The Netherlands Demographics: Median age, Gender, Religion

Median age history and projection chart in
Netherlands vs World

Table

Year	Median age
	Netherlands	World
1960	28.8	22.5
1961	28.8	22.5
1962	28.7	22.4
1963	28.7	22.2
1964	28.6	22
1965	28.6	21.8
1966	28.6	21.7
1967	28.5	21.6
1968	28.6	21.5
1969	28.6	21.5
1970	28.6	21.4
1971	28.7	21.4
1972	28.9	21.5
1973	29	21.5
1974	29.3	21.6
1975	29.4	21.7
1976	29.8	21.9
1977	30.3	22
1978	30.7	22.2
1979	31	22.3
1980	31.3	22.5
1981	31.6	22.6
1982	31.9	22.7
1983	32.3	22.9
1984	32.6	23
1985	32.9	23.2
1986	33.2	23.3
1987	33.5	23.4
1988	33.8	23.6
1989	34.1	23.8
1990	34.3	23.9
1991	34.6	24.1
1992	34.8	24.3
1993	35.1	24.5
1994	35.4	24.7
1995	35.7	25
1996	36.1	25.2
1997	36.4	25.4
1998	36.7	25.7
1999	37	25.9
2000	37.3	26.1
2001	37.5	26.3
2002	37.8	26.5
2003	38.1	26.7
2004	38.5	27
2005	38.9	27.2
2006	39.3	27.4
2007	39.7	27.6
2008	40	27.8
2009	40.3	28
2010	40.7	28.2
2011	41	28.4
2012	41.3	28.6
2013	41.6	28.9
2014	41.8	29.1
2015	42	29.3
2016	42.2	29.5
2017	42.3	29.8
2018	42.4	30
2019	42.5	30.3
2020	42.5	30.6
2021	42.6	30.8
2022	42.5	31
2023	42.4	31.3
2024	42.4	31.6
2025	42.5	31.9
2026	42.5	32.1
2027	42.6	32.3
2028	42.7	32.6
2029	42.8	32.8
2030	43	33
2031	43.1	33.2
2032	43.3	33.4
2033	43.5	33.6
2034	43.6	33.8
2035	43.8	34
2036	44	34.2
2037	44.2	34.4
2038	44.4	34.6
2039	44.6	34.8
2040	44.7	35
2041	44.9	35.2
2042	45.1	35.4
2043	45.2	35.6
2044	45.4	35.8
2045	45.6	36
2046	45.8	36.2
2047	46	36.4
2048	46.2	36.6
2049	46.3	36.8
2050	46.5	37.1

In 1960, the median age in the Netherlands was 28.8 years compared to the world's average of 22.5 years. As of 2024, the median age had increased to 42.4 years compared to the world's average of 31.6 years. Ranked 28th for median age 64 years ago (old to young), the Netherlands ranks 33rd currently.

According to the United Nations projections, the median age in the Netherlands is expected to increase to around 46.5 years by 2050. The aging demographics forecast is based on previous years' birth rates and increasing life expectancy.

The Netherlands demographic pyramid: age and gender distribution

Table

Age range	Share of population
	Netherlands
	Male	Female
0-4	2.51%	2.39%
5-9	2.54%	2.42%
10-14	2.65%	2.52%
15-19	2.84%	2.72%
20-24	3.3%	3.19%
25-29	3.41%	3.33%
30-34	3.46%	3.37%
35-39	3.25%	3.18%
40-44	3.02%	3%
45-49	2.88%	2.9%
50-54	3.36%	3.39%
55-59	3.55%	3.54%
60-64	3.38%	3.42%
65-69	2.9%	2.98%
70-74	2.48%	2.61%
75-79	2.12%	2.37%
80+	2.05%	2.99%

The chart above is a variation of the population pyramid and represents the age and gender structure. The Netherlands has low demographic potential with 40.7% of people in the 0-34 age group (ranked 161/196).

Age dependency chart

Table

Year	Age dependency ratio
	Netherlands			World
	Total	Young	Old	Total	Young	Old
1960	63.9%	49.1%	14.7%	73.5%	64.9%	8.62%
1961	63.4%	48.5%	14.9%	73.8%	65.1%	8.67%
1962	62.3%	47.3%	15%	74.1%	65.4%	8.73%
1963	61.6%	46.4%	15.1%	74.9%	66.1%	8.79%
1964	61.1%	45.9%	15.3%	75.5%	66.6%	8.85%
1965	60.9%	45.5%	15.4%	75.8%	66.8%	8.93%
1966	60.6%	45%	15.5%	75.9%	66.9%	9%
1967	60.4%	44.7%	15.7%	75.9%	66.8%	9.07%
1968	60.3%	44.3%	16%	75.8%	66.6%	9.14%
1969	60.1%	44%	16.1%	75.7%	66.5%	9.2%
1970	59.9%	43.6%	16.3%	75.5%	66.2%	9.26%
1971	59.5%	43.2%	16.4%	75.2%	65.9%	9.33%
1972	59.1%	42.6%	16.5%	74.9%	65.6%	9.39%
1973	58.4%	41.8%	16.6%	74.6%	65.1%	9.46%
1974	57.6%	40.8%	16.8%	74.4%	64.9%	9.54%
1975	56.6%	39.7%	16.9%	74.2%	64.6%	9.64%
1976	55.5%	38.5%	16.9%	74%	64.3%	9.72%
1977	54.3%	37.3%	17%	73.5%	63.7%	9.79%
1978	53.3%	36.1%	17.2%	72.4%	62.5%	9.84%
1979	52.2%	34.9%	17.3%	71.3%	61.4%	9.88%
1980	51.1%	33.8%	17.4%	70.4%	60.5%	9.89%
1981	50.1%	32.7%	17.4%	69.5%	59.6%	9.85%
1982	49.2%	31.7%	17.5%	68.7%	58.9%	9.79%
1983	48.1%	30.6%	17.5%	67.9%	58.1%	9.72%
1984	47%	29.5%	17.5%	67%	57.3%	9.68%
1985	46.1%	28.5%	17.6%	66.3%	56.6%	9.68%
1986	45.5%	27.7%	17.8%	65.7%	55.9%	9.71%
1987	45.1%	27.1%	17.9%	65.2%	55.4%	9.75%
1988	44.9%	26.8%	18.1%	64.8%	54.9%	9.81%
1989	45%	26.6%	18.4%	64.4%	54.5%	9.89%
1990	45.2%	26.7%	18.5%	64.2%	54.3%	9.97%
1991	45.4%	26.8%	18.7%	64%	53.9%	10.1%
1992	45.7%	26.9%	18.8%	63.7%	53.6%	10.2%
1993	45.9%	27%	18.9%	63.5%	53.2%	10.3%
1994	46.2%	27.1%	19.1%	63.1%	52.7%	10.4%
1995	46.5%	27.2%	19.3%	62.7%	52.2%	10.5%
1996	46.7%	27.2%	19.4%	62.1%	51.5%	10.6%
1997	46.9%	27.3%	19.6%	61.5%	50.8%	10.7%
1998	47.2%	27.4%	19.7%	60.7%	50%	10.7%
1999	47.4%	27.6%	19.8%	60%	49.2%	10.8%
2000	47.6%	27.7%	19.9%	59.3%	48.4%	10.9%
2001	47.7%	27.8%	20%	58.5%	47.6%	11%
2002	47.8%	27.7%	20.1%	57.8%	46.7%	11.1%
2003	47.9%	27.7%	20.2%	57%	45.9%	11.1%
2004	48%	27.6%	20.5%	56.3%	45.1%	11.2%
2005	48.2%	27.4%	20.8%	55.6%	44.3%	11.3%
2006	48.2%	27.1%	21.1%	55%	43.6%	11.4%
2007	48.3%	26.8%	21.4%	54.5%	43.1%	11.4%
2008	48.4%	26.6%	21.8%	54.1%	42.6%	11.5%
2009	48.6%	26.4%	22.3%	53.8%	42.2%	11.6%
2010	48.9%	26.2%	22.8%	53.5%	41.9%	11.6%
2011	49.6%	26.1%	23.5%	53.4%	41.6%	11.8%
2012	50.6%	26%	24.6%	53.3%	41.4%	11.9%
2013	51.4%	25.9%	25.6%	53.4%	41.2%	12.1%
2014	52%	25.6%	26.4%	53.5%	41.1%	12.4%
2015	52.4%	25.4%	27.1%	53.6%	40.9%	12.7%
2016	52.7%	25.1%	27.6%	53.7%	40.7%	13%
2017	53%	24.8%	28.2%	53.9%	40.6%	13.3%
2018	53.3%	24.5%	28.7%	54.1%	40.4%	13.7%
2019	53.5%	24.2%	29.3%	54.2%	40.1%	14%
2020	53.8%	24%	29.8%	54.2%	39.8%	14.4%
2021	54.2%	23.9%	30.3%	54.2%	39.5%	14.7%
2022	54.4%	23.7%	30.7%	54%	39%	15%
2023	54.6%	23.5%	31.2%	53.9%	38.5%	15.4%
2024	55.1%	23.3%	31.8%	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 Netherlands increased from 48% to 55.1% between 2004 and 2024 with a decreased share of children and an increased proportion of people aged 65+

Netherlands working age demographic chart

Table

Year	Working age population share
	Netherlands	World
1960	61%	57.6%
1961	61.2%	57.5%
1962	61.6%	57.4%
1963	61.9%	57.2%
1964	62.1%	57%
1965	62.2%	56.9%
1966	62.3%	56.8%
1967	62.3%	56.9%
1968	62.4%	56.9%
1969	62.5%	56.9%
1970	62.5%	57%
1971	62.7%	57.1%
1972	62.9%	57.2%
1973	63.1%	57.3%
1974	63.5%	57.3%
1975	63.9%	57.4%
1976	64.3%	57.5%
1977	64.8%	57.7%
1978	65.2%	58%
1979	65.7%	58.4%
1980	66.2%	58.7%
1981	66.6%	59%
1982	67%	59.3%
1983	67.5%	59.6%
1984	68%	59.9%
1985	68.5%	60.1%
1986	68.7%	60.4%
1987	68.9%	60.5%
1988	69%	60.7%
1989	69%	60.8%
1990	68.9%	60.9%
1991	68.8%	61%
1992	68.6%	61.1%
1993	68.5%	61.2%
1994	68.4%	61.3%
1995	68.3%	61.5%
1996	68.2%	61.7%
1997	68.1%	61.9%
1998	68%	62.2%
1999	67.8%	62.5%
2000	67.8%	62.8%
2001	67.7%	63.1%
2002	67.7%	63.4%
2003	67.6%	63.7%
2004	67.5%	64%
2005	67.5%	64.3%
2006	67.5%	64.5%
2007	67.5%	64.7%
2008	67.4%	64.9%
2009	67.3%	65%
2010	67.1%	65.1%
2011	66.8%	65.2%
2012	66.4%	65.2%
2013	66%	65.2%
2014	65.8%	65.2%
2015	65.6%	65.1%
2016	65.5%	65.1%
2017	65.4%	65%
2018	65.2%	64.9%
2019	65.1%	64.9%
2020	65%	64.8%
2021	64.9%	64.9%
2022	64.7%	64.9%
2023	64.7%	65%
2024	64.5%	65.1%
2025	64.2%	65.2%
2026	63.9%	65.3%
2027	63.5%	65.4%
2028	63.1%	65.4%
2029	62.7%	65.4%
2030	62.3%	65.4%
2031	61.9%	65.4%
2032	61.5%	65.4%
2033	61.2%	65.4%
2034	60.8%	65.3%
2035	60.4%	65.2%
2036	60.2%	65%
2037	60%	64.9%
2038	59.8%	64.7%
2039	59.7%	64.6%
2040	59.7%	64.5%
2041	59.7%	64.4%
2042	59.7%	64.3%
2043	59.8%	64.2%
2044	59.8%	64.1%
2045	59.8%	63.9%
2046	59.8%	63.8%
2047	59.9%	63.7%
2048	59.9%	63.6%
2049	59.9%	63.4%
2050	59.9%	63.3%

The share of working-age demographics aged 15-64 in the Netherlands changed from 67.5% to 64.5% between 2004 and 2024.

Share of young population (0-14 years)

Table

Year	Share of population 0-14 years old
	Netherlands	World
1960	30%	37.4%
1961	29.7%	37.5%
1962	29.1%	37.6%
1963	28.7%	37.8%
1964	28.5%	38%
1965	28.3%	38%
1966	28.1%	38%
1967	27.8%	38%
1968	27.6%	37.9%
1969	27.5%	37.8%
1970	27.3%	37.7%
1971	27.1%	37.6%
1972	26.8%	37.5%
1973	26.4%	37.3%
1974	25.9%	37.2%
1975	25.3%	37.1%
1976	24.8%	36.9%
1977	24.2%	36.7%
1978	23.5%	36.3%
1979	22.9%	35.9%
1980	22.3%	35.5%
1981	21.8%	35.2%
1982	21.3%	34.9%
1983	20.7%	34.6%
1984	20.1%	34.3%
1985	19.5%	34%
1986	19.1%	33.8%
1987	18.7%	33.6%
1988	18.5%	33.4%
1989	18.4%	33.2%
1990	18.4%	33%
1991	18.4%	32.9%
1992	18.5%	32.7%
1993	18.5%	32.5%
1994	18.6%	32.3%
1995	18.6%	32.1%
1996	18.6%	31.8%
1997	18.6%	31.5%
1998	18.6%	31.1%
1999	18.7%	30.8%
2000	18.8%	30.4%
2001	18.8%	30%
2002	18.8%	29.6%
2003	18.7%	29.2%
2004	18.6%	28.8%
2005	18.5%	28.5%
2006	18.3%	28.1%
2007	18.1%	27.9%
2008	17.9%	27.6%
2009	17.7%	27.5%
2010	17.6%	27.3%
2011	17.4%	27.1%
2012	17.3%	27%
2013	17.1%	26.9%
2014	16.9%	26.8%
2015	16.6%	26.6%
2016	16.4%	26.5%
2017	16.2%	26.4%
2018	16%	26.2%
2019	15.8%	26%
2020	15.6%	25.8%
2021	15.5%	25.6%
2022	15.4%	25.3%
2023	15.2%	25%
2024	15%	24.7%
2025	14.9%	24.4%
2026	14.9%	24.1%
2027	14.8%	23.8%
2028	14.8%	23.4%
2029	14.8%	23.1%
2030	14.8%	22.8%
2031	14.8%	22.6%
2032	14.7%	22.3%
2033	14.7%	22.1%
2034	14.7%	21.9%
2035	14.7%	21.7%
2036	14.7%	21.6%
2037	14.6%	21.5%
2038	14.6%	21.4%
2039	14.6%	21.3%
2040	14.5%	21.2%
2041	14.5%	21.1%
2042	14.4%	21%
2043	14.4%	21%
2044	14.3%	20.9%
2045	14.2%	20.8%
2046	14.1%	20.7%
2047	14.1%	20.7%
2048	14%	20.6%
2049	13.9%	20.5%
2050	13.8%	20.4%

The share of children aged 0-14 in the Netherlands decreased from 18.6% to 15% between 2004 and 2024 due to changes in birth rates.

Share of old population (65+)

Table

Year	Share of population 65+ years old
	Netherlands	World
1960	9%	4.97%
1961	9.14%	4.99%
1962	9.26%	5.01%
1963	9.36%	5.02%
1964	9.47%	5.04%
1965	9.57%	5.08%
1966	9.67%	5.12%
1967	9.81%	5.16%
1968	9.95%	5.2%
1969	10.1%	5.24%
1970	10.2%	5.28%
1971	10.3%	5.32%
1972	10.4%	5.37%
1973	10.5%	5.42%
1974	10.7%	5.47%
1975	10.8%	5.53%
1976	10.9%	5.59%
1977	11%	5.65%
1978	11.2%	5.71%
1979	11.4%	5.77%
1980	11.5%	5.81%
1981	11.6%	5.81%
1982	11.7%	5.8%
1983	11.8%	5.79%
1984	11.9%	5.8%
1985	12%	5.82%
1986	12.2%	5.86%
1987	12.4%	5.91%
1988	12.5%	5.95%
1989	12.7%	6.01%
1990	12.8%	6.07%
1991	12.8%	6.14%
1992	12.9%	6.21%
1993	13%	6.29%
1994	13%	6.37%
1995	13.1%	6.45%
1996	13.2%	6.53%
1997	13.3%	6.61%
1998	13.4%	6.68%
1999	13.4%	6.76%
2000	13.5%	6.84%
2001	13.5%	6.92%
2002	13.6%	7.01%
2003	13.7%	7.1%
2004	13.8%	7.18%
2005	14%	7.26%
2006	14.2%	7.34%
2007	14.5%	7.41%
2008	14.7%	7.47%
2009	15%	7.52%
2010	15.3%	7.58%
2011	15.7%	7.66%
2012	16.3%	7.78%
2013	16.9%	7.92%
2014	17.4%	8.08%
2015	17.8%	8.26%
2016	18.1%	8.45%
2017	18.4%	8.65%
2018	18.8%	8.88%
2019	19.1%	9.1%
2020	19.4%	9.33%
2021	19.7%	9.53%
2022	19.9%	9.74%
2023	20.2%	9.98%
2024	20.5%	10.2%
2025	20.9%	10.4%
2026	21.3%	10.6%
2027	21.7%	10.8%
2028	22.1%	11.1%
2029	22.5%	11.5%
2030	23%	11.7%
2031	23.4%	12%
2032	23.7%	12.3%
2033	24.1%	12.6%
2034	24.5%	12.8%
2035	24.8%	13.1%
2036	25.2%	13.4%
2037	25.4%	13.7%
2038	25.6%	13.9%
2039	25.7%	14.1%
2040	25.8%	14.3%
2041	25.8%	14.5%
2042	25.8%	14.7%
2043	25.9%	14.9%
2044	25.9%	15%
2045	26%	15.2%
2046	26%	15.4%
2047	26.1%	15.7%
2048	26.1%	15.9%
2049	26.2%	16.1%
2050	26.3%	16.3%

The share of older people aged 65 and over in the Netherlands increased from 13.8% to 20.5% between 2004 and 2024 due to changes in life expectancy.