Population by age group in United States
United States: Population by age group was 18.64 million people in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
18.64 million people
Change on year
down 0.8%
World rank
8th
of 236 countries
All-time high
20.95 million people
in 1962
All-time low
16.11 million people
in 1977
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Population by age group in United States, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
The most recent figure for population by age group in United States is 18.64 million people, measured in 2023.
The figure is down 0.8% on the previous year and down 7.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population by age group in United States peaked at 20.95 million people in 1962 and was at its lowest, 16.11 million people, in 1977.
That places United States 8th out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 74 years of available data.
Population by age group in United States, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 17.18 million people | — |
| 1951 | 17.67 million people | +2.8% |
| 1952 | 17.83 million people | +0.9% |
| 1953 | 18.04 million people | +1.2% |
| 1954 | 18.40 million people | +2.0% |
| 1955 | 18.82 million people | +2.3% |
| 1956 | 19.26 million people | +2.4% |
| 1957 | 19.71 million people | +2.3% |
| 1958 | 20.14 million people | +2.1% |
| 1959 | 20.46 million people | +1.6% |
| 1960 | 20.69 million people | +1.1% |
| 1961 | 20.88 million people | +0.9% |
| 1962 | 20.95 million people | +0.3% |
| 1963 | 20.85 million people | -0.5% |
| 1964 | 20.65 million people | -0.9% |
| 1965 | 20.31 million people | -1.7% |
| 1966 | 19.78 million people | -2.6% |
| 1967 | 19.18 million people | -3.0% |
| 1968 | 18.62 million people | -2.9% |
| 1969 | 18.19 million people | -2.3% |
| 1970 | 18.02 million people | -0.9% |
| 1971 | 17.97 million people | -0.3% |
| 1972 | 17.79 million people | -1.0% |
| 1973 | 17.48 million people | -1.7% |
| 1974 | 17.12 million people | -2.1% |
| 1975 | 16.66 million people | -2.7% |
| 1976 | 16.22 million people | -2.6% |
| 1977 | 16.11 million people | -0.7% |
| 1978 | 16.28 million people | +1.1% |
| 1979 | 16.59 million people | +1.8% |
| 1980 | 16.99 million people | +2.4% |
| 1981 | 17.43 million people | +2.6% |
| 1982 | 17.81 million people | +2.2% |
| 1983 | 18.10 million people | +1.6% |
| 1984 | 18.30 million people | +1.1% |
| 1985 | 18.42 million people | +0.7% |
| 1986 | 18.53 million people | +0.6% |
| 1987 | 18.63 million people | +0.6% |
| 1988 | 18.80 million people | +0.9% |
| 1989 | 19.08 million people | +1.5% |
| 1990 | 19.37 million people | +1.5% |
| 1991 | 19.66 million people | +1.5% |
| 1992 | 19.95 million people | +1.4% |
| 1993 | 20.08 million people | +0.6% |
| 1994 | 20.03 million people | -0.2% |
| 1995 | 19.81 million people | -1.1% |
| 1996 | 19.52 million people | -1.5% |
| 1997 | 19.26 million people | -1.3% |
| 1998 | 19.09 million people | -0.9% |
| 1999 | 19.01 million people | -0.4% |
| 2000 | 19.05 million people | +0.2% |
| 2001 | 19.20 million people | +0.7% |
| 2002 | 19.37 million people | +0.9% |
| 2003 | 19.55 million people | +0.9% |
| 2004 | 19.72 million people | +0.9% |
| 2005 | 19.85 million people | +0.7% |
| 2006 | 20.03 million people | +0.9% |
| 2007 | 20.30 million people | +1.4% |
| 2008 | 20.56 million people | +1.3% |
| 2009 | 20.70 million people | +0.7% |
| 2010 | 20.71 million people | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 20.59 million people | -0.6% |
| 2012 | 20.38 million people | -1.0% |
| 2013 | 20.16 million people | -1.1% |
| 2014 | 20.01 million people | -0.7% |
| 2015 | 19.98 million people | -0.2% |
| 2016 | 20.00 million people | +0.1% |
| 2017 | 19.98 million people | -0.1% |
| 2018 | 19.89 million people | -0.4% |
| 2019 | 19.73 million people | -0.8% |
| 2020 | 19.40 million people | -1.7% |
| 2021 | 19.01 million people | -2.0% |
| 2022 | 18.79 million people | -1.2% |
| 2023 | 18.64 million people | -0.8% |
United States compared with similar countries
- United States's 18.64 million people is above the median for high income countries, which is 127,928 people, 145.7× the median. (85 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 18.75 million people | 17.18 million people | 20.46 million people | 10 |
| 1960s | 20.01 million people | 18.19 million people | 20.95 million people | 10 |
| 1970s | 17.02 million people | 16.11 million people | 18.02 million people | 10 |
| 1980s | 18.21 million people | 16.99 million people | 19.08 million people | 10 |
| 1990s | 19.58 million people | 19.01 million people | 20.08 million people | 10 |
| 2000s | 19.83 million people | 19.05 million people | 20.70 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 20.14 million people | 19.73 million people | 20.71 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 18.96 million people | 18.64 million people | 19.40 million people | 4 |
Countries ranked near United States
More population data for United States
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate 0.0241 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate 0.1369 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -2.8 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate 0.1369 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development 0.1% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 19.91 million people (2100)
- Population density 46.05 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth 0.1% (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate 0.1565 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 0.4762 Percent per annum (2030)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population by age group in United States?
- Population by age group in United States was 18.64 million people in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest population by age group recorded in United States?
- The highest recorded value was 20.95 million people in 1962.
- What is the lowest population by age group recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 16.11 million people in 1977.
- How does United States rank for population by age group?
- United States ranks 8th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is population by age group rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is down 7.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United States data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Population by age group. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Total population, measured on 1 July of the year shown. This only includes people aged 0-4.