Costa Rica Demographics: Median age, Gender, Race, Religion

Median age history and projection chart in
Costa Rica vs World

Table

Year	Median age
	Costa Rica	World
1960	16.8	22.5
1961	16.8	22.5
1962	16.7	22.4
1963	16.7	22.2
1964	16.7	22
1965	16.7	21.8
1966	16.8	21.7
1967	16.9	21.6
1968	17.1	21.5
1969	17.3	21.5
1970	17.6	21.4
1971	17.8	21.4
1972	18.1	21.5
1973	18.4	21.5
1974	18.6	21.6
1975	18.9	21.7
1976	19.2	21.9
1977	19.5	22
1978	19.7	22.2
1979	20	22.3
1980	20.3	22.5
1981	20.6	22.6
1982	20.9	22.7
1983	21.2	22.9
1984	21.4	23
1985	21.6	23.2
1986	21.8	23.3
1987	22.1	23.4
1988	22.3	23.6
1989	22.5	23.8
1990	22.7	23.9
1991	22.9	24.1
1992	23.2	24.3
1993	23.4	24.5
1994	23.6	24.7
1995	23.9	25
1996	24.1	25.2
1997	24.4	25.4
1998	24.7	25.7
1999	24.9	25.9
2000	25.2	26.1
2001	25.5	26.3
2002	25.9	26.5
2003	26.3	26.7
2004	26.7	27
2005	27	27.2
2006	27.4	27.4
2007	27.8	27.6
2008	28.2	27.8
2009	28.6	28
2010	29	28.2
2011	29.4	28.4
2012	29.8	28.6
2013	30.3	28.9
2014	30.7	29.1
2015	31.2	29.3
2016	31.7	29.5
2017	32.1	29.8
2018	32.6	30
2019	33	30.3
2020	33.5	30.6
2021	34	30.8
2022	34.5	31
2023	35.1	31.3
2024	35.6	31.6
2025	36.2	31.9
2026	36.7	32.1
2027	37.2	32.3
2028	37.8	32.6
2029	38.3	32.8
2030	38.8	33
2031	39.3	33.2
2032	39.8	33.4
2033	40.3	33.6
2034	40.8	33.8
2035	41.3	34
2036	41.8	34.2
2037	42.3	34.4
2038	42.8	34.6
2039	43.2	34.8
2040	43.7	35
2041	44.2	35.2
2042	44.6	35.4
2043	45.1	35.6
2044	45.5	35.8
2045	45.9	36
2046	46.4	36.2
2047	46.8	36.4
2048	47.2	36.6
2049	47.6	36.8
2050	48	37.1

In 1960, the median age in Costa Rica was 16.8 years compared to the world's average of 22.5 years. As of 2024, the median age had increased to 35.6 years compared to the world's average of 31.6 years. Ranked 171st for median age 64 years ago (old to young), Costa Rica ranks 72nd currently.

According to the United Nations projections, the median age in Costa Rica is expected to increase to around 48 years by 2050. The aging demographics forecast is based on previous years' birth rates and increasing life expectancy.

Costa Rica demographic pyramid: age and gender distribution

Table

Age range	Share of population
	Costa Rica
	Male	Female
0-4	2.69%	2.58%
5-9	3.38%	3.24%
10-14	3.53%	3.38%
15-19	3.6%	3.45%
20-24	3.75%	3.6%
25-29	3.96%	3.84%
30-34	4.05%	3.95%
35-39	4.06%	4.01%
40-44	3.67%	3.71%
45-49	3.15%	3.32%
50-54	2.8%	3.04%
55-59	2.72%	2.98%
60-64	2.53%	2.78%
65-69	1.99%	2.24%
70-74	1.47%	1.69%
75-79	1.03%	1.22%
80+	1.04%	1.56%

The chart above is a variation of the population pyramid and represents the age and gender structure. Costa Rica has low demographic potential with 49% of people in the 0-34 age group (ranked 125/196).

Age dependency chart

Table

Year	Age dependency ratio
	Costa Rica			World
	Total	Young	Old	Total	Young	Old
1960	97.9%	91.9%	6.01%	73.5%	64.9%	8.62%
1961	98.5%	92.5%	6.03%	73.8%	65.1%	8.67%
1962	98.9%	92.9%	6.06%	74.1%	65.4%	8.73%
1963	99%	92.9%	6.08%	74.9%	66.1%	8.79%
1964	98.8%	92.7%	6.11%	75.5%	66.6%	8.85%
1965	98.3%	92.2%	6.13%	75.8%	66.8%	8.93%
1966	97.5%	91.4%	6.14%	75.9%	66.9%	9%
1967	96.4%	90.2%	6.16%	75.9%	66.8%	9.07%
1968	94.8%	88.7%	6.16%	75.8%	66.6%	9.14%
1969	93.1%	86.9%	6.17%	75.7%	66.5%	9.2%
1970	91.1%	84.9%	6.19%	75.5%	66.2%	9.26%
1971	89%	82.8%	6.21%	75.2%	65.9%	9.33%
1972	86.7%	80.5%	6.25%	74.9%	65.6%	9.39%
1973	84.3%	78.1%	6.29%	74.6%	65.1%	9.46%
1974	81.9%	75.6%	6.33%	74.4%	64.9%	9.54%
1975	79.5%	73.2%	6.38%	74.2%	64.6%	9.64%
1976	77.3%	70.9%	6.43%	74%	64.3%	9.72%
1977	75.2%	68.8%	6.48%	73.5%	63.7%	9.79%
1978	73.4%	66.9%	6.53%	72.4%	62.5%	9.84%
1979	71.9%	65.3%	6.58%	71.3%	61.4%	9.88%
1980	70.5%	63.9%	6.62%	70.4%	60.5%	9.89%
1981	69.5%	62.8%	6.66%	69.5%	59.6%	9.85%
1982	68.7%	62%	6.71%	68.7%	58.9%	9.79%
1983	68.2%	61.4%	6.76%	67.9%	58.1%	9.72%
1984	67.9%	61.1%	6.84%	67%	57.3%	9.68%
1985	67.9%	60.9%	6.92%	66.3%	56.6%	9.68%
1986	67.9%	60.9%	7.03%	65.7%	55.9%	9.71%
1987	68%	60.9%	7.14%	65.2%	55.4%	9.75%
1988	68.1%	60.9%	7.28%	64.8%	54.9%	9.81%
1989	68.2%	60.7%	7.43%	64.4%	54.5%	9.89%
1990	68%	60.4%	7.58%	64.2%	54.3%	9.97%
1991	67.6%	59.9%	7.73%	64%	53.9%	10.1%
1992	67%	59.2%	7.87%	63.7%	53.6%	10.2%
1993	66.3%	58.3%	8.01%	63.5%	53.2%	10.3%
1994	65.4%	57.2%	8.14%	63.1%	52.7%	10.4%
1995	64.3%	56.1%	8.26%	62.7%	52.2%	10.5%
1996	63.2%	54.8%	8.36%	62.1%	51.5%	10.6%
1997	61.9%	53.4%	8.47%	61.5%	50.8%	10.7%
1998	60.6%	52%	8.57%	60.7%	50%	10.7%
1999	59.3%	50.6%	8.68%	60%	49.2%	10.8%
2000	58%	49.2%	8.8%	59.3%	48.4%	10.9%
2001	56.7%	47.7%	8.93%	58.5%	47.6%	11%
2002	55.3%	46.3%	9.09%	57.8%	46.7%	11.1%
2003	54%	44.8%	9.27%	57%	45.9%	11.1%
2004	52.8%	43.4%	9.45%	56.3%	45.1%	11.2%
2005	51.7%	42%	9.65%	55.6%	44.3%	11.3%
2006	50.6%	40.8%	9.86%	55%	43.6%	11.4%
2007	49.7%	39.6%	10.1%	54.5%	43.1%	11.4%
2008	48.9%	38.6%	10.3%	54.1%	42.6%	11.5%
2009	48.2%	37.6%	10.6%	53.8%	42.2%	11.6%
2010	47.5%	36.7%	10.9%	53.5%	41.9%	11.6%
2011	47%	35.8%	11.2%	53.4%	41.6%	11.8%
2012	46.5%	35%	11.5%	53.3%	41.4%	11.9%
2013	46.1%	34.2%	11.9%	53.4%	41.2%	12.1%
2014	45.8%	33.5%	12.3%	53.5%	41.1%	12.4%
2015	45.5%	32.8%	12.7%	53.6%	40.9%	12.7%
2016	45.3%	32.1%	13.2%	53.7%	40.7%	13%
2017	45.3%	31.6%	13.7%	53.9%	40.6%	13.3%
2018	45.3%	31.2%	14.2%	54.1%	40.4%	13.7%
2019	45.4%	30.7%	14.7%	54.2%	40.1%	14%
2020	45.4%	30.1%	15.2%	54.2%	39.8%	14.4%
2021	45.3%	29.5%	15.8%	54.2%	39.5%	14.7%
2022	45.1%	28.8%	16.3%	54%	39%	15%
2023	45%	28%	17%	53.9%	38.5%	15.4%
2024	45%	27.3%	17.7%	53.7%	38%	15.7%

Age dependency is the ratio of people not in the labor force (children under 15 and adults 64+) to people aged 15 to 64. Age dependency in Costa Rica decreased from 52.8% to 45% between 2004 and 2024 with a decreased share of children and an increased proportion of people aged 65+

Costa Rica working age demographic chart

Table

Year	Working age population share
	Costa Rica	World
1960	50.5%	57.6%
1961	50.4%	57.5%
1962	50.3%	57.4%
1963	50.3%	57.2%
1964	50.3%	57%
1965	50.4%	56.9%
1966	50.6%	56.8%
1967	50.9%	56.9%
1968	51.3%	56.9%
1969	51.8%	56.9%
1970	52.3%	57%
1971	52.9%	57.1%
1972	53.6%	57.2%
1973	54.2%	57.3%
1974	55%	57.3%
1975	55.7%	57.4%
1976	56.4%	57.5%
1977	57.1%	57.7%
1978	57.7%	58%
1979	58.2%	58.4%
1980	58.6%	58.7%
1981	59%	59%
1982	59.3%	59.3%
1983	59.5%	59.6%
1984	59.5%	59.9%
1985	59.6%	60.1%
1986	59.6%	60.4%
1987	59.5%	60.5%
1988	59.5%	60.7%
1989	59.5%	60.8%
1990	59.5%	60.9%
1991	59.7%	61%
1992	59.9%	61.1%
1993	60.1%	61.2%
1994	60.5%	61.3%
1995	60.9%	61.5%
1996	61.3%	61.7%
1997	61.8%	61.9%
1998	62.3%	62.2%
1999	62.8%	62.5%
2000	63.3%	62.8%
2001	63.8%	63.1%
2002	64.4%	63.4%
2003	64.9%	63.7%
2004	65.4%	64%
2005	65.9%	64.3%
2006	66.4%	64.5%
2007	66.8%	64.7%
2008	67.2%	64.9%
2009	67.5%	65%
2010	67.8%	65.1%
2011	68%	65.2%
2012	68.2%	65.2%
2013	68.4%	65.2%
2014	68.6%	65.2%
2015	68.7%	65.1%
2016	68.8%	65.1%
2017	68.8%	65%
2018	68.8%	64.9%
2019	68.8%	64.9%
2020	68.8%	64.8%
2021	68.8%	64.9%
2022	68.9%	64.9%
2023	69%	65%
2024	69%	65.1%
2025	68.9%	65.2%
2026	68.9%	65.3%
2027	68.8%	65.4%
2028	68.7%	65.4%
2029	68.6%	65.4%
2030	68.5%	65.4%
2031	68.5%	65.4%
2032	68.4%	65.4%
2033	68.3%	65.4%
2034	68.2%	65.3%
2035	68%	65.2%
2036	67.7%	65%
2037	67.4%	64.9%
2038	67.1%	64.7%
2039	66.8%	64.6%
2040	66.4%	64.5%
2041	66.1%	64.4%
2042	65.7%	64.3%
2043	65.3%	64.2%
2044	64.9%	64.1%
2045	64.5%	63.9%
2046	64%	63.8%
2047	63.6%	63.7%
2048	63.1%	63.6%
2049	62.6%	63.4%
2050	62.1%	63.3%

The share of working-age demographics aged 15-64 in Costa Rica changed from 65.4% to 69% between 2004 and 2024.

Share of young population (0-14 years)

Table

Year	Share of population 0-14 years old
	Costa Rica	World
1960	46.4%	37.4%
1961	46.6%	37.5%
1962	46.7%	37.6%
1963	46.7%	37.8%
1964	46.6%	38%
1965	46.5%	38%
1966	46.3%	38%
1967	45.9%	38%
1968	45.5%	37.9%
1969	45%	37.8%
1970	44.4%	37.7%
1971	43.8%	37.6%
1972	43.1%	37.5%
1973	42.3%	37.3%
1974	41.5%	37.2%
1975	40.8%	37.1%
1976	40%	36.9%
1977	39.2%	36.7%
1978	38.6%	36.3%
1979	38%	35.9%
1980	37.5%	35.5%
1981	37.1%	35.2%
1982	36.7%	34.9%
1983	36.5%	34.6%
1984	36.4%	34.3%
1985	36.3%	34%
1986	36.3%	33.8%
1987	36.2%	33.6%
1988	36.2%	33.4%
1989	36.1%	33.2%
1990	36%	33%
1991	35.7%	32.9%
1992	35.4%	32.7%
1993	35%	32.5%
1994	34.6%	32.3%
1995	34.1%	32.1%
1996	33.6%	31.8%
1997	33%	31.5%
1998	32.4%	31.1%
1999	31.8%	30.8%
2000	31.1%	30.4%
2001	30.5%	30%
2002	29.8%	29.6%
2003	29.1%	29.2%
2004	28.4%	28.8%
2005	27.7%	28.5%
2006	27.1%	28.1%
2007	26.5%	27.9%
2008	25.9%	27.6%
2009	25.4%	27.5%
2010	24.9%	27.3%
2011	24.3%	27.1%
2012	23.9%	27%
2013	23.4%	26.9%
2014	23%	26.8%
2015	22.5%	26.6%
2016	22.1%	26.5%
2017	21.8%	26.4%
2018	21.4%	26.2%
2019	21.1%	26%
2020	20.7%	25.8%
2021	20.3%	25.6%
2022	19.8%	25.3%
2023	19.3%	25%
2024	18.8%	24.7%
2025	18.3%	24.4%
2026	17.8%	24.1%
2027	17.3%	23.8%
2028	16.9%	23.4%
2029	16.4%	23.1%
2030	16%	22.8%
2031	15.5%	22.6%
2032	15.1%	22.3%
2033	14.7%	22.1%
2034	14.4%	21.9%
2035	14.1%	21.7%
2036	13.9%	21.6%
2037	13.8%	21.5%
2038	13.7%	21.4%
2039	13.6%	21.3%
2040	13.5%	21.2%
2041	13.4%	21.1%
2042	13.3%	21%
2043	13.2%	21%
2044	13.2%	20.9%
2045	13.1%	20.8%
2046	13%	20.7%
2047	12.9%	20.7%
2048	12.8%	20.6%
2049	12.7%	20.5%
2050	12.6%	20.4%

The share of children aged 0-14 in Costa Rica decreased from 28.4% to 18.8% between 2004 and 2024 due to changes in birth rates.

Share of old population (65+)

Table

Year	Share of population 65+ years old
	Costa Rica	World
1960	3.04%	4.97%
1961	3.04%	4.99%
1962	3.04%	5.01%
1963	3.06%	5.02%
1964	3.07%	5.04%
1965	3.09%	5.08%
1966	3.11%	5.12%
1967	3.13%	5.16%
1968	3.16%	5.2%
1969	3.2%	5.24%
1970	3.24%	5.28%
1971	3.29%	5.32%
1972	3.35%	5.37%
1973	3.41%	5.42%
1974	3.48%	5.47%
1975	3.55%	5.53%
1976	3.63%	5.59%
1977	3.7%	5.65%
1978	3.77%	5.71%
1979	3.83%	5.77%
1980	3.88%	5.81%
1981	3.93%	5.81%
1982	3.98%	5.8%
1983	4.02%	5.79%
1984	4.07%	5.8%
1985	4.13%	5.82%
1986	4.18%	5.86%
1987	4.25%	5.91%
1988	4.33%	5.95%
1989	4.42%	6.01%
1990	4.51%	6.07%
1991	4.61%	6.14%
1992	4.71%	6.21%
1993	4.82%	6.29%
1994	4.92%	6.37%
1995	5.02%	6.45%
1996	5.13%	6.53%
1997	5.23%	6.61%
1998	5.34%	6.68%
1999	5.45%	6.76%
2000	5.57%	6.84%
2001	5.7%	6.92%
2002	5.85%	7.01%
2003	6.02%	7.1%
2004	6.19%	7.18%
2005	6.36%	7.26%
2006	6.55%	7.34%
2007	6.74%	7.41%
2008	6.94%	7.47%
2009	7.15%	7.52%
2010	7.37%	7.58%
2011	7.61%	7.66%
2012	7.87%	7.78%
2013	8.15%	7.92%
2014	8.45%	8.08%
2015	8.76%	8.26%
2016	9.07%	8.45%
2017	9.4%	8.65%
2018	9.74%	8.88%
2019	10.1%	9.1%
2020	10.5%	9.33%
2021	10.9%	9.53%
2022	11.3%	9.74%
2023	11.7%	9.98%
2024	12.2%	10.2%
2025	12.8%	10.4%
2026	13.3%	10.6%
2027	13.8%	10.8%
2028	14.4%	11.1%
2029	15%	11.5%
2030	15.5%	11.7%
2031	16%	12%
2032	16.5%	12.3%
2033	17%	12.6%
2034	17.5%	12.8%
2035	17.9%	13.1%
2036	18.4%	13.4%
2037	18.8%	13.7%
2038	19.2%	13.9%
2039	19.6%	14.1%
2040	20.1%	14.3%
2041	20.5%	14.5%
2042	21%	14.7%
2043	21.4%	14.9%
2044	21.9%	15%
2045	22.4%	15.2%
2046	23%	15.4%
2047	23.5%	15.7%
2048	24.1%	15.9%
2049	24.7%	16.1%
2050	25.3%	16.3%

The share of older people aged 65 and over in Costa Rica increased from 6.19% to 12.2% between 2004 and 2024 due to changes in life expectancy.