Population ages 65 and above in New Zealand
New Zealand: Population ages 65 and above was 17.6% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Population ages 65 and above in New Zealand, 1960–2025
Source: World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division. Measured in % of total population.
Analysis
The most recent figure for population ages 65 and above in New Zealand is 17.6%, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 66 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.4% on the previous year and up 21.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population ages 65 and above in New Zealand peaked at 17.6% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 8.3%, in 1966.
New Zealand ranks 54th of 218 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 66 years of available data.
Population ages 65 and above in New Zealand, year by year
| Year | % of total population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 8.7% | — |
| 1961 | 8.6% | -1.0% |
| 1962 | 8.5% | -1.0% |
| 1963 | 8.4% | -0.9% |
| 1964 | 8.4% | -0.8% |
| 1965 | 8.3% | -0.4% |
| 1966 | 8.3% | -0.0% |
| 1967 | 8.4% | +0.3% |
| 1968 | 8.4% | +0.5% |
| 1969 | 8.4% | +0.5% |
| 1970 | 8.5% | +0.6% |
| 1971 | 8.5% | +0.7% |
| 1972 | 8.6% | +0.6% |
| 1973 | 8.6% | +0.5% |
| 1974 | 8.7% | +0.6% |
| 1975 | 8.8% | +1.0% |
| 1976 | 8.9% | +1.5% |
| 1977 | 9.1% | +2.0% |
| 1978 | 9.3% | +2.4% |
| 1979 | 9.5% | +2.4% |
| 1980 | 9.7% | +1.9% |
| 1981 | 9.9% | +1.7% |
| 1982 | 10.0% | +1.2% |
| 1983 | 10.1% | +0.6% |
| 1984 | 10.1% | +0.8% |
| 1985 | 10.3% | +1.3% |
| 1986 | 10.4% | +1.6% |
| 1987 | 10.6% | +1.5% |
| 1988 | 10.8% | +1.5% |
| 1989 | 10.9% | +1.5% |
| 1990 | 11.0% | +1.1% |
| 1991 | 11.2% | +1.1% |
| 1992 | 11.3% | +1.2% |
| 1993 | 11.4% | +0.9% |
| 1994 | 11.5% | +0.6% |
| 1995 | 11.5% | +0.3% |
| 1996 | 11.5% | +0.1% |
| 1997 | 11.5% | +0.1% |
| 1998 | 11.6% | +0.5% |
| 1999 | 11.7% | +0.7% |
| 2000 | 11.8% | +0.8% |
| 2001 | 11.8% | +0.6% |
| 2002 | 11.8% | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 11.8% | -0.1% |
| 2004 | 11.9% | +0.4% |
| 2005 | 12.0% | +1.2% |
| 2006 | 12.2% | +1.7% |
| 2007 | 12.4% | +1.6% |
| 2008 | 12.6% | +1.3% |
| 2009 | 12.8% | +1.4% |
| 2010 | 13.0% | +1.8% |
| 2011 | 13.3% | +2.4% |
| 2012 | 13.7% | +3.0% |
| 2013 | 14.1% | +2.9% |
| 2014 | 14.4% | +2.0% |
| 2015 | 14.6% | +1.3% |
| 2016 | 14.7% | +1.1% |
| 2017 | 14.9% | +1.1% |
| 2018 | 15.1% | +1.3% |
| 2019 | 15.3% | +1.6% |
| 2020 | 15.6% | +2.1% |
| 2021 | 16.0% | +2.7% |
| 2022 | 16.4% | +2.5% |
| 2023 | 16.8% | +2.1% |
| 2024 | 17.2% | +2.4% |
| 2025 | 17.6% | +2.4% |
New Zealand compared with similar countries
- New Zealand's 17.6% is below the median for high income countries, which is 17.8%, 99% of the median. (85 countries reporting)
- New Zealand's 17.6% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 7.5%, 2.3× the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 8.4% | 8.3% | 8.7% | 10 |
| 1970s | 8.9% | 8.5% | 9.5% | 10 |
| 1980s | 10.3% | 9.7% | 10.9% | 10 |
| 1990s | 11.4% | 11.0% | 11.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 12.1% | 11.8% | 12.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 14.3% | 13.0% | 15.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 16.6% | 15.6% | 17.6% | 6 |
Countries ranked near New Zealand
More health data for New Zealand
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -2.94 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.4815 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,116 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 33 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -0.1187 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0277 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 0.018 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population ages 65 and above in New Zealand?
- Population ages 65 and above in New Zealand was 17.6% 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 New Zealand?
- The highest recorded value was 17.6% in 2025.
- What is the lowest population ages 65 and above recorded in New Zealand?
- The lowest recorded value was 8.3% in 1966.
- How does New Zealand rank for population ages 65 and above?
- New Zealand ranks 54th out of 218 countries with data for 2025.
- Is population ages 65 and above rising or falling in New Zealand?
- Over the last ten years it is up 21.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this New Zealand 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.
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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.