The Marshall Islands Demographics: Median age, Gender

Median age history and projection chart in
Marshall Islands vs World

Table

Year	Median age
	Marshall Islands	World
1960	17.4	22.5
1961	17	22.5
1962	16.7	22.4
1963	16.4	22.2
1964	16.3	22
1965	16.3	21.8
1966	16.4	21.7
1967	16.6	21.6
1968	16.9	21.5
1969	17.2	21.5
1970	17.4	21.4
1971	17.1	21.4
1972	16.6	21.5
1973	16.2	21.5
1974	16	21.6
1975	15.9	21.7
1976	15.7	21.9
1977	15.5	22
1978	15.3	22.2
1979	15.1	22.3
1980	15	22.5
1981	14.9	22.6
1982	14.9	22.7
1983	14.9	22.9
1984	14.8	23
1985	14.8	23.2
1986	14.7	23.3
1987	14.7	23.4
1988	14.7	23.6
1989	14.8	23.8
1990	14.9	23.9
1991	15.2	24.1
1992	15.4	24.3
1993	15.8	24.5
1994	16.1	24.7
1995	16.5	25
1996	16.9	25.2
1997	17.2	25.4
1998	17.6	25.7
1999	17.9	25.9
2000	18.2	26.1
2001	18.5	26.3
2002	18.8	26.5
2003	19.1	26.7
2004	19.4	27
2005	19.7	27.2
2006	19.9	27.4
2007	20.2	27.6
2008	20.4	27.8
2009	20.5	28
2010	20.6	28.2
2011	20.6	28.4
2012	20.8	28.6
2013	21	28.9
2014	21.3	29.1
2015	21.6	29.3
2016	21.9	29.5
2017	22.2	29.8
2018	22.4	30
2019	22.6	30.3
2020	22.6	30.6
2021	22.5	30.8
2022	22.2	31
2023	21.9	31.3
2024	21.8	31.6
2025	21.5	31.9
2026	21.5	32.1
2027	21.6	32.3
2028	21.8	32.6
2029	22	32.8
2030	22.3	33
2031	22.6	33.2
2032	22.9	33.4
2033	23.2	33.6
2034	23.5	33.8
2035	23.8	34
2036	24.1	34.2
2037	24.4	34.4
2038	24.7	34.6
2039	25	34.8
2040	25.3	35
2041	25.6	35.2
2042	25.9	35.4
2043	26.2	35.6
2044	26.5	35.8
2045	26.8	36
2046	27.1	36.2
2047	27.5	36.4
2048	27.9	36.6
2049	28.2	36.8
2050	28.6	37.1

In 1960, the median age in the Marshall Islands was 17.4 years compared to the world's average of 22.5 years. As of 2024, the median age had increased to 21.8 years compared to the world's average of 31.6 years. Ranked 164th for median age 64 years ago (old to young), the Marshall Islands ranks 150th currently.

According to the United Nations projections, the median age in the Marshall Islands is expected to increase to around 28.6 years by 2050. The aging demographics forecast is based on previous years' birth rates and increasing life expectancy.

The Marshall Islands demographic pyramid: age and gender distribution

Table

Age range	Share of population
	Marshall Islands
	Male	Female
0-4	5.56%	5.18%
5-9	5.81%	5.55%
10-14	6.39%	5.98%
15-19	6.59%	5.89%
20-24	4.58%	3.98%
25-29	2.63%	2.47%
30-34	2.16%	2.29%
35-39	3.05%	3.12%
40-44	3.25%	3.29%
45-49	2.86%	2.8%
50-54	2.46%	2.39%
55-59	2.07%	1.97%
60-64	1.53%	1.5%
65-69	1.11%	1.09%
70-74	0.73%	0.71%
75-79	0.34%	0.33%
80+	0.13%	0.21%

The chart above is a variation of the population pyramid and represents the age and gender structure. The Marshall Islands has average demographic potential with 65.1% of people in the 0-34 age group (ranked 67/196).

Age dependency chart

Table

Year	Age dependency ratio
	Marshall Islands			World
	Total	Young	Old	Total	Young	Old
1960	108.3%	96.1%	12.2%	73.5%	64.9%	8.62%
1961	110.3%	98.2%	12.1%	73.8%	65.1%	8.67%
1962	111.8%	99.8%	12%	74.1%	65.4%	8.73%
1963	113%	101%	12%	74.9%	66.1%	8.79%
1964	113.6%	101.5%	12.1%	75.5%	66.6%	8.85%
1965	113.6%	101.4%	12.2%	75.8%	66.8%	8.93%
1966	112.8%	100.5%	12.3%	75.9%	66.9%	9%
1967	109.7%	98%	11.7%	75.9%	66.8%	9.07%
1968	103.8%	93.9%	9.95%	75.8%	66.6%	9.14%
1969	97.4%	89.5%	7.96%	75.7%	66.5%	9.2%
1970	94.1%	87.3%	6.78%	75.5%	66.2%	9.26%
1971	96.3%	89.5%	6.78%	75.2%	65.9%	9.33%
1972	101%	93.6%	7.36%	74.9%	65.6%	9.39%
1973	105%	97%	7.94%	74.6%	65.1%	9.46%
1974	107%	99%	8.06%	74.4%	64.9%	9.54%
1975	107.9%	100.1%	7.76%	74.2%	64.6%	9.64%
1976	109%	101.5%	7.55%	74%	64.3%	9.72%
1977	110.3%	103%	7.33%	73.5%	63.7%	9.79%
1978	111.8%	104.7%	7.12%	72.4%	62.5%	9.84%
1979	113.2%	106.3%	6.97%	71.3%	61.4%	9.88%
1980	114.3%	107.4%	6.88%	70.4%	60.5%	9.89%
1981	114.7%	107.9%	6.82%	69.5%	59.6%	9.85%
1982	114.9%	108.1%	6.77%	68.7%	58.9%	9.79%
1983	115%	108.3%	6.73%	67.9%	58.1%	9.72%
1984	115.3%	108.6%	6.67%	67%	57.3%	9.68%
1985	115.6%	109%	6.58%	66.3%	56.6%	9.68%
1986	115.9%	109.5%	6.48%	65.7%	55.9%	9.71%
1987	116.2%	109.9%	6.38%	65.2%	55.4%	9.75%
1988	116%	109.7%	6.28%	64.8%	54.9%	9.81%
1989	114.7%	108.6%	6.15%	64.4%	54.5%	9.89%
1990	112.7%	106.7%	5.96%	64.2%	54.3%	9.97%
1991	110.2%	104.4%	5.76%	64%	53.9%	10.1%
1992	107.3%	101.7%	5.58%	63.7%	53.6%	10.2%
1993	104.1%	98.7%	5.39%	63.5%	53.2%	10.3%
1994	100.4%	95.3%	5.19%	63.1%	52.7%	10.4%
1995	96.6%	91.6%	5%	62.7%	52.2%	10.5%
1996	92.8%	88%	4.78%	62.1%	51.5%	10.6%
1997	88.9%	84.4%	4.54%	61.5%	50.8%	10.7%
1998	85.2%	80.9%	4.27%	60.7%	50%	10.7%
1999	82%	77.9%	4.09%	60%	49.2%	10.8%
2000	79.5%	75.4%	4.03%	59.3%	48.4%	10.9%
2001	77.1%	73.1%	3.99%	58.5%	47.6%	11%
2002	74.9%	71%	3.95%	57.8%	46.7%	11.1%
2003	73%	69.1%	3.89%	57%	45.9%	11.1%
2004	71.3%	67.5%	3.8%	56.3%	45.1%	11.2%
2005	70.2%	66.5%	3.71%	55.6%	44.3%	11.3%
2006	69.7%	66.1%	3.64%	55%	43.6%	11.4%
2007	69.8%	66.2%	3.6%	54.5%	43.1%	11.4%
2008	70.3%	66.7%	3.57%	54.1%	42.6%	11.5%
2009	70.9%	67.3%	3.56%	53.8%	42.2%	11.6%
2010	71.6%	68%	3.53%	53.5%	41.9%	11.6%
2011	71.8%	68.3%	3.57%	53.4%	41.6%	11.8%
2012	71.2%	67.4%	3.77%	53.3%	41.4%	11.9%
2013	70.1%	66%	4.05%	53.4%	41.2%	12.1%
2014	68.8%	64.4%	4.36%	53.5%	41.1%	12.4%
2015	67.4%	62.7%	4.69%	53.6%	40.9%	12.7%
2016	66.2%	61.2%	4.99%	53.7%	40.7%	13%
2017	65.1%	59.8%	5.27%	53.9%	40.6%	13.3%
2018	64.1%	58.5%	5.57%	54.1%	40.4%	13.7%
2019	63%	57.2%	5.83%	54.2%	40.1%	14%
2020	62%	56%	6%	54.2%	39.8%	14.4%
2021	62.1%	55.8%	6.27%	54.2%	39.5%	14.7%
2022	63.2%	56.5%	6.71%	54%	39%	15%
2023	64.2%	57%	7.19%	53.9%	38.5%	15.4%
2024	64.2%	56.6%	7.62%	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 the Marshall Islands decreased from 71.3% to 64.2% between 2004 and 2024 with a decreased share of children and an increased proportion of people aged 65+

Marshall Islands working age demographic chart

Table

Year	Working age population share
	Marshall Islands	World
1960	48%	57.6%
1961	47.5%	57.5%
1962	47.2%	57.4%
1963	46.9%	57.2%
1964	46.8%	57%
1965	46.8%	56.9%
1966	47%	56.8%
1967	47.7%	56.9%
1968	49.1%	56.9%
1969	50.6%	56.9%
1970	51.5%	57%
1971	50.9%	57.1%
1972	49.8%	57.2%
1973	48.8%	57.3%
1974	48.3%	57.3%
1975	48.1%	57.4%
1976	47.8%	57.5%
1977	47.5%	57.7%
1978	47.2%	58%
1979	46.9%	58.4%
1980	46.7%	58.7%
1981	46.6%	59%
1982	46.5%	59.3%
1983	46.5%	59.6%
1984	46.5%	59.9%
1985	46.4%	60.1%
1986	46.3%	60.4%
1987	46.2%	60.5%
1988	46.3%	60.7%
1989	46.6%	60.8%
1990	47%	60.9%
1991	47.6%	61%
1992	48.2%	61.1%
1993	49%	61.2%
1994	49.9%	61.3%
1995	50.9%	61.5%
1996	51.9%	61.7%
1997	52.9%	61.9%
1998	54%	62.2%
1999	54.9%	62.5%
2000	55.7%	62.8%
2001	56.5%	63.1%
2002	57.2%	63.4%
2003	57.8%	63.7%
2004	58.4%	64%
2005	58.8%	64.3%
2006	58.9%	64.5%
2007	58.9%	64.7%
2008	58.7%	64.9%
2009	58.5%	65%
2010	58.3%	65.1%
2011	58.2%	65.2%
2012	58.4%	65.2%
2013	58.8%	65.2%
2014	59.3%	65.2%
2015	59.7%	65.1%
2016	60.2%	65.1%
2017	60.6%	65%
2018	60.9%	64.9%
2019	61.3%	64.9%
2020	61.7%	64.8%
2021	61.7%	64.9%
2022	61.3%	64.9%
2023	60.9%	65%
2024	60.9%	65.1%
2025	61.2%	65.2%
2026	61.6%	65.3%
2027	62%	65.4%
2028	62.3%	65.4%
2029	62.5%	65.4%
2030	62.7%	65.4%
2031	63%	65.4%
2032	63.2%	65.4%
2033	63.4%	65.4%
2034	63.6%	65.3%
2035	63.8%	65.2%
2036	63.9%	65%
2037	63.8%	64.9%
2038	63.6%	64.7%
2039	63.1%	64.6%
2040	62.5%	64.5%
2041	61.8%	64.4%
2042	61.2%	64.3%
2043	60.6%	64.2%
2044	60%	64.1%
2045	59.5%	63.9%
2046	59.1%	63.8%
2047	58.7%	63.7%
2048	58.5%	63.6%
2049	58.5%	63.4%
2050	58.6%	63.3%

The share of working-age demographics aged 15-64 in the Marshall Islands changed from 58.4% to 60.9% between 2004 and 2024.

Share of young population (0-14 years)

Table

Year	Share of population 0-14 years old
	Marshall Islands	World
1960	46.1%	37.4%
1961	46.7%	37.5%
1962	47.1%	37.6%
1963	47.4%	37.8%
1964	47.5%	38%
1965	47.5%	38%
1966	47.2%	38%
1967	46.7%	38%
1968	46.1%	37.9%
1969	45.3%	37.8%
1970	45%	37.7%
1971	45.6%	37.6%
1972	46.6%	37.5%
1973	47.3%	37.3%
1974	47.8%	37.2%
1975	48.2%	37.1%
1976	48.5%	36.9%
1977	49%	36.7%
1978	49.4%	36.3%
1979	49.8%	35.9%
1980	50.1%	35.5%
1981	50.3%	35.2%
1982	50.3%	34.9%
1983	50.4%	34.6%
1984	50.4%	34.3%
1985	50.6%	34%
1986	50.7%	33.8%
1987	50.8%	33.6%
1988	50.8%	33.4%
1989	50.6%	33.2%
1990	50.2%	33%
1991	49.7%	32.9%
1992	49.1%	32.7%
1993	48.4%	32.5%
1994	47.5%	32.3%
1995	46.6%	32.1%
1996	45.6%	31.8%
1997	44.7%	31.5%
1998	43.7%	31.1%
1999	42.8%	30.8%
2000	42%	30.4%
2001	41.3%	30%
2002	40.6%	29.6%
2003	39.9%	29.2%
2004	39.4%	28.8%
2005	39.1%	28.5%
2006	38.9%	28.1%
2007	39%	27.9%
2008	39.2%	27.6%
2009	39.4%	27.5%
2010	39.7%	27.3%
2011	39.7%	27.1%
2012	39.4%	27%
2013	38.8%	26.9%
2014	38.2%	26.8%
2015	37.5%	26.6%
2016	36.8%	26.5%
2017	36.2%	26.4%
2018	35.7%	26.2%
2019	35.1%	26%
2020	34.5%	25.8%
2021	34.4%	25.6%
2022	34.6%	25.3%
2023	34.7%	25%
2024	34.5%	24.7%
2025	33.9%	24.4%
2026	33.2%	24.1%
2027	32.6%	23.8%
2028	32%	23.4%
2029	31.4%	23.1%
2030	30.9%	22.8%
2031	30.3%	22.6%
2032	29.7%	22.3%
2033	29.2%	22.1%
2034	28.6%	21.9%
2035	28.1%	21.7%
2036	27.6%	21.6%
2037	27.3%	21.5%
2038	27.3%	21.4%
2039	27.4%	21.3%
2040	27.7%	21.2%
2041	28%	21.1%
2042	28.3%	21%
2043	28.6%	21%
2044	28.8%	20.9%
2045	29%	20.8%
2046	29.1%	20.7%
2047	29.1%	20.7%
2048	29%	20.6%
2049	28.8%	20.5%
2050	28.5%	20.4%

The share of children aged 0-14 in the Marshall Islands decreased from 39.4% to 34.5% between 2004 and 2024 due to changes in birth rates.

Share of old population (65+)

Table

Year	Share of population 65+ years old
	Marshall Islands	World
1960	5.84%	4.97%
1961	5.74%	4.99%
1962	5.68%	5.01%
1963	5.65%	5.02%
1964	5.67%	5.04%
1965	5.71%	5.08%
1966	5.79%	5.12%
1967	5.59%	5.16%
1968	4.88%	5.2%
1969	4.03%	5.24%
1970	3.49%	5.28%
1971	3.46%	5.32%
1972	3.66%	5.37%
1973	3.87%	5.42%
1974	3.89%	5.47%
1975	3.73%	5.53%
1976	3.61%	5.59%
1977	3.49%	5.65%
1978	3.36%	5.71%
1979	3.27%	5.77%
1980	3.21%	5.81%
1981	3.17%	5.81%
1982	3.15%	5.8%
1983	3.13%	5.79%
1984	3.1%	5.8%
1985	3.05%	5.82%
1986	3%	5.86%
1987	2.95%	5.91%
1988	2.91%	5.95%
1989	2.86%	6.01%
1990	2.8%	6.07%
1991	2.74%	6.14%
1992	2.69%	6.21%
1993	2.64%	6.29%
1994	2.59%	6.37%
1995	2.54%	6.45%
1996	2.48%	6.53%
1997	2.4%	6.61%
1998	2.31%	6.68%
1999	2.25%	6.76%
2000	2.25%	6.84%
2001	2.25%	6.92%
2002	2.26%	7.01%
2003	2.25%	7.1%
2004	2.22%	7.18%
2005	2.18%	7.26%
2006	2.15%	7.34%
2007	2.12%	7.41%
2008	2.1%	7.47%
2009	2.08%	7.52%
2010	2.06%	7.58%
2011	2.07%	7.66%
2012	2.2%	7.78%
2013	2.38%	7.92%
2014	2.59%	8.08%
2015	2.8%	8.26%
2016	3%	8.45%
2017	3.19%	8.65%
2018	3.39%	8.88%
2019	3.57%	9.1%
2020	3.7%	9.33%
2021	3.87%	9.53%
2022	4.11%	9.74%
2023	4.38%	9.98%
2024	4.64%	10.2%
2025	4.89%	10.4%
2026	5.15%	10.6%
2027	5.41%	10.8%
2028	5.69%	11.1%
2029	6.04%	11.5%
2030	6.38%	11.7%
2031	6.74%	12%
2032	7.07%	12.3%
2033	7.41%	12.6%
2034	7.76%	12.8%
2035	8.11%	13.1%
2036	8.5%	13.4%
2037	8.86%	13.7%
2038	9.16%	13.9%
2039	9.5%	14.1%
2040	9.85%	14.3%
2041	10.2%	14.5%
2042	10.5%	14.7%
2043	10.8%	14.9%
2044	11.2%	15%
2045	11.5%	15.2%
2046	11.9%	15.4%
2047	12.2%	15.7%
2048	12.5%	15.9%
2049	12.7%	16.1%
2050	12.9%	16.3%

The share of older people aged 65 and over in the Marshall Islands increased from 2.22% to 4.64% between 2004 and 2024 due to changes in life expectancy.