Switzerland Demographics: Median age, Gender, Religion

Median age history and projection chart in
Switzerland vs World

Table

Year	Median age
	Switzerland	World
1960	32.6	22.5
1961	32.4	22.5
1962	32	22.4
1963	31.7	22.2
1964	31.5	22
1965	31.6	21.8
1966	31.6	21.7
1967	31.6	21.6
1968	31.7	21.5
1969	31.7	21.5
1970	32	21.4
1971	32.2	21.4
1972	32.3	21.5
1973	32.5	21.5
1974	32.7	21.6
1975	33.1	21.7
1976	33.5	21.9
1977	33.8	22
1978	34.2	22.2
1979	34.5	22.3
1980	34.8	22.5
1981	35	22.6
1982	35.3	22.7
1983	35.6	22.9
1984	35.9	23
1985	36.1	23.2
1986	36.3	23.3
1987	36.5	23.4
1988	36.7	23.6
1989	36.8	23.8
1990	36.9	23.9
1991	36.9	24.1
1992	36.9	24.3
1993	37	24.5
1994	37.1	24.7
1995	37.3	25
1996	37.6	25.2
1997	37.9	25.4
1998	38.2	25.7
1999	38.4	25.9
2000	38.7	26.1
2001	39	26.3
2002	39.3	26.5
2003	39.6	26.7
2004	39.9	27
2005	40.3	27.2
2006	40.6	27.4
2007	40.9	27.6
2008	41.1	27.8
2009	41.3	28
2010	41.5	28.2
2011	41.6	28.4
2012	41.8	28.6
2013	42	28.9
2014	42.1	29.1
2015	42.2	29.3
2016	42.3	29.5
2017	42.4	29.8
2018	42.5	30
2019	42.6	30.3
2020	42.7	30.6
2021	42.8	30.8
2022	43	31
2023	43.4	31.3
2024	43.7	31.6
2025	43.9	31.9
2026	44.2	32.1
2027	44.5	32.3
2028	44.8	32.6
2029	45.1	32.8
2030	45.4	33
2031	45.7	33.2
2032	46	33.4
2033	46.3	33.6
2034	46.6	33.8
2035	46.9	34
2036	47.1	34.2
2037	47.4	34.4
2038	47.7	34.6
2039	48	34.8
2040	48.2	35
2041	48.4	35.2
2042	48.6	35.4
2043	48.7	35.6
2044	48.8	35.8
2045	48.9	36
2046	48.9	36.2
2047	48.9	36.4
2048	48.9	36.6
2049	48.8	36.8
2050	48.8	37.1

In 1960, the median age in Switzerland was 32.6 years compared to the world's average of 22.5 years. As of 2024, the median age had increased to 43.7 years compared to the world's average of 31.6 years. Ranked 12th for median age 64 years ago (old to young), Switzerland ranks 24th currently.

According to the United Nations projections, the median age in Switzerland is expected to increase to around 48.8 years by 2050. The aging demographics forecast is based on previous years' birth rates and increasing life expectancy.

Switzerland demographic pyramid: age and gender distribution

Table

Age range	Share of population
	Switzerland
	Male	Female
0-4	2.48%	2.35%
5-9	2.61%	2.48%
10-14	2.58%	2.45%
15-19	2.52%	2.38%
20-24	2.62%	2.45%
25-29	3%	2.84%
30-34	3.48%	3.37%
35-39	3.62%	3.55%
40-44	3.59%	3.52%
45-49	3.39%	3.36%
50-54	3.52%	3.49%
55-59	3.77%	3.73%
60-64	3.42%	3.42%
65-69	2.69%	2.79%
70-74	2.16%	2.41%
75-79	1.89%	2.21%
80+	2.34%	3.52%

The chart above is a variation of the population pyramid and represents the age and gender structure. Switzerland has low demographic potential with 37.6% of people in the 0-34 age group (ranked 172/196).

Age dependency chart

Table

Year	Age dependency ratio
	Switzerland			World
	Total	Young	Old	Total	Young	Old
1960	52.1%	36.6%	15.6%	73.5%	64.9%	8.62%
1961	52.2%	36.5%	15.6%	73.8%	65.1%	8.67%
1962	52.4%	36.7%	15.7%	74.1%	65.4%	8.73%
1963	52.4%	36.7%	15.7%	74.9%	66.1%	8.79%
1964	52.6%	36.8%	15.8%	75.5%	66.6%	8.85%
1965	53%	36.9%	16.1%	75.8%	66.8%	8.93%
1966	53.5%	37.1%	16.4%	75.9%	66.9%	9%
1967	53.7%	37%	16.7%	75.9%	66.8%	9.07%
1968	53.8%	36.9%	16.9%	75.8%	66.6%	9.14%
1969	53.8%	36.6%	17.1%	75.7%	66.5%	9.2%
1970	54.1%	36.6%	17.5%	75.5%	66.2%	9.26%
1971	54.6%	36.7%	17.9%	75.2%	65.9%	9.33%
1972	54.6%	36.3%	18.2%	74.9%	65.6%	9.39%
1973	54.3%	35.8%	18.5%	74.6%	65.1%	9.46%
1974	54.1%	35.2%	18.9%	74.4%	64.9%	9.54%
1975	53.9%	34.5%	19.3%	74.2%	64.6%	9.64%
1976	53.5%	33.7%	19.8%	74%	64.3%	9.72%
1977	53.1%	32.8%	20.3%	73.5%	63.7%	9.79%
1978	52.4%	31.8%	20.6%	72.4%	62.5%	9.84%
1979	51.6%	30.8%	20.8%	71.3%	61.4%	9.88%
1980	50.6%	29.7%	20.9%	70.4%	60.5%	9.89%
1981	49.5%	28.8%	20.8%	69.5%	59.6%	9.85%
1982	48.5%	27.9%	20.6%	68.7%	58.9%	9.79%
1983	47.6%	27.1%	20.5%	67.9%	58.1%	9.72%
1984	46.9%	26.4%	20.5%	67%	57.3%	9.68%
1985	46.4%	25.8%	20.6%	66.3%	56.6%	9.68%
1986	46.2%	25.4%	20.8%	65.7%	55.9%	9.71%
1987	46.1%	25.1%	21%	65.2%	55.4%	9.75%
1988	46.1%	24.9%	21.1%	64.8%	54.9%	9.81%
1989	46.2%	24.9%	21.3%	64.4%	54.5%	9.89%
1990	46.4%	25%	21.3%	64.2%	54.3%	9.97%
1991	46.6%	25.2%	21.4%	64%	53.9%	10.1%
1992	46.9%	25.5%	21.4%	63.7%	53.6%	10.2%
1993	47.3%	25.8%	21.5%	63.5%	53.2%	10.3%
1994	47.6%	26%	21.6%	63.1%	52.7%	10.4%
1995	47.9%	26.1%	21.8%	62.7%	52.2%	10.5%
1996	48.2%	26.2%	22%	62.1%	51.5%	10.6%
1997	48.4%	26.2%	22.2%	61.5%	50.8%	10.7%
1998	48.5%	26.1%	22.4%	60.7%	50%	10.7%
1999	48.6%	26%	22.6%	60%	49.2%	10.8%
2000	48.6%	25.8%	22.8%	59.3%	48.4%	10.9%
2001	48.3%	25.4%	22.9%	58.5%	47.6%	11%
2002	47.8%	24.8%	23%	57.8%	46.7%	11.1%
2003	47.5%	24.5%	23%	57%	45.9%	11.1%
2004	47.3%	24.1%	23.1%	56.3%	45.1%	11.2%
2005	47%	23.7%	23.3%	55.6%	44.3%	11.3%
2006	46.9%	23.3%	23.6%	55%	43.6%	11.4%
2007	46.8%	22.9%	23.8%	54.5%	43.1%	11.4%
2008	46.7%	22.6%	24.1%	54.1%	42.6%	11.5%
2009	46.8%	22.4%	24.4%	53.8%	42.2%	11.6%
2010	47%	22.3%	24.7%	53.5%	41.9%	11.6%
2011	47.3%	22.2%	25.1%	53.4%	41.6%	11.8%
2012	47.7%	22.1%	25.5%	53.3%	41.4%	11.9%
2013	48%	22.1%	25.9%	53.4%	41.2%	12.1%
2014	48.4%	22.1%	26.3%	53.5%	41.1%	12.4%
2015	48.7%	22.1%	26.6%	53.6%	40.9%	12.7%
2016	49.1%	22.2%	26.9%	53.7%	40.7%	13%
2017	49.5%	22.3%	27.2%	53.9%	40.6%	13.3%
2018	50.1%	22.5%	27.6%	54.1%	40.4%	13.7%
2019	50.6%	22.6%	28%	54.2%	40.1%	14%
2020	51.1%	22.7%	28.3%	54.2%	39.8%	14.4%
2021	51.5%	22.8%	28.7%	54.2%	39.5%	14.7%
2022	52.2%	22.9%	29.2%	54%	39%	15%
2023	53%	23%	30%	53.9%	38.5%	15.4%
2024	53.8%	23%	30.8%	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 Switzerland increased from 47.3% to 53.8% between 2004 and 2024 with a decreased share of children and an increased proportion of people aged 65+

Switzerland working age demographic chart

Table

Year	Working age population share
	Switzerland	World
1960	65.7%	57.6%
1961	65.7%	57.5%
1962	65.6%	57.4%
1963	65.6%	57.2%
1964	65.5%	57%
1965	65.4%	56.9%
1966	65.2%	56.8%
1967	65%	56.9%
1968	65%	56.9%
1969	65%	56.9%
1970	64.9%	57%
1971	64.7%	57.1%
1972	64.7%	57.2%
1973	64.8%	57.3%
1974	64.9%	57.3%
1975	65%	57.4%
1976	65.1%	57.5%
1977	65.3%	57.7%
1978	65.6%	58%
1979	66%	58.4%
1980	66.4%	58.7%
1981	66.9%	59%
1982	67.3%	59.3%
1983	67.7%	59.6%
1984	68.1%	59.9%
1985	68.3%	60.1%
1986	68.4%	60.4%
1987	68.5%	60.5%
1988	68.5%	60.7%
1989	68.4%	60.8%
1990	68.3%	60.9%
1991	68.2%	61%
1992	68.1%	61.1%
1993	67.9%	61.2%
1994	67.7%	61.3%
1995	67.6%	61.5%
1996	67.5%	61.7%
1997	67.4%	61.9%
1998	67.3%	62.2%
1999	67.3%	62.5%
2000	67.3%	62.8%
2001	67.4%	63.1%
2002	67.7%	63.4%
2003	67.8%	63.7%
2004	67.9%	64%
2005	68%	64.3%
2006	68.1%	64.5%
2007	68.1%	64.7%
2008	68.2%	64.9%
2009	68.1%	65%
2010	68%	65.1%
2011	67.9%	65.2%
2012	67.7%	65.2%
2013	67.6%	65.2%
2014	67.4%	65.2%
2015	67.3%	65.1%
2016	67.1%	65.1%
2017	66.9%	65%
2018	66.6%	64.9%
2019	66.4%	64.9%
2020	66.2%	64.8%
2021	66%	64.9%
2022	65.7%	64.9%
2023	65.4%	65%
2024	65%	65.1%
2025	64.7%	65.2%
2026	64.3%	65.3%
2027	63.9%	65.4%
2028	63.5%	65.4%
2029	63%	65.4%
2030	62.6%	65.4%
2031	62.2%	65.4%
2032	61.8%	65.4%
2033	61.4%	65.4%
2034	61.1%	65.3%
2035	60.8%	65.2%
2036	60.5%	65%
2037	60.2%	64.9%
2038	60%	64.7%
2039	59.8%	64.6%
2040	59.6%	64.5%
2041	59.4%	64.4%
2042	59.2%	64.3%
2043	58.9%	64.2%
2044	58.6%	64.1%
2045	58.3%	63.9%
2046	58%	63.8%
2047	57.6%	63.7%
2048	57.3%	63.6%
2049	57%	63.4%
2050	56.7%	63.3%

The share of working-age demographics aged 15-64 in Switzerland changed from 67.9% to 65% between 2004 and 2024.

Share of young population (0-14 years)

Table

Year	Share of population 0-14 years old
	Switzerland	World
1960	24%	37.4%
1961	24%	37.5%
1962	24.1%	37.6%
1963	24.1%	37.8%
1964	24.1%	38%
1965	24.1%	38%
1966	24.2%	38%
1967	24.1%	38%
1968	24%	37.9%
1969	23.8%	37.8%
1970	23.8%	37.7%
1971	23.7%	37.6%
1972	23.5%	37.5%
1973	23.2%	37.3%
1974	22.8%	37.2%
1975	22.4%	37.1%
1976	22%	36.9%
1977	21.4%	36.7%
1978	20.9%	36.3%
1979	20.3%	35.9%
1980	19.7%	35.5%
1981	19.2%	35.2%
1982	18.8%	34.9%
1983	18.3%	34.6%
1984	18%	34.3%
1985	17.6%	34%
1986	17.4%	33.8%
1987	17.2%	33.6%
1988	17.1%	33.4%
1989	17%	33.2%
1990	17.1%	33%
1991	17.2%	32.9%
1992	17.3%	32.7%
1993	17.5%	32.5%
1994	17.6%	32.3%
1995	17.6%	32.1%
1996	17.7%	31.8%
1997	17.6%	31.5%
1998	17.6%	31.1%
1999	17.5%	30.8%
2000	17.4%	30.4%
2001	17.1%	30%
2002	16.8%	29.6%
2003	16.6%	29.2%
2004	16.4%	28.8%
2005	16.1%	28.5%
2006	15.9%	28.1%
2007	15.6%	27.9%
2008	15.4%	27.6%
2009	15.3%	27.5%
2010	15.2%	27.3%
2011	15.1%	27.1%
2012	15%	27%
2013	14.9%	26.9%
2014	14.9%	26.8%
2015	14.9%	26.6%
2016	14.9%	26.5%
2017	14.9%	26.4%
2018	15%	26.2%
2019	15%	26%
2020	15.1%	25.8%
2021	15.1%	25.6%
2022	15.1%	25.3%
2023	15%	25%
2024	15%	24.7%
2025	14.9%	24.4%
2026	14.8%	24.1%
2027	14.7%	23.8%
2028	14.6%	23.4%
2029	14.5%	23.1%
2030	14.3%	22.8%
2031	14.1%	22.6%
2032	14%	22.3%
2033	13.8%	22.1%
2034	13.6%	21.9%
2035	13.5%	21.7%
2036	13.3%	21.6%
2037	13.2%	21.5%
2038	13.1%	21.4%
2039	13%	21.3%
2040	12.9%	21.2%
2041	12.8%	21.1%
2042	12.8%	21%
2043	12.7%	21%
2044	12.8%	20.9%
2045	12.8%	20.8%
2046	12.8%	20.7%
2047	12.9%	20.7%
2048	12.9%	20.6%
2049	13%	20.5%
2050	13.1%	20.4%

The share of children aged 0-14 in Switzerland decreased from 16.4% 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
	Switzerland	World
1960	10.2%	4.97%
1961	10.3%	4.99%
1962	10.3%	5.01%
1963	10.3%	5.02%
1964	10.4%	5.04%
1965	10.5%	5.08%
1966	10.7%	5.12%
1967	10.9%	5.16%
1968	11%	5.2%
1969	11.2%	5.24%
1970	11.4%	5.28%
1971	11.6%	5.32%
1972	11.8%	5.37%
1973	12%	5.42%
1974	12.3%	5.47%
1975	12.6%	5.53%
1976	12.9%	5.59%
1977	13.2%	5.65%
1978	13.5%	5.71%
1979	13.7%	5.77%
1980	13.9%	5.81%
1981	13.9%	5.81%
1982	13.9%	5.8%
1983	13.9%	5.79%
1984	14%	5.8%
1985	14.1%	5.82%
1986	14.2%	5.86%
1987	14.4%	5.91%
1988	14.5%	5.95%
1989	14.5%	6.01%
1990	14.6%	6.07%
1991	14.6%	6.14%
1992	14.6%	6.21%
1993	14.6%	6.29%
1994	14.7%	6.37%
1995	14.7%	6.45%
1996	14.8%	6.53%
1997	15%	6.61%
1998	15.1%	6.68%
1999	15.2%	6.76%
2000	15.3%	6.84%
2001	15.5%	6.92%
2002	15.5%	7.01%
2003	15.6%	7.1%
2004	15.7%	7.18%
2005	15.9%	7.26%
2006	16%	7.34%
2007	16.2%	7.41%
2008	16.4%	7.47%
2009	16.6%	7.52%
2010	16.8%	7.58%
2011	17.1%	7.66%
2012	17.3%	7.78%
2013	17.5%	7.92%
2014	17.7%	8.08%
2015	17.9%	8.26%
2016	18%	8.45%
2017	18.2%	8.65%
2018	18.4%	8.88%
2019	18.6%	9.1%
2020	18.8%	9.33%
2021	18.9%	9.53%
2022	19.2%	9.74%
2023	19.6%	9.98%
2024	20%	10.2%
2025	20.4%	10.4%
2026	20.9%	10.6%
2027	21.4%	10.8%
2028	21.9%	11.1%
2029	22.5%	11.5%
2030	23.1%	11.7%
2031	23.7%	12%
2032	24.2%	12.3%
2033	24.8%	12.6%
2034	25.3%	12.8%
2035	25.7%	13.1%
2036	26.2%	13.4%
2037	26.6%	13.7%
2038	26.9%	13.9%
2039	27.2%	14.1%
2040	27.5%	14.3%
2041	27.8%	14.5%
2042	28.1%	14.7%
2043	28.4%	14.9%
2044	28.6%	15%
2045	28.9%	15.2%
2046	29.2%	15.4%
2047	29.5%	15.7%
2048	29.7%	15.9%
2049	30%	16.1%
2050	30.2%	16.3%

The share of older people aged 65 and over in Switzerland increased from 15.7% to 20% between 2004 and 2024 due to changes in life expectancy.