Population ages 65 and above in European Union
European Union: Population ages 65 and above was 22.4% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Population ages 65 and above in European Union, 1960–2025
Source: World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division. Measured in % of total population.
Analysis
In 2025, population ages 65 and above in European Union stood at 22.4%. That is the highest value across all 66 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.0% on the previous year and up 16.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population ages 65 and above in European Union peaked at 22.4% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 9.5%, in 1960.
European Union ranks 2nd of 47 groups on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 66 years of available data.
Population ages 65 and above in European Union, year by year
| Year | % of total population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 9.5% | — |
| 1961 | 9.7% | +1.7% |
| 1962 | 9.9% | +1.7% |
| 1963 | 10.0% | +1.4% |
| 1964 | 10.2% | +1.6% |
| 1965 | 10.4% | +2.1% |
| 1966 | 10.6% | +2.1% |
| 1967 | 10.8% | +2.1% |
| 1968 | 11.0% | +1.9% |
| 1969 | 11.2% | +1.6% |
| 1970 | 11.4% | +1.8% |
| 1971 | 11.6% | +1.7% |
| 1972 | 11.8% | +1.6% |
| 1973 | 12.0% | +1.6% |
| 1974 | 12.1% | +1.6% |
| 1975 | 12.3% | +1.6% |
| 1976 | 12.5% | +1.4% |
| 1977 | 12.7% | +1.4% |
| 1978 | 12.9% | +1.4% |
| 1979 | 13.0% | +1.1% |
| 1980 | 13.0% | +0.3% |
| 1981 | 12.9% | -0.9% |
| 1982 | 12.8% | -1.4% |
| 1983 | 12.6% | -1.5% |
| 1984 | 12.5% | -0.8% |
| 1985 | 12.6% | +0.7% |
| 1986 | 12.7% | +1.5% |
| 1987 | 13.0% | +1.6% |
| 1988 | 13.2% | +1.6% |
| 1989 | 13.3% | +1.4% |
| 1990 | 13.5% | +1.4% |
| 1991 | 13.7% | +1.5% |
| 1992 | 13.9% | +1.4% |
| 1993 | 14.1% | +1.5% |
| 1994 | 14.4% | +1.9% |
| 1995 | 14.6% | +1.7% |
| 1996 | 14.8% | +1.3% |
| 1997 | 15.0% | +1.4% |
| 1998 | 15.3% | +1.4% |
| 1999 | 15.5% | +1.4% |
| 2000 | 15.7% | +1.4% |
| 2001 | 15.9% | +1.5% |
| 2002 | 16.1% | +1.4% |
| 2003 | 16.3% | +1.2% |
| 2004 | 16.5% | +1.3% |
| 2005 | 16.8% | +1.4% |
| 2006 | 17.0% | +1.4% |
| 2007 | 17.2% | +1.0% |
| 2008 | 17.3% | +0.8% |
| 2009 | 17.5% | +1.0% |
| 2010 | 17.7% | +0.9% |
| 2011 | 17.9% | +1.1% |
| 2012 | 18.2% | +1.7% |
| 2013 | 18.5% | +1.9% |
| 2014 | 18.9% | +1.9% |
| 2015 | 19.2% | +1.7% |
| 2016 | 19.5% | +1.6% |
| 2017 | 19.8% | +1.5% |
| 2018 | 20.1% | +1.5% |
| 2019 | 20.4% | +1.5% |
| 2020 | 20.7% | +1.5% |
| 2021 | 21.0% | +1.4% |
| 2022 | 21.3% | +1.4% |
| 2023 | 21.6% | +1.6% |
| 2024 | 22.0% | +1.8% |
| 2025 | 22.4% | +2.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 10.3% | 9.5% | 11.2% | 10 |
| 1970s | 12.2% | 11.4% | 13.0% | 10 |
| 1980s | 12.9% | 12.5% | 13.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | 14.5% | 13.5% | 15.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 16.6% | 15.7% | 17.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 19.0% | 17.7% | 20.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 21.5% | 20.7% | 22.4% | 6 |
Countries ranked near European Union
More health data for European Union
- Population ages 30-34, female, per capita 0.0291 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 35-39, male, annual growth rate -0.1087 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 35-39, female, per capita 0.0318 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 35-39, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 35-39, female, annual growth rate -0.3683 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 30-34, male, per capita 0.0304 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 30-34, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 30-34, male, annual growth rate -2.29 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 25-29, female, per capita 0.0269 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 25-29, male, annual growth rate -0.6156 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population ages 65 and above in European Union?
- Population ages 65 and above in European Union was 22.4% in 2025, according to World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division.
- What is the highest population ages 65 and above recorded in European Union?
- The highest recorded value was 22.4% in 2025.
- What is the lowest population ages 65 and above recorded in European Union?
- The lowest recorded value was 9.5% in 1960.
- How does European Union rank for population ages 65 and above?
- European Union ranks 2nd out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is population ages 65 and above rising or falling in European Union?
- Over the last ten years it is up 16.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this European Union data come from?
- The figures come from World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division, published as part of Population ages 65 and above (% of total population). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 66 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Population ages 65 and above as a percentage of the total population. Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship.