1.1 million people aged 65+ likely in 2030

New Zealand's population aged 65 years and over (65+) is projected to eclipse 1 million in the late 2020s, Statistics New Zealand said today.

According to newly released population projections, 1 in 5 New Zealanders will be aged 65+ by the late 2020s. The number of people aged 65+ will exceed the number of children aged less than 15 years. Currently, there are 600,000 people aged 65+ and 900,000 children.

“These trends reflect much lower fertility rates in recent decades, and people continuing to live longer,” Population Statistics manager Andrea Blackburn said.

New Zealand's total population is projected to reach 5 million in the mid-2020s and 6 million in 2061. Currently 4.4 million people live in New Zealand. Population growth will slow as our population ages and the gap between the number of births and deaths narrows. A population of 7 million or more by 2061 is unlikely, barring major changes in fertility rates or net migration.

These figures are from the national population projections, which indicate the size and structure of New Zealand's future population.

See also:
National Population Projections: 2011(base)–2061  –  Information release