This statistic shows the median age of the population in South Africa 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 South African population was 27.3 years.

As of 2024, South Africa's population increased, counting approximately 63 million inhabitants. Of these, roughly 27.5 million were aged 0-24, while 654,000 people were 80 years or older. Gauteng and Cape Town are the most populated South Africa’s yearly population growth has been fluctuating since 2013, with the growth rate dropping below the world average in 2024. The majority of people lived in the borders of Gauteng, the smallest of the nine provinces in terms of land area. The number of people residing there amounted to 16.6 million in 2023. Although the Western Cape was the third-largest province, the city of Cape Town had the highest number of inhabitants in the country, at 3.4 million. An underemployed younger population South Africa has a large population under 14, who will be looking for job opportunities in the future. However, the country's labor market has had difficulty integrating these youngsters. Specifically, as of the fourth quarter of 2024, the unemployment rate reached close to 60 percent and 384 percent among people aged 15-24 and 25–34 years, respectively. In the same period, some 27 percent of the individuals between 15 and 24 years were economically active, while the labor force participation rate was higher among people aged 25 to 34, at 74.3 percent.

Graph and download economic data for Infra-Annual Labor Statistics: Working-Age Population Total: From 15 to 24 Years for South Africa (LFWA24TTZAQ647N) from Q1 2008 to Q2 2025 about working-age, 15 to 24 years, South Africa, and population.

Graph and download economic data for Infra-Annual Labor Statistics: Working-Age Population Total: From 15 to 64 Years for South Africa (LFWA64TTZAQ647S) from Q3 2000 to Q2 2025 about working-age, South Africa, 15 to 64 years, and population.

South Africa ZA: Survival To Age 65: Male: % of Cohort data was reported at 47.350 % in 2016. This records an increase from the previous number of 45.721 % for 2015. South Africa ZA: Survival To Age 65: Male: % of Cohort data is updated yearly, averaging 42.397 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2016, with 57 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 48.679 % in 1992 and a record low of 30.857 % in 2007. South Africa ZA: Survival To Age 65: Male: % of Cohort data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s South Africa – Table ZA.World Bank: Health Statistics. Survival to age 65 refers to the percentage of a cohort of newborn infants that would survive to age 65, if subject to age specific mortality rates of the specified year.; ; United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects: 2017 Revision.; Weighted average;

South Africa ZA: Population: as % of Total: Aged 15-64 data was reported at 65.671 % in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 65.613 % for 2016. South Africa ZA: Population: as % of Total: Aged 15-64 data is updated yearly, averaging 56.842 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 65.671 % in 2017 and a record low of 53.937 % in 1966. South Africa ZA: Population: as % of Total: Aged 15-64 data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s South Africa – Table ZA.World Bank.WDI: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Total population between the ages 15 to 64 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.; ; World Bank staff estimates based on age/sex distributions of United Nations Population Division's World Population Prospects: 2017 Revision.; Weighted average;

Over the last two observations, the life expectancy has significantly increased in all gender groups Comparing the two different gender groups for the year 2023, the 'life expectancy of women at birth' leads the ranking with 69.6 years. Contrastingly, 'life expectancy of men at birth' is ranked last, with 62.61 years. Their difference, compared to life expectancy of women at birth, lies at 6.99 years. Life expectancy at birth refers to the number of years that the average newborn can expect to live, providing that mortality patterns at the time of their birth do not change thereafter.Find further similar statistics for other countries or regions like Iran and Angola.

Graph and download economic data for Infra-Annual Labor Statistics: Working-Age Population Male: From 15 to 64 Years for South Africa (LFWA64MAZAA647N) from 2000 to 2024 about working-age, South Africa, 15 to 64 years, males, and population.

South Africa ZA: Population: Male: Ages 15-19: % of Male Population data was reported at 9.294 % in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 9.405 % for 2016. South Africa ZA: Population: Male: Ages 15-19: % of Male Population data is updated yearly, averaging 10.409 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 11.077 % in 1999 and a record low of 9.244 % in 1964. South Africa ZA: Population: Male: Ages 15-19: % of Male Population data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s South Africa – Table ZA.World Bank: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Male population between the ages 15 to 19 as a percentage of the total male population.; ; World Bank staff estimates based on age/sex distributions of United Nations Population Division's World Population Prospects: 2017 Revision.; ;

Graph and download economic data for Infra-Annual Labor Statistics: Working-Age Population Total: From 25 to 54 Years for South Africa (LFWA25TTZAA647S) from 2008 to 2024 about 25 to 54 years, working-age, South Africa, and population.

This horizontal bar chart displays median age (year) by demonym using the aggregation average, weighted by population in South Africa. The data is filtered where the date is 2023. The data is about countries per year.

South Africa ZA: Primary Completion Rate: Female: % of Relevant Age Group data was reported at 82.651 % in 2015. This records a decrease from the previous number of 97.053 % for 2004. South Africa ZA: Primary Completion Rate: Female: % of Relevant Age Group data is updated yearly, averaging 87.778 % from Dec 1991 (Median) to 2015, with 8 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 97.053 % in 2004 and a record low of 77.723 % in 1991. South Africa ZA: Primary Completion Rate: Female: % of Relevant Age Group data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s South Africa – Table ZA.World Bank.WDI: Education Statistics. Primary completion rate, or gross intake ratio to the last grade of primary education, is the number of new entrants (enrollments minus repeaters) in the last grade of primary education, regardless of age, divided by the population at the entrance age for the last grade of primary education. Data limitations preclude adjusting for students who drop out during the final year of primary education.; ; UNESCO Institute for Statistics; Weighted average; Each economy is classified based on the classification of World Bank Group's fiscal year 2018 (July 1, 2017-June 30, 2018).

South Africa Population: Mid Year: White: Male: 70 to 74 Years data was reported at 105,238.000 Person in 2018. This records an increase from the previous number of 95,344.570 Person for 2017. South Africa Population: Mid Year: White: Male: 70 to 74 Years data is updated yearly, averaging 78,333.668 Person from Jun 2001 (Median) to 2018, with 18 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 105,238.000 Person in 2018 and a record low of 55,969.000 Person in 2001. South Africa Population: Mid Year: White: Male: 70 to 74 Years data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Statistics South Africa. The data is categorized under Global Database’s South Africa – Table ZA.G003: Population: Mid Year: by Group, Age and Sex.

This horizontal bar chart displays median age (year) by country using the aggregation average, weighted by population in South Africa. The data is filtered where the date is 2021. The data is about countries per year.

Actual value and historical data chart for South Africa Life Expectancy At Birth Male Years

South Africa: Dependent people as percent of the working age population: The latest value from 2024 is 48.31 percent, a decline from 48.37 percent in 2023. In comparison, the world average is 58.13 percent, based on data from 196 countries. Historically, the average for South Africa from 1960 to 2024 is 69.03 percent. The minimum value, 48.31 percent, was reached in 2024 while the maximum of 84.66 percent was recorded in 1971.

Graph and download economic data for Population ages 65 and above for South Africa (SPPOP65UPTOZSZAF) from 1960 to 2024 about 65-years +, South Africa, and population.

South Africa ZA: Age Dependency Ratio: % of Working-Age Population data was reported at 52.275 % in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 52.409 % for 2016. South Africa ZA: Age Dependency Ratio: % of Working-Age Population data is updated yearly, averaging 75.926 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 85.403 % in 1966 and a record low of 52.275 % in 2017. South Africa ZA: Age Dependency Ratio: % of Working-Age Population data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s South Africa – Table ZA.World Bank: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Age dependency ratio is the ratio of dependents--people younger than 15 or 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; Relevance to gender indicator: this indicator implies the dependency burden that the working-age population bears in relation to children and the elderly. Many times single or widowed women who are the sole caregiver of a household have a high dependency ratio.

As of January 2024, women in the age group of 25 to 34 years accounted for 15.8 percent of social media users in South Africa. This was higher compared to 14.9 percent for men in the same age bracket. Female young adults aged 13 to 17 years also accounted for 15.8 percent of social media audiences in South Africa. In all age groups, the share of women users was higher (except individuals between 35 and 44).

In 2022, the median age of immigrants in South Africa was 34 years among men, and 33 years for women. Compared to 2011, the average age of male and female migrants in the country increased slightly from 31 years and 30 years, respectively.