The purpose of this study is to characterize the tensile stress of human ribs across the lifespan. One‐hundred six whole ribs from 43 subjects were experimentally tested in a bending scenario using a custom fixture to simulate a dynamic frontal impact. Ages ranged from nine to 92 years old, with a mean age of 60 years and representation in each decade. Strain gauges on each rib were used to determine time of failure. Post‐impact, a section adjacent to the fracture site was used for precise calculations of geometric properties. Tensile stress due to bending was determined at the time of fracture for each rib, and results indicate a significant decline in stress with increasing age. This research may be particularly useful for application in the construction of finite element models. Rib material properties in the context of structural response as presented here can aid with advancing knowledge about age‐related changes in the rib as well as having implications for better understanding of whole thorax response and injury.