Share of children, working-age adults, and older people in New Zealand
New Zealand: Share of children, working-age adults, and older people was 950,495 people in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
950,495 people
Change on year
down 0.6%
World rank
126th
of 236 countries
All-time high
964,243 people
in 2020
All-time low
555,049 people
in 1950
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Share of children, working-age adults, and older people in New Zealand, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
In 2023, share of children, working-age adults, and older people in New Zealand stood at 950,495 people.
That represents a change of down 0.6% on the previous year and up 4.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of children, working-age adults, and older people in New Zealand peaked at 964,243 people in 2020 and was at its lowest, 555,049 people, in 1950.
That places New Zealand 126th out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 74 years of available data.
Share of children, working-age adults, and older people in New Zealand, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 555,049 people | — |
| 1951 | 577,213 people | +4.0% |
| 1952 | 600,531 people | +4.0% |
| 1953 | 624,457 people | +4.0% |
| 1954 | 647,239 people | +3.6% |
| 1955 | 667,994 people | +3.2% |
| 1956 | 687,860 people | +3.0% |
| 1957 | 709,610 people | +3.2% |
| 1958 | 733,878 people | +3.4% |
| 1959 | 758,127 people | +3.3% |
| 1960 | 780,545 people | +3.0% |
| 1961 | 801,132 people | +2.6% |
| 1962 | 819,587 people | +2.3% |
| 1963 | 835,866 people | +2.0% |
| 1964 | 850,517 people | +1.8% |
| 1965 | 863,310 people | +1.5% |
| 1966 | 874,614 people | +1.3% |
| 1967 | 884,202 people | +1.1% |
| 1968 | 890,932 people | +0.8% |
| 1969 | 895,882 people | +0.6% |
| 1970 | 901,103 people | +0.6% |
| 1971 | 907,777 people | +0.7% |
| 1972 | 915,740 people | +0.9% |
| 1973 | 923,352 people | +0.8% |
| 1974 | 928,828 people | +0.6% |
| 1975 | 930,354 people | +0.2% |
| 1976 | 924,756 people | -0.6% |
| 1977 | 910,503 people | -1.5% |
| 1978 | 891,376 people | -2.1% |
| 1979 | 872,245 people | -2.1% |
| 1980 | 855,935 people | -1.9% |
| 1981 | 843,238 people | -1.5% |
| 1982 | 833,251 people | -1.2% |
| 1983 | 824,881 people | -1.0% |
| 1984 | 816,088 people | -1.1% |
| 1985 | 805,400 people | -1.3% |
| 1986 | 794,513 people | -1.4% |
| 1987 | 785,376 people | -1.2% |
| 1988 | 778,657 people | -0.9% |
| 1989 | 776,596 people | -0.3% |
| 1990 | 790,225 people | +1.8% |
| 1991 | 807,024 people | +2.1% |
| 1992 | 815,176 people | +1.0% |
| 1993 | 824,800 people | +1.2% |
| 1994 | 835,745 people | +1.3% |
| 1995 | 847,523 people | +1.4% |
| 1996 | 859,076 people | +1.4% |
| 1997 | 868,745 people | +1.1% |
| 1998 | 874,897 people | +0.7% |
| 1999 | 877,456 people | +0.3% |
| 2000 | 878,039 people | +0.1% |
| 2001 | 879,233 people | +0.1% |
| 2002 | 883,641 people | +0.5% |
| 2003 | 889,200 people | +0.6% |
| 2004 | 891,613 people | +0.3% |
| 2005 | 890,457 people | -0.1% |
| 2006 | 889,546 people | -0.1% |
| 2007 | 891,634 people | +0.2% |
| 2008 | 895,902 people | +0.5% |
| 2009 | 901,529 people | +0.6% |
| 2010 | 907,064 people | +0.6% |
| 2011 | 909,852 people | +0.3% |
| 2012 | 909,782 people | -0.0% |
| 2013 | 909,786 people | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 912,115 people | +0.3% |
| 2015 | 917,193 people | +0.6% |
| 2016 | 925,605 people | +0.9% |
| 2017 | 936,242 people | +1.1% |
| 2018 | 946,491 people | +1.1% |
| 2019 | 956,275 people | +1.0% |
| 2020 | 964,243 people | +0.8% |
| 2021 | 963,346 people | -0.1% |
| 2022 | 956,568 people | -0.7% |
| 2023 | 950,495 people | -0.6% |
New Zealand compared with similar countries
- New Zealand's 950,495 people is above the median for high income countries, which is 424,895 people, 2.2× the median. (85 countries reporting)
- New Zealand's 950,495 people is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 473,838 people, 2.0× the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 656,196 people | 555,049 people | 758,127 people | 10 |
| 1960s | 849,659 people | 780,545 people | 895,882 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 910,603 people | 872,245 people | 930,354 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 811,394 people | 776,596 people | 855,935 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 840,067 people | 790,225 people | 877,456 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 889,079 people | 878,039 people | 901,529 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 923,040 people | 907,064 people | 956,275 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 958,663 people | 950,495 people | 964,243 people | 4 |
Countries ranked near New Zealand
More population data for New Zealand
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.0739 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.0744 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -14.71 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.0744 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development -0.1% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 256,010 people (2100)
- Population density 22.07 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth -0.1% (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.191 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 0.628 Percent per annum (2030)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of children, working-age adults, and older people in New Zealand?
- Share of children, working-age adults, and older people in New Zealand was 950,495 people in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of children, working-age adults, and older people recorded in New Zealand?
- The highest recorded value was 964,243 people in 2020.
- What is the lowest share of children, working-age adults, and older people recorded in New Zealand?
- The lowest recorded value was 555,049 people in 1950.
- How does New Zealand rank for share of children, working-age adults, and older people?
- New Zealand ranks 126th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is share of children, working-age adults, and older people rising or falling in New Zealand?
- Over the last ten years it is up 4.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this New Zealand data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of children, working-age adults, and older people. 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 0-14.