Population aged 65 and over — all countries

Population aged 65 and over — North America

Population aged 65 and over in North America in 2025 — 71,298,124 people. Since 1960, the indicator has risen by 311.6%.

2025 71.3M people +3.12% vs 2024
World rank
Period maximum 71.3M people2025
Period minimum 17.32M people1960

Trend over time

1960–2025 · people

Population aged 65 and over — North America, 1960–2025020M40M60M80M19601967197419811988199520022009201620231960: 17,322,221 people1962: 18,230,370 people1964: 19,021,540 people1966: 19,960,819 people1968: 20,747,022 people1970: 21,620,355 people1972: 22,574,203 people1974: 23,556,781 people1976: 24,746,247 people1978: 26,074,768 people1980: 27,471,647 people1982: 28,689,164 people1984: 29,905,228 people1986: 31,200,123 people1988: 32,529,741 people1990: 33,833,876 people1992: 35,061,054 people1994: 36,084,217 people1996: 36,959,175 people1998: 37,662,557 people2000: 38,237,324 people2002: 38,832,715 people2004: 39,594,594 people2006: 40,665,829 people2008: 42,507,991 people2010: 44,545,505 people2012: 47,201,886 people2014: 50,270,407 people2016: 53,331,797 people2018: 56,598,759 people2020: 60,142,665 people2022: 63,901,395 people2024: 69,142,189 people2025: 71,298,124 people
Change over the period: +53.98M (+311.6%) Average annual rate: 2.2 %

Comparison, 2025

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: North America

North America 71.3M people
World 855M people
Population aged 65 and over — North America, by year North America All countries CSV XLSX
Year people Change Change, %
2025 71.3M +2.16M +3.12%
2024 69.14M +2.67M +4.02%
2023 66.47M +2.57M +4.02%
2022 63.9M +2.11M +3.42%
2021 61.79M +1.65M +2.74%
2020 60.14M +1.78M +3.05%
2019 58.36M +1.76M +3.12%
2018 56.6M +1.67M +3.04%
2017 54.93M +1.6M +2.99%
2016 53.33M +1.55M +3%
2015 51.78M +1.51M +3%
2014 50.27M +1.52M +3.12%
2013 48.75M +1.55M +3.27%
2012 47.2M +1.49M +3.26%
2011 45.71M +1.16M +2.61%
2010 44.55M +1.01M +2.31%
2009 43.54M +1.03M +2.42%
2008 42.51M +1.01M +2.43%
2007 41.5M +833,674 +2.05%
2006 40.67M +603,244 +1.51%
2005 40.06M +467,991 +1.18%
2004 39.59M +423,542 +1.08%
2003 39.17M +338,337 +0.87%
2002 38.83M +311,927 +0.81%
2001 38.52M +283,464 +0.74%
2000 38.24M +290,697 +0.77%
1999 37.95M +284,070 +0.75%
1998 37.66M +316,548 +0.85%
1997 37.35M +386,834 +1.05%
1996 36.96M +416,215 +1.14%
1995 36.54M +458,743 +1.27%
1994 36.08M +474,530 +1.33%
1993 35.61M +548,633 +1.56%
1992 35.06M +607,936 +1.76%
1991 34.45M +619,242 +1.83%
1990 33.83M +654,763 +1.97%
1989 33.18M +649,372 +2%
1988 32.53M +645,166 +2.02%
1987 31.88M +684,452 +2.19%
1986 31.2M +666,927 +2.18%
1985 30.53M +627,968 +2.1%
1984 29.91M +613,346 +2.09%
1983 29.29M +602,718 +2.1%
1982 28.69M +597,455 +2.13%
1981 28.09M +620,062 +2.26%
1980 27.47M +677,262 +2.53%
1979 26.79M +719,617 +2.76%
1978 26.07M +684,087 +2.69%
1977 25.39M +644,434 +2.6%
1976 24.75M +607,311 +2.52%
1975 24.14M +582,155 +2.47%
1974 23.56M +507,429 +2.2%
1973 23.05M +475,149 +2.1%
1972 22.57M +443,160 +2%
1971 22.13M +510,688 +2.36%
1970 21.62M +476,541 +2.25%
1969 21.14M +396,792 +1.91%
1968 20.75M +391,171 +1.92%
1967 20.36M +395,032 +1.98%
1966 19.96M +462,359 +2.37%
1965 19.5M +476,920 +2.51%
1964 19.02M +401,121 +2.15%
1963 18.62M +390,049 +2.14%
1962 18.23M +427,307 +2.4%
1961 17.8M +480,842 +2.78%
1960 17.32M

About the indicator

The population aged 65 and over. In absolute numbers this group is growing faster than any other: it expands both from the rise in life expectancy and from the entry of the large cohorts born in the middle of the 20th century. Japan and Italy lead by share of population, China and India by absolute number, and the divergence of the two rankings shows where the load on health care and pensions is larger in scale and where it is sharper.

Important: The threshold of 65 years is an international convention and is not tied to the retirement age of any particular country.

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