.6 years old, followed by the Northwest (43.2) and Midwest (42.3).

The area with the youngest lease drivers on LeaseTrader.com was California (39.2).

The following is a comparison from LeaseTrader.com of various areas with their 1999 and 2009 average ages: