By 2030
1 in 6people will be age 60 or older
The global population age 60 and older is projected to reach 1.4 billion.
Source: WHO Ageing and healthThe longevity shift
The world is living longer. The opportunity is to live better.
Authoritative projections reveal a historic change in the global age structure, with major implications for health, technology and society.
Reviewed August 2026
The numbers
A demographic transformation already underway.
WHO and the United Nations project rapid growth in older populations. These figures are projections, not guarantees, and depend on future mortality, fertility and migration patterns.
By 2050
2.1Bpeople age 60 or older
That is roughly twice the 2020 population in this age group.
Source: WHO Ageing and healthBy 2050
426Mpeople age 80 or older
The age 80 and older population is expected to triple from its 2020 level.
Source: WHO Ageing and healthBy the late 2070s
2.2Bpeople age 65 or older
The UN projects this group will outnumber children under age 18.
Source: UN World Population Prospects 2024A changing age profile
Three milestones, one global shift.
Population ageing is progressing at different speeds across countries, but every region is preparing for a larger share of older people.
Age 80 and older exceeds infancy
The UN projects about 265 million people age 80 or older, more than the number of infants under age one.
Most older adults live in emerging economies
WHO projects that 80% of older people will live in low-income and middle-income countries.
Older adults exceed children
The global population age 65 and older is projected to surpass the population under age 18.
Why it matters
Longevity changes what society must design for.
The significance is not limited to healthcare. Longer lives reshape products, work, cities, finance and the daily systems that help people remain independent.
Health systems
More people living into later life increases the need for prevention, integrated care, rehabilitation and long-term support.
Personal technology
Accessible sensing, feedback and assistive tools can help people understand patterns and maintain function.
Healthy environments
Communities, transport and housing must support mobility, connection and participation at every age.
Responsible innovation
Longevity products need credible evidence, transparent claims and a clear distinction between wellness and medical treatment.
Projection note. Demographic forecasts are updated as new population data become available. They describe plausible population trajectories, not fixed outcomes.
From lifespan to healthspan
Longer life is only part of the picture.
See the health measures that reveal the difference between living longer and living longer in good health.
View health statisticsSources and methodology
Population data from global public-health authorities.
- World Health Organization, Ageing and health
- United Nations, World Population Prospects 2024: Summary of Results
- United Nations, Ageing
- WHO, UN Decade of Healthy Ageing
This page presents global population estimates and projections for general information. It is not medical, financial or investment advice.