New Zealand Demographics: Median age, Gender, Race, Religion

Median age history and projection chart in
New Zealand vs World

Table

Year	Median age
	New Zealand	World
1960	27.5	22.5
1961	27.1	22.5
1962	26.8	22.4
1963	26.4	22.2
1964	26.2	22
1965	26	21.8
1966	25.9	21.7
1967	25.8	21.6
1968	25.7	21.5
1969	25.7	21.5
1970	25.6	21.4
1971	25.7	21.4
1972	25.9	21.5
1973	26	21.5
1974	26.2	21.6
1975	26.3	21.7
1976	26.5	21.9
1977	26.8	22
1978	27.1	22.2
1979	27.5	22.3
1980	27.9	22.5
1981	28.2	22.6
1982	28.5	22.7
1983	28.8	22.9
1984	29.1	23
1985	29.4	23.2
1986	29.8	23.3
1987	30.1	23.4
1988	30.4	23.6
1989	30.8	23.8
1990	31.1	23.9
1991	31.4	24.1
1992	31.7	24.3
1993	32	24.5
1994	32.3	24.7
1995	32.6	25
1996	32.8	25.2
1997	33.2	25.4
1998	33.6	25.7
1999	34	25.9
2000	34.3	26.1
2001	34.6	26.3
2002	34.8	26.5
2003	35	26.7
2004	35.2	27
2005	35.5	27.2
2006	35.8	27.4
2007	36.1	27.6
2008	36.4	27.8
2009	36.6	28
2010	36.8	28.2
2011	37	28.4
2012	37.2	28.6
2013	37.4	28.9
2014	37.5	29.1
2015	37.4	29.3
2016	37.3	29.5
2017	37.2	29.8
2018	37.3	30
2019	37.3	30.3
2020	37.5	30.6
2021	37.8	30.8
2022	38.1	31
2023	38.3	31.3
2024	38.6	31.6
2025	38.7	31.9
2026	39	32.1
2027	39.3	32.3
2028	39.6	32.6
2029	39.9	32.8
2030	40.2	33
2031	40.5	33.2
2032	40.8	33.4
2033	41.1	33.6
2034	41.4	33.8
2035	41.7	34
2036	41.9	34.2
2037	42.1	34.4
2038	42.3	34.6
2039	42.5	34.8
2040	42.6	35
2041	42.7	35.2
2042	42.8	35.4
2043	42.9	35.6
2044	43	35.8
2045	43.1	36
2046	43.2	36.2
2047	43.3	36.4
2048	43.4	36.6
2049	43.5	36.8
2050	43.7	37.1

In 1960, the median age in New Zealand was 27.5 years compared to the world's average of 22.5 years. As of 2024, the median age had increased to 38.6 years compared to the world's average of 31.6 years. Ranked 38th for median age 64 years ago (old to young), New Zealand ranks 56th currently.

According to the United Nations projections, the median age in New Zealand is expected to increase to around 43.7 years by 2050. The aging demographics forecast is based on previous years' birth rates and increasing life expectancy.

New Zealand demographic pyramid: age and gender distribution

Table

Age range	Share of population
	New Zealand
	Male	Female
0-4	2.93%	2.79%
5-9	3.08%	2.91%
10-14	3.29%	3.12%
15-19	3.26%	3.09%
20-24	3.24%	3.07%
25-29	3.47%	3.24%
30-34	3.8%	3.7%
35-39	3.48%	3.53%
40-44	3.14%	3.19%
45-49	2.91%	2.99%
50-54	3.12%	3.27%
55-59	2.98%	3.14%
60-64	2.93%	3.14%
65-69	2.52%	2.71%
70-74	2.1%	2.26%
75-79	1.66%	1.83%
80+	1.78%	2.33%

The chart above is a variation of the population pyramid and represents the age and gender structure. New Zealand has low demographic potential with 45% of people in the 0-34 age group (ranked 139/196).

Age dependency chart

Table

Year	Age dependency ratio
	New Zealand			World
	Total	Young	Old	Total	Young	Old
1960	70.9%	56.1%	14.8%	73.5%	64.9%	8.62%
1961	71.1%	56.4%	14.7%	73.8%	65.1%	8.67%
1962	70.9%	56.4%	14.5%	74.1%	65.4%	8.73%
1963	70.5%	56.2%	14.4%	74.9%	66.1%	8.79%
1964	70.1%	55.9%	14.2%	75.5%	66.6%	8.85%
1965	69.7%	55.6%	14.1%	75.8%	66.8%	8.93%
1966	69.3%	55.2%	14.1%	75.9%	66.9%	9%
1967	69%	54.9%	14.1%	75.9%	66.8%	9.07%
1968	68.7%	54.6%	14.2%	75.8%	66.6%	9.14%
1969	68.4%	54.2%	14.2%	75.7%	66.5%	9.2%
1970	67.8%	53.6%	14.3%	75.5%	66.2%	9.26%
1971	67.3%	53%	14.3%	75.2%	65.9%	9.33%
1972	66.6%	52.3%	14.3%	74.9%	65.6%	9.39%
1973	65.7%	51.4%	14.3%	74.6%	65.1%	9.46%
1974	64.6%	50.3%	14.3%	74.4%	64.9%	9.54%
1975	63.5%	49.2%	14.4%	74.2%	64.6%	9.64%
1976	62.6%	48.1%	14.5%	74%	64.3%	9.72%
1977	61.5%	46.8%	14.7%	73.5%	63.7%	9.79%
1978	60.5%	45.5%	15%	72.4%	62.5%	9.84%
1979	59.5%	44.3%	15.2%	71.3%	61.4%	9.88%
1980	58.6%	43.1%	15.4%	70.4%	60.5%	9.89%
1981	57.7%	42.1%	15.6%	69.5%	59.6%	9.85%
1982	56.7%	41%	15.7%	68.7%	58.9%	9.79%
1983	55.5%	39.8%	15.7%	67.9%	58.1%	9.72%
1984	54.5%	38.8%	15.7%	67%	57.3%	9.68%
1985	53.7%	37.9%	15.8%	66.3%	56.6%	9.68%
1986	53%	37.1%	16%	65.7%	55.9%	9.71%
1987	52.5%	36.3%	16.2%	65.2%	55.4%	9.75%
1988	52.1%	35.7%	16.4%	64.8%	54.9%	9.81%
1989	52%	35.4%	16.6%	64.4%	54.5%	9.89%
1990	52.2%	35.4%	16.8%	64.2%	54.3%	9.97%
1991	52.3%	35.3%	17%	64%	53.9%	10.1%
1992	52.4%	35.2%	17.2%	63.7%	53.6%	10.2%
1993	52.6%	35.2%	17.4%	63.5%	53.2%	10.3%
1994	52.8%	35.3%	17.5%	63.1%	52.7%	10.4%
1995	52.8%	35.3%	17.6%	62.7%	52.2%	10.5%
1996	52.8%	35.2%	17.6%	62.1%	51.5%	10.6%
1997	52.7%	35.1%	17.6%	61.5%	50.8%	10.7%
1998	52.8%	35.1%	17.7%	60.7%	50%	10.7%
1999	52.8%	35%	17.8%	60%	49.2%	10.8%
2000	52.7%	34.8%	18%	59.3%	48.4%	10.9%
2001	52.5%	34.4%	18%	58.5%	47.6%	11%
2002	52%	34%	18%	57.8%	46.7%	11.1%
2003	51.3%	33.5%	17.9%	57%	45.9%	11.1%
2004	50.8%	32.9%	17.9%	56.3%	45.1%	11.2%
2005	50.5%	32.4%	18.1%	55.6%	44.3%	11.3%
2006	50.4%	32%	18.4%	55%	43.6%	11.4%
2007	50.4%	31.8%	18.7%	54.5%	43.1%	11.4%
2008	50.6%	31.7%	18.9%	54.1%	42.6%	11.5%
2009	50.8%	31.6%	19.2%	53.8%	42.2%	11.6%
2010	51.2%	31.5%	19.6%	53.5%	41.9%	11.6%
2011	51.6%	31.5%	20.2%	53.4%	41.6%	11.8%
2012	52.2%	31.4%	20.8%	53.3%	41.4%	11.9%
2013	52.7%	31.2%	21.5%	53.4%	41.2%	12.1%
2014	52.8%	30.8%	21.9%	53.5%	41.1%	12.4%
2015	52.5%	30.3%	22.2%	53.6%	40.9%	12.7%
2016	52.3%	29.9%	22.4%	53.7%	40.7%	13%
2017	52.3%	29.6%	22.6%	53.9%	40.6%	13.3%
2018	52.4%	29.4%	22.9%	54.1%	40.4%	13.7%
2019	52.6%	29.2%	23.3%	54.2%	40.1%	14%
2020	53%	29.1%	23.9%	54.2%	39.8%	14.4%
2021	53.6%	29%	24.7%	54.2%	39.5%	14.7%
2022	54.1%	28.7%	25.3%	54%	39%	15%
2023	54.3%	28.3%	25.9%	53.9%	38.5%	15.4%
2024	54.6%	28%	26.6%	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 New Zealand increased from 50.8% to 54.6% between 2004 and 2024 with a decreased share of children and an increased proportion of people aged 65+

New Zealand working age demographic chart

Table

Year	Working age population share
	New Zealand	World
1960	58.5%	57.6%
1961	58.4%	57.5%
1962	58.5%	57.4%
1963	58.6%	57.2%
1964	58.8%	57%
1965	58.9%	56.9%
1966	59.1%	56.8%
1967	59.2%	56.9%
1968	59.3%	56.9%
1969	59.4%	56.9%
1970	59.6%	57%
1971	59.8%	57.1%
1972	60%	57.2%
1973	60.4%	57.3%
1974	60.8%	57.3%
1975	61.1%	57.4%
1976	61.5%	57.5%
1977	61.9%	57.7%
1978	62.3%	58%
1979	62.7%	58.4%
1980	63.1%	58.7%
1981	63.4%	59%
1982	63.8%	59.3%
1983	64.3%	59.6%
1984	64.7%	59.9%
1985	65.1%	60.1%
1986	65.3%	60.4%
1987	65.6%	60.5%
1988	65.8%	60.7%
1989	65.8%	60.8%
1990	65.7%	60.9%
1991	65.7%	61%
1992	65.6%	61.1%
1993	65.5%	61.2%
1994	65.5%	61.3%
1995	65.4%	61.5%
1996	65.4%	61.7%
1997	65.5%	61.9%
1998	65.5%	62.2%
1999	65.5%	62.5%
2000	65.5%	62.8%
2001	65.6%	63.1%
2002	65.8%	63.4%
2003	66.1%	63.7%
2004	66.3%	64%
2005	66.4%	64.3%
2006	66.5%	64.5%
2007	66.5%	64.7%
2008	66.4%	64.9%
2009	66.3%	65%
2010	66.2%	65.1%
2011	65.9%	65.2%
2012	65.7%	65.2%
2013	65.5%	65.2%
2014	65.5%	65.2%
2015	65.6%	65.1%
2016	65.7%	65.1%
2017	65.7%	65%
2018	65.6%	64.9%
2019	65.5%	64.9%
2020	65.4%	64.8%
2021	65.1%	64.9%
2022	64.9%	64.9%
2023	64.8%	65%
2024	64.7%	65.1%
2025	64.5%	65.2%
2026	64.3%	65.3%
2027	64.1%	65.4%
2028	63.9%	65.4%
2029	63.7%	65.4%
2030	63.5%	65.4%
2031	63.3%	65.4%
2032	63.2%	65.4%
2033	63%	65.4%
2034	62.8%	65.3%
2035	62.6%	65.2%
2036	62.4%	65%
2037	62.2%	64.9%
2038	62%	64.7%
2039	61.9%	64.6%
2040	61.8%	64.5%
2041	61.7%	64.4%
2042	61.7%	64.3%
2043	61.6%	64.2%
2044	61.5%	64.1%
2045	61.4%	63.9%
2046	61.3%	63.8%
2047	61.2%	63.7%
2048	61.1%	63.6%
2049	60.9%	63.4%
2050	60.8%	63.3%

The share of working-age demographics aged 15-64 in New Zealand changed from 66.3% to 64.7% between 2004 and 2024.

Share of young population (0-14 years)

Table

Year	Share of population 0-14 years old
	New Zealand	World
1960	32.8%	37.4%
1961	33%	37.5%
1962	33%	37.6%
1963	32.9%	37.8%
1964	32.9%	38%
1965	32.7%	38%
1966	32.6%	38%
1967	32.5%	38%
1968	32.3%	37.9%
1969	32.2%	37.8%
1970	31.9%	37.7%
1971	31.7%	37.6%
1972	31.4%	37.5%
1973	31%	37.3%
1974	30.5%	37.2%
1975	30.1%	37.1%
1976	29.6%	36.9%
1977	29%	36.7%
1978	28.4%	36.3%
1979	27.8%	35.9%
1980	27.2%	35.5%
1981	26.7%	35.2%
1982	26.2%	34.9%
1983	25.6%	34.6%
1984	25.1%	34.3%
1985	24.6%	34%
1986	24.2%	33.8%
1987	23.8%	33.6%
1988	23.5%	33.4%
1989	23.3%	33.2%
1990	23.3%	33%
1991	23.2%	32.9%
1992	23.1%	32.7%
1993	23.1%	32.5%
1994	23.1%	32.3%
1995	23.1%	32.1%
1996	23%	31.8%
1997	23%	31.5%
1998	23%	31.1%
1999	22.9%	30.8%
2000	22.8%	30.4%
2001	22.6%	30%
2002	22.4%	29.6%
2003	22.1%	29.2%
2004	21.8%	28.8%
2005	21.5%	28.5%
2006	21.3%	28.1%
2007	21.1%	27.9%
2008	21%	27.6%
2009	20.9%	27.5%
2010	20.9%	27.3%
2011	20.8%	27.1%
2012	20.6%	27%
2013	20.4%	26.9%
2014	20.2%	26.8%
2015	19.9%	26.6%
2016	19.6%	26.5%
2017	19.5%	26.4%
2018	19.3%	26.2%
2019	19.2%	26%
2020	19%	25.8%
2021	18.9%	25.6%
2022	18.6%	25.3%
2023	18.4%	25%
2024	18.1%	24.7%
2025	17.9%	24.4%
2026	17.6%	24.1%
2027	17.4%	23.8%
2028	17.2%	23.4%
2029	17%	23.1%
2030	16.8%	22.8%
2031	16.6%	22.6%
2032	16.4%	22.3%
2033	16.3%	22.1%
2034	16.1%	21.9%
2035	16%	21.7%
2036	15.9%	21.6%
2037	15.8%	21.5%
2038	15.7%	21.4%
2039	15.6%	21.3%
2040	15.5%	21.2%
2041	15.4%	21.1%
2042	15.4%	21%
2043	15.4%	21%
2044	15.3%	20.9%
2045	15.3%	20.8%
2046	15.3%	20.7%
2047	15.3%	20.7%
2048	15.3%	20.6%
2049	15.2%	20.5%
2050	15.2%	20.4%

The share of children aged 0-14 in New Zealand decreased from 21.8% to 18.1% between 2004 and 2024 due to changes in birth rates.

Share of old population (65+)

Table

Year	Share of population 65+ years old
	New Zealand	World
1960	8.68%	4.97%
1961	8.59%	4.99%
1962	8.5%	5.01%
1963	8.42%	5.02%
1964	8.36%	5.04%
1965	8.32%	5.08%
1966	8.32%	5.12%
1967	8.35%	5.16%
1968	8.4%	5.2%
1969	8.44%	5.24%
1970	8.49%	5.28%
1971	8.55%	5.32%
1972	8.6%	5.37%
1973	8.65%	5.42%
1974	8.7%	5.47%
1975	8.78%	5.53%
1976	8.92%	5.59%
1977	9.1%	5.65%
1978	9.32%	5.71%
1979	9.54%	5.77%
1980	9.73%	5.81%
1981	9.89%	5.81%
1982	10%	5.8%
1983	10.1%	5.79%
1984	10.1%	5.8%
1985	10.3%	5.82%
1986	10.4%	5.86%
1987	10.6%	5.91%
1988	10.8%	5.95%
1989	10.9%	6.01%
1990	11%	6.07%
1991	11.2%	6.14%
1992	11.3%	6.21%
1993	11.4%	6.29%
1994	11.5%	6.37%
1995	11.5%	6.45%
1996	11.5%	6.53%
1997	11.5%	6.61%
1998	11.6%	6.68%
1999	11.7%	6.76%
2000	11.8%	6.84%
2001	11.8%	6.92%
2002	11.8%	7.01%
2003	11.8%	7.1%
2004	11.9%	7.18%
2005	12%	7.26%
2006	12.2%	7.34%
2007	12.4%	7.41%
2008	12.6%	7.47%
2009	12.8%	7.52%
2010	13%	7.58%
2011	13.3%	7.66%
2012	13.7%	7.78%
2013	14.1%	7.92%
2014	14.4%	8.08%
2015	14.6%	8.26%
2016	14.7%	8.45%
2017	14.9%	8.65%
2018	15.1%	8.88%
2019	15.3%	9.1%
2020	15.6%	9.33%
2021	16%	9.53%
2022	16.4%	9.74%
2023	16.8%	9.98%
2024	17.2%	10.2%
2025	17.6%	10.4%
2026	18%	10.6%
2027	18.5%	10.8%
2028	18.9%	11.1%
2029	19.3%	11.5%
2030	19.7%	11.7%
2031	20.1%	12%
2032	20.4%	12.3%
2033	20.7%	12.6%
2034	21.1%	12.8%
2035	21.4%	13.1%
2036	21.7%	13.4%
2037	22%	13.7%
2038	22.3%	13.9%
2039	22.5%	14.1%
2040	22.7%	14.3%
2041	22.8%	14.5%
2042	22.9%	14.7%
2043	23%	14.9%
2044	23.1%	15%
2045	23.3%	15.2%
2046	23.4%	15.4%
2047	23.5%	15.7%
2048	23.7%	15.9%
2049	23.8%	16.1%
2050	24%	16.3%

The share of older people aged 65 and over in New Zealand increased from 11.9% to 17.2% between 2004 and 2024 due to changes in life expectancy.