China vs United States: Number of children, working-age adults, and older people
China
203.62 million people
in 2023
United States
59.81 million people
in 2023
China rank
1st
United States rank
3rd
Number of children, working-age adults, and older people over time
- China
- United States
How they compare
China currently reports 203.62 million people against 59.81 million people in United States, a difference of 143.81 million people.
That makes China's figure about 3.4 times United States's.
Across all 74 years both countries report, China has been ahead every year.
China ranks 1st and United States ranks 3rd of 236 countries.
China has averaged higher in every one of the 8 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | China | United States | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 26.75 million people | 13.82 million people | 12.93 million people | China |
| 1960s | 26.77 million people | 17.87 million people | 8.91 million people | China |
| 1970s | 35.70 million people | 22.35 million people | 13.35 million people | China |
| 1980s | 50.82 million people | 28.02 million people | 22.80 million people | China |
| 1990s | 72.97 million people | 32.88 million people | 40.08 million people | China |
| 2000s | 101.93 million people | 36.02 million people | 65.91 million people | China |
| 2010s | 140.29 million people | 46.05 million people | 94.24 million people | China |
| 2020s | 192.16 million people | 57.00 million people | 135.16 million people | China |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher number of children, working-age adults, and older people, China or United States?
- China, at 203.62 million people against 59.81 million people in United States as of 2023.
- What is the difference in number of children, working-age adults, and older people between China and United States?
- 143.81 million people, with China ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for China and United States?
- 74 years are reported by both, from 1950 to 2023.
- How do China and United States rank globally for number of children, working-age adults, and older people?
- China ranks 1st and United States ranks 3rd of 236 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as Number of children, working-age adults, and older people. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
The total population, measured on 1 July of the year shown. This only includes people aged 65+.