What age is James in Taylor Swift’s “august” storyline?

James is 17 years old in Taylor Swift’s “august” storyline.

The song presents a fictional teenage summer romance from the perspective of a girl who falls for James, even though he is already connected to Betty. When summer ends, James returns to Betty, leaving the narrator to mourn a relationship she had hoped might become permanent.

“august” is one part of a three-song narrative on Folklore. The related songs “cardigan” and “betty” present connected perspectives involving Betty and James.

The narrator of “august” is not given an official name in the lyrics. Swift said she imagined names such as Augusta or Augustine, but those are informal descriptions rather than a confirmed character name. James, by contrast, is explicitly identified in the storyline.