In 2023, residents aged 65 years and above made up 17.3 percent of the total resident population in Singapore. Singapore is currently one of the most rapidly aging societies in Asia, along with Japan. The elderly in Singapore Improvements in healthcare and the standard of living over the years have contributed to an increase in life expectancy in Singapore. This was reflected in the decreasing death rate of elderly residents over the decades. The increase in the share of the elderly population was further compounded by a decreasing total fertility rate, which was well below the 2.1 needed for a balanced population. By 2050, the elderly population in Singapore was forecasted to be a third of its total population. Economic burden of an aging society Singapore thus faces significant economic challenges due to an increasingly elderly population. The number of elderly dependents to the working age population had been steadily increasing. As Singaporeans face the prospect of living longer, more and more elderly had chosen to return to work after retirement. Singapore society still places the responsibility of caring for the elderly on younger family members. However, the burden of care is expected to increase with the years, and whether this model is sustainable remains to be seen.

In 2024, there were around 754,000 residents aged 65 years and above in Singapore. Singapore is currently one of the most rapidly aging societies in Asia, along with Japan.

In 2023, the percentage of the population of Singapore above the age of 65 years was estimated at 13.1 percent. Singapore currently faces a problem of an increasingly aging population coupled with a low fertility rate.

Singapore Old-Age Support Ratio: Resident: Per Elderly >65 Years: 20-64 Years data was reported at 4.500 Per Person in 2019. This records a decrease from the previous number of 4.800 Per Person for 2018. Singapore Old-Age Support Ratio: Resident: Per Elderly >65 Years: 20-64 Years data is updated yearly, averaging 10.600 Per Person from Jun 1957 (Median) to 2019, with 63 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 21.300 Per Person in 1957 and a record low of 4.500 Per Person in 2019. Singapore Old-Age Support Ratio: Resident: Per Elderly >65 Years: 20-64 Years data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Department of Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Singapore – Table SG.G001: Population: Statistics.

In 2023, the old-age dependency ratio in Singapore was at 25.2 residents aged 65 years and older per hundred residents aged 15 to 64 years. In the last ten years, this ratio has increased from 15.2 in 2014. Singapore is facing the challenge of an increasingly aging population and a declining birth rate, leading to a possible continuation of the trend of increasing old-age dependency ratio.

Singapore SG: Population: Total: Aged 65 and Above data was reported at 725,193.000 Person in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 689,187.000 Person for 2016. Singapore SG: Population: Total: Aged 65 and Above data is updated yearly, averaging 158,931.500 Person from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 725,193.000 Person in 2017 and a record low of 33,664.000 Person in 1960. Singapore SG: Population: Total: Aged 65 and Above data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Singapore – Table SG.World Bank: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Total population 65 years of age or older. Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship.; ; World Bank staff estimates using the World Bank's total population and age/sex distributions of the United Nations Population Division's World Population Prospects: 2017 Revision.; Sum;

In 2023, residents aged 65 years and above made up 9.2 percent of the total employed resident population in Singapore. Improvements in healthcare and the standard of living over the years have contributed to an increase in life expectancy in Singapore. As a consequence, Singapore is currently one of the most rapidly aging societies, including an aging workforce, in Asia. Aging workforce The minimum retirement age in Singapore is currently set at 62 years old. Even so, 31.5 percent of residents aged 65 years old were still employed or seeking employment. For many Singaporeans, retirement brings with it an increased economic burden. There is no system of state-funded pensions, and retirees depend largely on their savings. However, a survey on current working age Singaporeans found that few were financially prepared for retirement. Increased financial dependency on elderly breadwinners An increasingly elderly population has also led to the trend of increasing number of households who depend on elderly breadwinners, almost tripling since 2000. The number of elderly single-person households have also increased. To mitigate the economic burden on the elderly, the Singapore government has launched several upskilling programs to ensure that the elderly remain competitive in the workforce. However, beyond extending their employability, few other social safety nets are currently available to ensure a comfortable retirement for the elderly, regardless of income level.

Singapore Old-Age Dependency Ratio: Citizen: Per 100 (15-64 Years): >65 Years data was reported at 23.200 Per 100 Person in 2019. This records an increase from the previous number of 21.800 Per 100 Person for 2018. Singapore Old-Age Dependency Ratio: Citizen: Per 100 (15-64 Years): >65 Years data is updated yearly, averaging 11.600 Per 100 Person from Jun 1970 (Median) to 2019, with 32 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 23.200 Per 100 Person in 2019 and a record low of 5.800 Per 100 Person in 1970. Singapore Old-Age Dependency Ratio: Citizen: Per 100 (15-64 Years): >65 Years data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Department of Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Singapore – Table SG.G001: Population: Statistics.

Singapore SG: Age Dependency Ratio: % of Working-Age Population: Old data was reported at 17.923 % in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 16.960 % for 2016. Singapore SG: Age Dependency Ratio: % of Working-Age Population: Old data is updated yearly, averaging 7.597 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 17.923 % in 2017 and a record low of 3.736 % in 1960. Singapore SG: Age Dependency Ratio: % of Working-Age Population: Old data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Singapore – Table SG.World Bank.WDI: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Age dependency ratio, old, is the ratio of older dependents--people older than 64--to the working-age population--those ages 15-64. Data are shown as the proportion of dependents per 100 working-age population.; ; World Bank staff estimates based on age distributions of United Nations Population Division's World Population Prospects: 2017 Revision.; Weighted average;

As of June 2024, there were approximately 320,490 residents between the ages of 30 to 34 years old in Singapore, making it the largest age group among its resident population. This reflects the increasingly aging population of Singapore, a significant demographical shift that will have long-lasting socio-economic repercussions. Living longer… The improvements in health care and quality of life has led to Singapore having one of the highest life expectancies in the world. Coupled with one of the lowest fertility rate globally, Singapore society faces a crisis of aging. The average age of its resident population is projected to increase to just under 51 years old by 2050. …and working longer The prospect of an aging population is worrying for a country whose most important resource is its people. The current retirement age of 62 would no longer be tenable when close to half the population is expected to be aged 65 years or older by 2050. There is already a trend of elderly workers re-entering the workforce, be it to keep themselves occupied or to support themselves financially. The share of the population who would be working well into old age looks set to increase in the future, as a majority of Singaporeans have indicated that they were not financially prepared for old age.Singapore is well-known for its emphasis on career and shunning welfare policies; however, there is an urgent need to rethink and overhaul its social security and medical care systems to weather the silver tsunami that is set to engulf the island state.

Singapore SG: Population: as % of Total: Female: Aged 65 and Above data was reported at 13.802 % in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 13.178 % for 2016. Singapore SG: Population: as % of Total: Female: Aged 65 and Above data is updated yearly, averaging 6.128 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 13.802 % in 2017 and a record low of 2.610 % in 1960. Singapore SG: Population: as % of Total: Female: Aged 65 and Above data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Singapore – Table SG.World Bank: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Female population 65 years of age or older as a percentage of the total female population. Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship.; ; World Bank staff estimates based on age/sex distributions of United Nations Population Division's World Population Prospects: 2017 Revision.; Weighted average; Relevance to gender indicator: Knowing how many girls, adolescents and women there are in a population helps a country in determining its provision of services.

Source: SINGAPORE DEPARTMENT OF STATISTICS

Data Last Updated: 18/06/2021

Update Frequency: 10 years

Survey period: Census of Population 2020

Footnotes: Note: Planning areas refer to areas demarcated in the Urban Redevelopment Authority’s Master Plan 2019.

Adapted from: https://tablebuilder.singstat.gov.sg/table/CT/17617

In 2023, the death rate of residents aged 65 years and above in Singapore was 29 per thousand elderly residents. Improvements in healthcare and standard of living over the years have contributed to a decrease in the death rate of the elderly population. As a consequence, Singapore is currently one of the most rapidly ageing societies in Asia.

Source: SINGAPORE DEPARTMENT OF STATISTICS

Data Last Updated: 30/03/2016

Update Frequency: 10 years

Survey period: Census of Population 2000

Footnotes: Note: Data exclude persons who were unable to speak, and those in one-person households and households comprising unrelated persons For more information, please refer to the publication on 'Singapore Census of Population 2000, Statistical Release 2: Education, Language and Religion' (www.singstat.gov.sg/find-data/search-by-theme/population/education-language-spoken-and-literacy/publications-and-methodology).

Adapted from: https://tablebuilder.singstat.gov.sg/table/CT/8884

The world's most accurate population datasets. Seven maps/datasets for the distribution of various populations in Singapore: (1) Overall population density (2) Women (3) Men (4) Children (ages 0-5) (5) Youth (ages 15-24) (6) Elderly (ages 60+) (7) Women of reproductive age (ages 15-49).

There were 5 268 700 Facebook users in Singapore in January 2022, which accounted for 81% of its entire population. The majority of them were women - 51.5%. People aged 25 to 34 were the largest user group (1 848 600). The highest difference between men and women occurs within people aged 35 to 44, where women lead by 572 300.

Dataset from Housing & Development Board. For more information, visit https://data.gov.sg/datasets/d_76eb0a0d52db203284c50ccfba84c815/view

In 2023, there were approximately 78,100 single-person elderly households in Singapore. This figure has been increasing in the past ten years, as Singapore faces the challenge of an ageing population. By 2050, it was projected that more than 30 percent of the Singaporean resident population would be aged 65 years and above.

Singapore SG: Employment To Population Ratio: National Estimate: Aged 15+ data was reported at 65.250 % in 2016. This records a decrease from the previous number of 65.750 % for 2015. Singapore SG: Employment To Population Ratio: National Estimate: Aged 15+ data is updated yearly, averaging 61.570 % from Dec 1975 (Median) to 2016, with 39 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 67.430 % in 1989 and a record low of 48.680 % in 1991. Singapore SG: Employment To Population Ratio: National Estimate: Aged 15+ data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Singapore – Table SG.World Bank.WDI: Employment and Unemployment. Employment to population ratio is the proportion of a country's population that is employed. Employment is defined as persons of working age who, during a short reference period, were engaged in any activity to produce goods or provide services for pay or profit, whether at work during the reference period (i.e. who worked in a job for at least one hour) or not at work due to temporary absence from a job, or to working-time arrangements. Ages 15 and older are generally considered the working-age population.; ; International Labour Organization, ILOSTAT database. Data retrieved in September 2018.; Weighted average; The series for ILO estimates is also available in the WDI database. Caution should be used when comparing ILO estimates with national estimates.

Source: SINGAPORE DEPARTMENT OF STATISTICS

Data Last Updated: 09/03/2016

Update Frequency: 10 years

Survey period: General Household Survey 2015

Adapted from: https://tablebuilder.singstat.gov.sg/table/CT/8302