The Global Population Is Aging At An Unprecedented Pace

The world’s population is aging rapidly, with people aged 65 and older expected to account for nearly one fifth of the global population by 2060, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s An Aging World: 2025 report.

The share of people aged 65 and older is projected to rise from 10.5% in 2025 to 19.6% in 2060. A major demographic milestone has already occurred. Between 2020 and 2025, older adults outnumbered children aged 5 and younger for the first time in recorded history.

In 2025, 18.9% of the U.S. population was aged 65 or older, ranking the country 48th oldest among 227 countries. By 2060, that share is expected to reach 23.4%. Despite this increase, the United States is projected to fall to 110th place as populations in many other countries age even faster.

Japan had the world’s oldest population in 2025, with 29.7% aged 65 and older. By 2060, South Korea is expected to take the lead, with older adults representing about 41% of its population.

Europe remains the world’s oldest region, with its population aged 65 and older projected to grow from 21% in 2025 to 30.8% in 2060. However, Africa is expected to surpass Europe in the total number of older adults. By 2060, Africa could have 249 million people aged 65 and older, compared with 214 million in Europe.

The report notes that falling birth rates, longer life expectancy, improved healthcare, better education and economic development are driving this demographic transformation. The shift is expected to place growing pressure on healthcare systems, government finances, employment and long term care.

Health is a particularly important concern. People are living longer, but healthy life expectancy is not increasing at the same pace. In the United States, an estimated 73% of adults aged 65 and older had at least two chronic health conditions between 2016 and 2019. Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias are also among the five leading causes of death globally for people aged 60 and older.

Aging populations could also increase financial pressure on governments. Across OECD countries, government health spending is projected to grow at roughly twice the rate of government revenues over the next decade. Pension systems vary significantly as well, with retirement benefits replacing more than 90% of average wages in some countries but only about half in others, including the United States.

Caregiving presents another challenge. Unpaid care provided by relatives and friends remains the primary source of long term support for older adults worldwide, with women providing a large share of that care. The COVID 19 pandemic further exposed vulnerabilities among older people, including social isolation, disrupted healthcare, job losses and limited digital access.

At the same time, older adults continue to make important economic and social contributions. Labor force participation among people aged 65 and older has increased in many high income countries, while volunteering remains significant in some nations.

The Census Bureau’s findings show that population aging is no longer limited to a handful of wealthy countries. It is becoming a worldwide demographic shift that will reshape healthcare, employment, pensions, caregiving and social policy for decades to come.

An Aging World: 2025 is the sixth edition of the U.S. Census Bureau’s global aging series, first published in 1987. The report draws on the Census Bureau’s International Database and data from organizations including the World Bank, International Labour Organization and OECD.