Share of population aged 65 and over — all countries

Share of population aged 65 and over — New Zealand

Share of population aged 65 and over in New Zealand in 2025 — 17.6%. Ranked 54 in the world out of 217. Since 1960, the indicator has risen by 8.9 pp.

2025 17.6% +0.4 pp vs 2024
World rank 54of 217
Period maximum 17.6%2025
Period minimum 8.3%1966

Trend over time

1960–2025 · % of population

Share of population aged 65 and over — New Zealand, 1960–20257.51012.51517.52019601967197419811988199520022009201620231960: 8.7%1962: 8.5%1964: 8.4%1966: 8.3%1968: 8.4%1970: 8.5%1972: 8.6%1974: 8.7%1976: 8.9%1978: 9.3%1980: 9.7%1982: 10%1984: 10.1%1986: 10.4%1988: 10.8%1990: 11%1992: 11.3%1994: 11.5%1996: 11.5%1998: 11.6%2000: 11.8%2002: 11.8%2004: 11.9%2006: 12.2%2008: 12.6%2010: 13%2012: 13.7%2014: 14.4%2016: 14.7%2018: 15.1%2020: 15.6%2022: 16.4%2024: 17.2%2025: 17.6%
Change over the period: +8.9 pp Annual average: 0.14 pp

Comparison, 2025

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: New Zealand

New Zealand 17.6%
World 10.4%
High-income countries computed 20%
Share of population aged 65 and over — New Zealand, by year New Zealand All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2025 17.6 +0.4 pp
2024 17.2 +0.4 pp
2023 16.8 +0.4 pp
2022 16.4 +0.4 pp
2021 16 +0.4 pp
2020 15.6 +0.3 pp
2019 15.3 +0.2 pp
2018 15.1 +0.2 pp
2017 14.9 +0.2 pp
2016 14.7 +0.2 pp
2015 14.6 +0.2 pp
2014 14.4 +0.3 pp
2013 14.1 +0.4 pp
2012 13.7 +0.4 pp
2011 13.3 +0.3 pp
2010 13 +0.2 pp
2009 12.8 +0.2 pp
2008 12.6 +0.2 pp
2007 12.4 +0.2 pp
2006 12.2 +0.2 pp
2005 12 +0.1 pp
2004 11.9 +0.1 pp
2003 11.8 −0 pp
2002 11.8 +0 pp
2001 11.8 +0.1 pp
2000 11.8 +0.1 pp
1999 11.7 +0.1 pp
1998 11.6 +0.1 pp
1997 11.5 +0 pp
1996 11.5 +0 pp
1995 11.5 +0 pp
1994 11.5 +0.1 pp
1993 11.4 +0.1 pp
1992 11.3 +0.1 pp
1991 11.2 +0.1 pp
1990 11 +0.1 pp
1989 10.9 +0.2 pp
1988 10.8 +0.2 pp
1987 10.6 +0.2 pp
1986 10.4 +0.2 pp
1985 10.3 +0.1 pp
1984 10.1 +0.1 pp
1983 10.1 +0.1 pp
1982 10 +0.1 pp
1981 9.9 +0.2 pp
1980 9.7 +0.2 pp
1979 9.5 +0.2 pp
1978 9.3 +0.2 pp
1977 9.1 +0.2 pp
1976 8.9 +0.1 pp
1975 8.8 +0.1 pp
1974 8.7 +0.1 pp
1973 8.6 +0 pp
1972 8.6 +0.1 pp
1971 8.5 +0.1 pp
1970 8.5 +0.1 pp
1969 8.4 +0 pp
1968 8.4 +0 pp
1967 8.4 +0 pp
1966 8.3 −0 pp
1965 8.3 −0 pp
1964 8.4 −0.1 pp
1963 8.4 −0.1 pp
1962 8.5 −0.1 pp
1961 8.6 −0.1 pp
1960 8.7

Australia and New Zealand, 2025

The same indicator for neighboring countries — with links to their pages

AU Australia 18.1 NZ New Zealand 17.6

About the indicator

The share of population aged 65 and over. The international threshold for an old population is 7%, for a very old one 14%. The indicator directly determines the load on the pension system and health care, which is why demographic projections use it more often than median age.

Source: World Population Prospects (UN), license CC BY 3.0 IGO.