Population ages 65 and above in World
World: Population ages 65 and above was 10.4% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Population ages 65 and above in World, 1960–2025
Source: World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division. Measured in % of total population.
Analysis
World recorded 10.4% for population ages 65 and above in 2025. That is the highest value across all 66 years on record.
That represents a change of up 2.0% on the previous year and up 26.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population ages 65 and above in World peaked at 10.4% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 5.0%, in 1960.
That places World 19th out of 47 groups with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 66 years of available data.
Population ages 65 and above in World, year by year
| Year | % of total population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 5.0% | — |
| 1961 | 5.0% | +0.4% |
| 1962 | 5.0% | +0.4% |
| 1963 | 5.0% | +0.3% |
| 1964 | 5.0% | +0.4% |
| 1965 | 5.1% | +0.7% |
| 1966 | 5.1% | +0.8% |
| 1967 | 5.2% | +0.8% |
| 1968 | 5.2% | +0.8% |
| 1969 | 5.2% | +0.8% |
| 1970 | 5.3% | +0.8% |
| 1971 | 5.3% | +0.8% |
| 1972 | 5.4% | +0.9% |
| 1973 | 5.4% | +0.9% |
| 1974 | 5.5% | +1.0% |
| 1975 | 5.5% | +1.1% |
| 1976 | 5.6% | +1.0% |
| 1977 | 5.6% | +1.1% |
| 1978 | 5.7% | +1.1% |
| 1979 | 5.8% | +1.1% |
| 1980 | 5.8% | +0.7% |
| 1981 | 5.8% | +0.1% |
| 1982 | 5.8% | -0.2% |
| 1983 | 5.8% | -0.2% |
| 1984 | 5.8% | +0.1% |
| 1985 | 5.8% | +0.5% |
| 1986 | 5.9% | +0.7% |
| 1987 | 5.9% | +0.7% |
| 1988 | 6.0% | +0.8% |
| 1989 | 6.0% | +1.0% |
| 1990 | 6.1% | +1.0% |
| 1991 | 6.1% | +1.1% |
| 1992 | 6.2% | +1.2% |
| 1993 | 6.3% | +1.3% |
| 1994 | 6.4% | +1.3% |
| 1995 | 6.5% | +1.3% |
| 1996 | 6.5% | +1.2% |
| 1997 | 6.6% | +1.2% |
| 1998 | 6.7% | +1.2% |
| 1999 | 6.8% | +1.1% |
| 2000 | 6.8% | +1.2% |
| 2001 | 6.9% | +1.2% |
| 2002 | 7.0% | +1.3% |
| 2003 | 7.1% | +1.2% |
| 2004 | 7.2% | +1.2% |
| 2005 | 7.3% | +1.1% |
| 2006 | 7.3% | +1.1% |
| 2007 | 7.4% | +1.0% |
| 2008 | 7.5% | +0.8% |
| 2009 | 7.5% | +0.7% |
| 2010 | 7.6% | +0.8% |
| 2011 | 7.7% | +1.1% |
| 2012 | 7.8% | +1.6% |
| 2013 | 7.9% | +1.8% |
| 2014 | 8.1% | +2.0% |
| 2015 | 8.3% | +2.2% |
| 2016 | 8.4% | +2.3% |
| 2017 | 8.7% | +2.4% |
| 2018 | 8.9% | +2.6% |
| 2019 | 9.1% | +2.6% |
| 2020 | 9.3% | +2.5% |
| 2021 | 9.5% | +2.1% |
| 2022 | 9.7% | +2.2% |
| 2023 | 10.0% | +2.5% |
| 2024 | 10.2% | +2.2% |
| 2025 | 10.4% | +2.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 5.1% | 5.0% | 5.2% | 10 |
| 1970s | 5.5% | 5.3% | 5.8% | 10 |
| 1980s | 5.9% | 5.8% | 6.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | 6.4% | 6.1% | 6.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 7.2% | 6.8% | 7.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 8.2% | 7.6% | 9.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 9.9% | 9.3% | 10.4% | 6 |
Countries ranked near World
More health data for World
- Population ages 60-64, female, annual growth rate 4.06 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 60-64, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 60-64, female, per capita 0.0228 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 60-64, male, annual growth rate 4.22 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 60-64, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 60-64, male, per capita 0.0216 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 65-69, female, annual growth rate 0.6217 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 65-69, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 65-69, female, per capita 0.0188 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 65-69, male, annual growth rate 0.7584 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population ages 65 and above in World?
- Population ages 65 and above in World was 10.4% 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 World?
- The highest recorded value was 10.4% in 2025.
- What is the lowest population ages 65 and above recorded in World?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.0% in 1960.
- How does World rank for population ages 65 and above?
- World ranks 19th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is population ages 65 and above rising or falling in World?
- Over the last ten years it is up 26.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this World 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.