India Demographics: Median age, Gender, Religion

Median age history and projection chart in
India vs World

Table

Year	Median age
	India	World
1960	20.2	22.5
1961	20.1	22.5
1962	19.9	22.4
1963	19.8	22.2
1964	19.6	22
1965	19.5	21.8
1966	19.4	21.7
1967	19.3	21.6
1968	19.2	21.5
1969	19.2	21.5
1970	19.2	21.4
1971	19.2	21.4
1972	19.2	21.5
1973	19.3	21.5
1974	19.3	21.6
1975	19.4	21.7
1976	19.5	21.9
1977	19.6	22
1978	19.7	22.2
1979	19.8	22.3
1980	19.9	22.5
1981	20	22.6
1982	20	22.7
1983	20.1	22.9
1984	20.2	23
1985	20.3	23.2
1986	20.4	23.3
1987	20.4	23.4
1988	20.5	23.6
1989	20.6	23.8
1990	20.7	23.9
1991	20.8	24.1
1992	21	24.3
1993	21.1	24.5
1994	21.2	24.7
1995	21.4	25
1996	21.6	25.2
1997	21.7	25.4
1998	21.9	25.7
1999	22.1	25.9
2000	22.3	26.1
2001	22.5	26.3
2002	22.7	26.5
2003	22.9	26.7
2004	23.1	27
2005	23.3	27.2
2006	23.6	27.4
2007	23.8	27.6
2008	24.1	27.8
2009	24.4	28
2010	24.7	28.2
2011	25	28.4
2012	25.3	28.6
2013	25.6	28.9
2014	26	29.1
2015	26.3	29.3
2016	26.6	29.5
2017	27	29.8
2018	27.3	30
2019	27.7	30.3
2020	28.1	30.6
2021	28.4	30.8
2022	28.7	31
2023	29.1	31.3
2024	29.5	31.6
2025	29.8	31.9
2026	30.2	32.1
2027	30.6	32.3
2028	31	32.6
2029	31.4	32.8
2030	31.8	33
2031	32.2	33.2
2032	32.5	33.4
2033	32.9	33.6
2034	33.3	33.8
2035	33.7	34
2036	34.1	34.2
2037	34.5	34.4
2038	34.9	34.6
2039	35.3	34.8
2040	35.7	35
2041	36.1	35.2
2042	36.4	35.4
2043	36.8	35.6
2044	37.1	35.8
2045	37.5	36
2046	37.9	36.2
2047	38.2	36.4
2048	38.6	36.6
2049	38.9	36.8
2050	39.3	37.1

In 1960, the median age in India was 20.2 years compared to the world's average of 22.5 years. As of 2024, the median age had increased to 29.5 years compared to the world's average of 31.6 years. Ranked 83rd for median age 64 years ago (old to young), India ranks 108th currently.

According to the United Nations projections, the median age in India is expected to increase to around 39.3 years by 2050. The aging demographics forecast is based on previous years' birth rates and increasing life expectancy.

India demographic pyramid: age and gender distribution

Table

Age range	Share of population
	India
	Male	Female
0-4	4.06%	3.77%
5-9	4.27%	3.92%
10-14	4.5%	4.1%
15-19	4.6%	4.18%
20-24	4.7%	4.26%
25-29	4.5%	4.08%
30-34	4.26%	3.92%
35-39	4%	3.7%
40-44	3.56%	3.31%
45-49	3.06%	2.89%
50-54	2.63%	2.54%
55-59	2.21%	2.17%
60-64	1.83%	1.82%
65-69	1.42%	1.46%
70-74	0.98%	1.05%
75-79	0.54%	0.62%
80+	0.46%	0.61%

The chart above is a variation of the population pyramid and represents the age and gender structure. India has average demographic potential with 59.1% of people in the 0-34 age group (ranked 90/196).

Age dependency chart

Table

Year	Age dependency ratio
	India			World
	Total	Young	Old	Total	Young	Old
1960	78.2%	72.3%	5.88%	73.5%	64.9%	8.62%
1961	79.2%	73.3%	5.98%	73.8%	65.1%	8.67%
1962	80.4%	74.2%	6.12%	74.1%	65.4%	8.73%
1963	81.5%	75.2%	6.28%	74.9%	66.1%	8.79%
1964	82.3%	75.9%	6.4%	75.5%	66.6%	8.85%
1965	82.6%	76.1%	6.48%	75.8%	66.8%	8.93%
1966	82.6%	76.1%	6.54%	75.9%	66.9%	9%
1967	82.5%	75.9%	6.56%	75.9%	66.8%	9.07%
1968	82.3%	75.8%	6.58%	75.8%	66.6%	9.14%
1969	82.2%	75.6%	6.62%	75.7%	66.5%	9.2%
1970	81.9%	75.2%	6.66%	75.5%	66.2%	9.26%
1971	81.6%	74.9%	6.71%	75.2%	65.9%	9.33%
1972	81.3%	74.5%	6.77%	74.9%	65.6%	9.39%
1973	81%	74.2%	6.84%	74.6%	65.1%	9.46%
1974	80.7%	73.8%	6.89%	74.4%	64.9%	9.54%
1975	80.2%	73.3%	6.93%	74.2%	64.6%	9.64%
1976	79.7%	72.8%	6.97%	74%	64.3%	9.72%
1977	79.2%	72.2%	6.99%	73.5%	63.7%	9.79%
1978	78.7%	71.7%	7%	72.4%	62.5%	9.84%
1979	78.2%	71.2%	7.01%	71.3%	61.4%	9.88%
1980	77.8%	70.7%	7.02%	70.4%	60.5%	9.89%
1981	77.4%	70.4%	7.03%	69.5%	59.6%	9.85%
1982	77.1%	70.1%	7.03%	68.7%	58.9%	9.79%
1983	76.8%	69.8%	7.03%	67.9%	58.1%	9.72%
1984	76.5%	69.5%	7.03%	67%	57.3%	9.68%
1985	76.3%	69.2%	7.03%	66.3%	56.6%	9.68%
1986	76%	68.9%	7.03%	65.7%	55.9%	9.71%
1987	75.6%	68.6%	7.03%	65.2%	55.4%	9.75%
1988	75.2%	68.2%	7.03%	64.8%	54.9%	9.81%
1989	74.7%	67.7%	7.03%	64.4%	54.5%	9.89%
1990	74.2%	67.2%	7.03%	64.2%	54.3%	9.97%
1991	73.6%	66.6%	7.05%	64%	53.9%	10.1%
1992	73%	66%	7.07%	63.7%	53.6%	10.2%
1993	72.4%	65.3%	7.09%	63.5%	53.2%	10.3%
1994	71.8%	64.6%	7.12%	63.1%	52.7%	10.4%
1995	71%	63.9%	7.16%	62.7%	52.2%	10.5%
1996	70.2%	63%	7.19%	62.1%	51.5%	10.6%
1997	69.3%	62.1%	7.23%	61.5%	50.8%	10.7%
1998	68.4%	61.2%	7.26%	60.7%	50%	10.7%
1999	67.5%	60.2%	7.31%	60%	49.2%	10.8%
2000	66.6%	59.2%	7.35%	59.3%	48.4%	10.9%
2001	65.6%	58.2%	7.39%	58.5%	47.6%	11%
2002	64.7%	57.3%	7.44%	57.8%	46.7%	11.1%
2003	63.8%	56.3%	7.49%	57%	45.9%	11.1%
2004	62.9%	55.3%	7.53%	56.3%	45.1%	11.2%
2005	61.9%	54.3%	7.57%	55.6%	44.3%	11.3%
2006	60.9%	53.3%	7.6%	55%	43.6%	11.4%
2007	59.9%	52.3%	7.63%	54.5%	43.1%	11.4%
2008	58.9%	51.2%	7.66%	54.1%	42.6%	11.5%
2009	57.9%	50.2%	7.7%	53.8%	42.2%	11.6%
2010	56.9%	49.2%	7.75%	53.5%	41.9%	11.6%
2011	56%	48.2%	7.82%	53.4%	41.6%	11.8%
2012	55.1%	47.2%	7.9%	53.3%	41.4%	11.9%
2013	54.1%	46.1%	7.99%	53.4%	41.2%	12.1%
2014	53.2%	45.1%	8.13%	53.5%	41.1%	12.4%
2015	52.4%	44.1%	8.33%	53.6%	40.9%	12.7%
2016	51.6%	43%	8.55%	53.7%	40.7%	13%
2017	50.8%	42%	8.78%	53.9%	40.6%	13.3%
2018	50%	41%	9.03%	54.1%	40.4%	13.7%
2019	49.4%	40.1%	9.3%	54.2%	40.1%	14%
2020	48.7%	39.2%	9.54%	54.2%	39.8%	14.4%
2021	48%	38.4%	9.69%	54.2%	39.5%	14.7%
2022	47.5%	37.6%	9.88%	54%	39%	15%
2023	47%	36.8%	10.2%	53.9%	38.5%	15.4%
2024	46.6%	36.1%	10.5%	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 India decreased from 62.9% to 46.6% between 2004 and 2024 with a decreased share of children and an increased proportion of people aged 65+

India working age demographic chart

Table

Year	Working age population share
	India	World
1960	56.1%	57.6%
1961	55.8%	57.5%
1962	55.4%	57.4%
1963	55.1%	57.2%
1964	54.9%	57%
1965	54.8%	56.9%
1966	54.8%	56.8%
1967	54.8%	56.9%
1968	54.8%	56.9%
1969	54.9%	56.9%
1970	55%	57%
1971	55.1%	57.1%
1972	55.2%	57.2%
1973	55.2%	57.3%
1974	55.4%	57.3%
1975	55.5%	57.4%
1976	55.6%	57.5%
1977	55.8%	57.7%
1978	56%	58%
1979	56.1%	58.4%
1980	56.3%	58.7%
1981	56.4%	59%
1982	56.5%	59.3%
1983	56.6%	59.6%
1984	56.6%	59.9%
1985	56.7%	60.1%
1986	56.8%	60.4%
1987	56.9%	60.5%
1988	57.1%	60.7%
1989	57.2%	60.8%
1990	57.4%	60.9%
1991	57.6%	61%
1992	57.8%	61.1%
1993	58%	61.2%
1994	58.2%	61.3%
1995	58.5%	61.5%
1996	58.8%	61.7%
1997	59.1%	61.9%
1998	59.4%	62.2%
1999	59.7%	62.5%
2000	60%	62.8%
2001	60.4%	63.1%
2002	60.7%	63.4%
2003	61%	63.7%
2004	61.4%	64%
2005	61.8%	64.3%
2006	62.1%	64.5%
2007	62.5%	64.7%
2008	62.9%	64.9%
2009	63.3%	65%
2010	63.7%	65.1%
2011	64.1%	65.2%
2012	64.5%	65.2%
2013	64.9%	65.2%
2014	65.3%	65.2%
2015	65.6%	65.1%
2016	66%	65.1%
2017	66.3%	65%
2018	66.7%	64.9%
2019	66.9%	64.9%
2020	67.2%	64.8%
2021	67.5%	64.9%
2022	67.8%	64.9%
2023	68%	65%
2024	68.2%	65.1%
2025	68.4%	65.2%
2026	68.6%	65.3%
2027	68.8%	65.4%
2028	68.9%	65.4%
2029	69%	65.4%
2030	69.1%	65.4%
2031	69.1%	65.4%
2032	69.2%	65.4%
2033	69.2%	65.4%
2034	69.2%	65.3%
2035	69.2%	65.2%
2036	69.1%	65%
2037	69.1%	64.9%
2038	69%	64.7%
2039	68.9%	64.6%
2040	68.9%	64.5%
2041	68.8%	64.4%
2042	68.7%	64.3%
2043	68.6%	64.2%
2044	68.5%	64.1%
2045	68.4%	63.9%
2046	68.2%	63.8%
2047	68.1%	63.7%
2048	67.9%	63.6%
2049	67.7%	63.4%
2050	67.5%	63.3%

The share of working-age demographics aged 15-64 in India changed from 61.4% to 68.2% between 2004 and 2024.

Share of young population (0-14 years)

Table

Year	Share of population 0-14 years old
	India	World
1960	40.6%	37.4%
1961	40.9%	37.5%
1962	41.2%	37.6%
1963	41.5%	37.8%
1964	41.6%	38%
1965	41.7%	38%
1966	41.7%	38%
1967	41.6%	38%
1968	41.5%	37.9%
1969	41.5%	37.8%
1970	41.4%	37.7%
1971	41.2%	37.6%
1972	41.1%	37.5%
1973	41%	37.3%
1974	40.8%	37.2%
1975	40.7%	37.1%
1976	40.5%	36.9%
1977	40.3%	36.7%
1978	40.1%	36.3%
1979	40%	35.9%
1980	39.8%	35.5%
1981	39.7%	35.2%
1982	39.6%	34.9%
1983	39.5%	34.6%
1984	39.4%	34.3%
1985	39.3%	34%
1986	39.2%	33.8%
1987	39.1%	33.6%
1988	38.9%	33.4%
1989	38.8%	33.2%
1990	38.6%	33%
1991	38.4%	32.9%
1992	38.1%	32.7%
1993	37.9%	32.5%
1994	37.6%	32.3%
1995	37.3%	32.1%
1996	37%	31.8%
1997	36.7%	31.5%
1998	36.3%	31.1%
1999	35.9%	30.8%
2000	35.6%	30.4%
2001	35.2%	30%
2002	34.8%	29.6%
2003	34.4%	29.2%
2004	34%	28.8%
2005	33.6%	28.5%
2006	33.1%	28.1%
2007	32.7%	27.9%
2008	32.2%	27.6%
2009	31.8%	27.5%
2010	31.3%	27.3%
2011	30.9%	27.1%
2012	30.4%	27%
2013	29.9%	26.9%
2014	29.4%	26.8%
2015	28.9%	26.6%
2016	28.4%	26.5%
2017	27.8%	26.4%
2018	27.3%	26.2%
2019	26.8%	26%
2020	26.3%	25.8%
2021	25.9%	25.6%
2022	25.5%	25.3%
2023	25.1%	25%
2024	24.6%	24.7%
2025	24.2%	24.4%
2026	23.8%	24.1%
2027	23.4%	23.8%
2028	23%	23.4%
2029	22.7%	23.1%
2030	22.4%	22.8%
2031	22.1%	22.6%
2032	21.8%	22.3%
2033	21.5%	22.1%
2034	21.3%	21.9%
2035	21%	21.7%
2036	20.8%	21.6%
2037	20.6%	21.5%
2038	20.4%	21.4%
2039	20.2%	21.3%
2040	19.9%	21.2%
2041	19.7%	21.1%
2042	19.5%	21%
2043	19.3%	21%
2044	19.1%	20.9%
2045	18.8%	20.8%
2046	18.6%	20.7%
2047	18.4%	20.7%
2048	18.2%	20.6%
2049	18%	20.5%
2050	17.8%	20.4%

The share of children aged 0-14 in India decreased from 34% to 24.6% between 2004 and 2024 due to changes in birth rates.

Share of old population (65+)

Table

Year	Share of population 65+ years old
	India	World
1960	3.3%	4.97%
1961	3.34%	4.99%
1962	3.4%	5.01%
1963	3.46%	5.02%
1964	3.51%	5.04%
1965	3.55%	5.08%
1966	3.58%	5.12%
1967	3.59%	5.16%
1968	3.61%	5.2%
1969	3.63%	5.24%
1970	3.66%	5.28%
1971	3.69%	5.32%
1972	3.74%	5.37%
1973	3.78%	5.42%
1974	3.82%	5.47%
1975	3.85%	5.53%
1976	3.88%	5.59%
1977	3.9%	5.65%
1978	3.92%	5.71%
1979	3.93%	5.77%
1980	3.95%	5.81%
1981	3.96%	5.81%
1982	3.97%	5.8%
1983	3.98%	5.79%
1984	3.98%	5.8%
1985	3.99%	5.82%
1986	4%	5.86%
1987	4%	5.91%
1988	4.01%	5.95%
1989	4.02%	6.01%
1990	4.04%	6.07%
1991	4.06%	6.14%
1992	4.08%	6.21%
1993	4.11%	6.29%
1994	4.15%	6.37%
1995	4.18%	6.45%
1996	4.22%	6.53%
1997	4.27%	6.61%
1998	4.31%	6.68%
1999	4.36%	6.76%
2000	4.41%	6.84%
2001	4.46%	6.92%
2002	4.52%	7.01%
2003	4.57%	7.1%
2004	4.63%	7.18%
2005	4.67%	7.26%
2006	4.72%	7.34%
2007	4.77%	7.41%
2008	4.82%	7.47%
2009	4.88%	7.52%
2010	4.94%	7.58%
2011	5.01%	7.66%
2012	5.09%	7.78%
2013	5.18%	7.92%
2014	5.31%	8.08%
2015	5.47%	8.26%
2016	5.64%	8.45%
2017	5.82%	8.65%
2018	6.02%	8.88%
2019	6.22%	9.1%
2020	6.42%	9.33%
2021	6.55%	9.53%
2022	6.7%	9.74%
2023	6.92%	9.98%
2024	7.15%	10.2%
2025	7.38%	10.4%
2026	7.61%	10.6%
2027	7.84%	10.8%
2028	8.08%	11.1%
2029	8.32%	11.5%
2030	8.56%	11.7%
2031	8.79%	12%
2032	9.04%	12.3%
2033	9.29%	12.6%
2034	9.54%	12.8%
2035	9.8%	13.1%
2036	10.1%	13.4%
2037	10.3%	13.7%
2038	10.6%	13.9%
2039	10.9%	14.1%
2040	11.2%	14.3%
2041	11.5%	14.5%
2042	11.8%	14.7%
2043	12.1%	14.9%
2044	12.4%	15%
2045	12.8%	15.2%
2046	13.1%	15.4%
2047	13.5%	15.7%
2048	13.9%	15.9%
2049	14.3%	16.1%
2050	14.7%	16.3%

The share of older people aged 65 and over in India increased from 4.63% to 7.15% between 2004 and 2024 due to changes in life expectancy.