In 2022, the state with the highest median age of its population was Maine at 45.1 years. Utah had the lowest median age at 32.1 years. View the distribution of the U.S. population by ethnicity here.

Additional information on the aging population in the United States

High birth rates during the so-called baby boom years that followed World War II followed by lower fertility and morality rates have left the United States with a serious challenge in the 21st Century. However, the issue of an aging population is certainly not an issue unique to the United States. The age distribution of the global population shows that other parts of the world face a similar issue.

Within the United States, the uneven distribution of populations aged 65 years and over among states offers both major challenges and potential solutions. On the one hand, federal action over the issue may be contentious as other states are set to harbor the costs of elderly care in states such as California and Florida. That said, domestic migration from comparably younger states may help to fill gaps in the workforce left by retirees in others.

Nonetheless, aging population issues are set to gain further prominence in the political and economic decisions made by policymakers regardless of the eventual distribution of America’s elderly. Analysis of the financial concerns of Americans by age shows many young people still decades from retirement hold strong concern over their eventual financial position.

Monaco is the country with the highest median age in the world. The population has a median age of around 56 years, which is around six years more than in Japan and Saint Pierre and Miquelon – the other countries that make up the top three. Southern European countries make up a large part of the top 20, with Italy, Slovenia, Greece, San Marino, Andorra, and Croatia all making the list. Low infant mortality means higher life expectancy Monaco and Japan also have the lowest infant mortality rates in the world, which contributes to the calculation of a higher life expectancy because fewer people are dying in the first years of life. Indeed, many of the nations with a high median age also feature on the list of countries with the highest average life expectancy, such as San Marino, Japan, Italy, and Lichtenstein. Demographics of islands and small countries Many smaller countries and island nations have populations with a high median age, such as Guernsey and the Isle of Man, which are both island territories within the British Isles. An explanation for this could be that younger people leave to seek work or education opportunities, while others choose to relocate there for retirement.

The statistic depicts the median age in France between 1950 and 2100. The median age of a population is an index that divides the population into two equal groups: half of the population is older than the median age and the other half younger. In 2024, the median age of France's population was 42.07 years.

According to 2023 estimations, Monaco's population had the highest median age of 56.2 years worldwide. Furthermore, the lowest listed countries are all from the African continent, with Niger recording a median age of nearly 15 years old.

The statistic depicts the median age in Mexico from 1950 to 2100. The median age of a population is an index that divides the population into two equal groups: half of the population is older than the median age and the other half younger. In 2020, the median age of Mexico's population was 27.9 years.

This statistic shows the median age of the population in Saudi Arabia from 1950 to 2100. The median age of a population is an index that divides the population into two equal groups: half of the population is older than the median age and the other half younger. In 2020, the median age of Saudi Arabia's population was 28.5 years. See Saudi Arabia's population figures for comparison.

In 2024, the median age in Africa was 19.2 years, meaning that half of the population was older and half was younger than that age. The median age on the continent increased compared to 2000 when it was around 17 years. Africa is the youngest continent in the world and presents the highest share of inhabitants aged 14 years and younger, that is, 40 percent of the total population. Niger, Uganda, and Angola were the countries with the youngest population in Africa as of 2023.

The statistic depicts the median age in Italy from 1950 to 2100. The median age of a population is an index that divides the population into two equal groups: half of the population is older than the median age and the other half younger. In 2020, the median age of Italy's population was 46.4 years.

This statistic shows the leading countries with the highest projected median age in 2050. By 2050, the Republic of Korea is projected to have the population with the highest median age, at 56.5 years.

Spain is gradually becoming older, or so it seems when looking at the latest studies which forecast that the average Spaniard would be 51.79 years old by the year 2050. The Mediterranean country featured a median age of 26.48 years old in 1950, but this trend shifted towards a steady aging of the Spanish population in the subsequent years. Spain’s median age was approximately 44 years in 2020. Aging: a common problem across the continent Data related to age in the Mediterranean country essentially behaves similarly to the rest of its European counterparts, whose population is also slowly but surely getting older. This will not come as a surprise since Spain has one of the highest life expectancies at birth in the world and the lowest European fertility rate, which stood at 1.29 children per woman according to the latest reports. Older, but growing population Despite its aging, the population of Spain has been growing for the past couple of years and is expected to surpass 49 million residents by 2026, mainly due to immigration. During the last ten years, the country featured a continuous population density of approximately 95 inhabitants per square kilometer – a figure far from the European average, which stood nearly at 112 inhabitants per square kilometer in 2021.

In 2024, Japan was estimated to have the highest median age of the G7 countries at 49.4 years. Italy followed behind with 47.9 years. On the other hand, the United States had the lowest at just 38.3. Germany had an increasing median age until 2016, before the curve started to flatten. This is because of the increased number of immigrants arriving in the country at the time, particularly in the aftermath of the Syrian Civil War.

This statistic shows the median age of the population in Indonesia from 1950 to 2100. The median age is the age that divides a population into two numerically equal groups; that is, half the people are younger than this age and half are older. It is a single index that summarizes the age distribution of a population. In 2020, the median age of the Indonesian population was 29.1 years. Life in Indonesia The Republic of Indonesia is a sovereign state archipelago in Southeast Asia. Indonesia is made up of more than 17,000 islands, with the biggest three being Java, Sumatra and Borneo. In 2010, Indonesia reported a total population of around 238 million people, and it is estimated that this figure will increase to around 255 million inhabitants by 2015. The biggest cities in Indonesia are its capital Jakarta, Surabaya, and Bandung. Jakarta alone is home to more than 9.6 million inhabitants. Currently, there are more than 7 billion people in the world and Asia is the continent with the largest population. More than 4 billion people lived in Asia in mid-2014. Indonesia is the second most populous country in Asia, behind China and the fourth most populous nation in the world. As a result of an improving economy and better health and living conditions, life expectancy in Indonesia is steadily increasing - between 2002 and 2012, it increased by almost 3 years . Due of a decreasing fertility rate, Indonesian parents are able to more easily provide for their families and the population is still increasing and living longer. The average age of the population in Indonesia is estimated to be around 28.4 years in 2015.

This statistic shows the median age of the population in Ireland from 1950 to 2100. The median age is the age that divides a population into two numerically equal groups; that is, half the people are younger than this age and half are older. It is a single index that summarizes the age distribution of a population. In 2020, the median age of the Irish population was 37.3 years.

This statistic shows the median age of the population in Hong Kong from 1950 to 2100*. The median age of a population is an index that divides the population into two equal groups: half of the population is older than the median age and the other half younger. In 2020, the median age of Hong Kong's population was 44.4 years.

Demographic development in South Korea in the final decades of the 21st century saw rapid change across its society. In South Korea, the average age of the population rose from below 20 years in the late-70s to around 45 years today, and it is projected to rise to over 62 years in 2074. With one of the lowest fertility rates in the world, population aging is one of the largest challenges facing South Korea today. If these projections come true, then South Korea is on course to soon have a smaller working-age population than its combined child and elderly populations. Recent years have shown population aging to be a compounding issue that exacerbates itself - young people often become responsible for providing care for elderly relatives, straining time and financial resources and dissuading many from having their own children. The state must also invest much more money into elderly care and healthcare, often redistributing resources that were previously invested in childcare and education. Although the state (and even some private companies) are now offering financial incentives for couples to have children, it remains to be seen whether these measures will be enough to reverse years of rapid population aging and declining fertility rates.

In 2024, Italy was the European country with the oldest population, recording a median age of 48.7 years, closely ahead of Bulgaria and Portugal, with 47 years. In general, almost all European countries have a median age above 40 years old. Only Azerbaijan, Turkey, Armenia, and Kosovo had a median age below 35 years old. Kosovo was the youngest territory of the continent in terms of median age.

In 2020, the average age in Thailand is expected to reach 38.2 years, twenty years higher than in 1980, when it began to rise after a steady decrease in prior years. Previously, from 1950 to 1975, the average age hovered around 17 years. The increased average age corresponds with rising life expectancy globally, accelerating especially around the mid-twentieth century onward. In this century, the life expectancy in Thailand has increased by roughly 2.5 years since 2007, reaching 78.39 in 2017. The standard of living is increasing In Thailand, people ages 15 to 64 have consistently made up the majority of the population from 2007 to 2017. In this time, the older population grew increased by about three percent, while the younger population shrunk at roughly the same rate. This indicates that many people within the middle age category are reaching 65 or older, and that the birth rate is simultaneously declining. Birth rates are declining Every year, families are having fewer children in Thailand, with a fertility rate of less than 1.5 children per women of childbearing age in 2017. This is not necessarily a bad sign – it points towards increasing healthcare and living standards. Another indicator for this is the decreasing infant mortality in Thailand, meaning more of the children born each year survive. Lower infant mortality also contributes to the calculations of a higher life expectancy, and thus affects the country’s median age.

Since 1970, the median age of China’s population has continued to increase from around 20 years to around 37.5 years in 2020. According to estimates from the United Nations, the increasing trend will slow down when the median age will reach 50 years in the middle of the 21st century and will remain at around 60 years up to 2100. China’s aging population Although the median age of China’s population is still lower than in many developed countries, for example in Japan, the consequences of a rapidly aging population have already become a concern for the country’s future. As the most populated country in the world, the large labor force in China contributed to the country’s astonishing economic growth in the last decades. Nowadays however, the aging population is going to become a burden for China’s social welfare system and could change China’s economic situation. Reasons for the aging population Like in many other countries, increasing life expectancy is regarded as the main reason for the aging of the population. As healthcare and living standards have improved, life expectancy in China has also increased. In addition, the one-child policy led to a decreasing fertility rate in China, which further increased the share of older people in the society. Even though the one-child policy has been abolished in 2016, many young people are refraining from having children, largely due to the high costs of raising a child, career pressure and the pursuit of freedom.

In 2020, the median age of Russia's population was 38.6 years. By the end of the century, it was forecast to exceed 46 years. The median age of a population is an index that divides the population into two equal groups: half of the population is older than the median age and the other half younger.

The median age of the population in Japan has steadily been increasing since 1950 and is projected to be around 47.7 years old in 2020. As of 2021, the median age of Japan is the second highest in the world, behind the Principality of Monaco. The elderly in Japan An improved quality of life and regular health checks are just two reasons why Japan has one of the highest life expectancies in the world. The life expectancy from birth in Japan improved significantly after World War II, rising 20 years in the decade between 1945 and 1955. As life expectancy continues to increase, Japan expects difficulties caring for the older generation in the future. Shortages in the service sector are already a major concern, with demand for nurses and care workers increasing. Fertility and birth rates The fertility rate among Japan’s population has been around 1.4 children per woman since 2010. Apart from a small baby boom in the early seventies, the crude birth rate of Japan has been declining since 1950 and is expected to be as low as 7.5 births per thousand people in 2020. With falling birth rates and such a large share of its inhabitants reaching their later years, Japan’s total population is expected to continue declining.