Population and Demographics of New Zealand
An aging population · 17.2% aged 65 or older in 2024
The age balance in New Zealand spans 18.12% under 15 and 17.20% aged 65 or older, while annual population change stands at +0.79%. Compared with 2000, the 2024 population is 35.1% larger, showing the scale of the longer shift. That context matters for the outlook: the 2050 medium projection is 5.75 million, 10.4% higher than in 2024.
Population Over Time in New Zealand
Between 2000 and 2024, New Zealand's population increased by about 1.36 million, moving from 3.858M to 5.214M. The central 2050 projection is 5.755M, implying a +10.4% change from 2024 if that path is realized. The chart connects dated reference points only and should not be read as an annual interpolated series.
Age Structure and Sex Balance
The broad age bands show a maturing population structure in New Zealand. The under-15 share is 18.12% and the 65-and-older share is 17.20%, with 64.68% aged 15 to 64. The youngest and oldest broad age groups are relatively close in size.
Population by broad age group
The 2024 World Bank sex-share indicator gives New Zealand a female share of 50.3% and a male share of 49.7%. The split is close to even.
Female and male population share
Females made up 50.3% of the population in the World Bank's 2024 series, compared with 49.7% males.
What Is Shaping Population Change
The short-run measure for New Zealand is +0.79% population change in 2024, alongside fertility of 1.7, and 64.68% of residents fall in the broad 15-to-64 age group.
Across the historical reference points, New Zealand moved +35.1% from 2000 to 2024, before a projected +10.4% shift to 2050 under the medium scenario; the page therefore distinguishes measured direction from unmeasured demographic drivers.
2024 estimate for New Zealand. The world comparison value is 2.25 children per woman.
New Zealand vs. World
In the harmonized 2024 comparison, New Zealand's annual population change is lower than the world rate, fertility is below the global level, and its population is older than the world median-age profile.
| Indicator | New Zealand | World | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual population change | +0.79% | +0.87% | 2024 |
| Total fertility rate | 1.7 | 2.25 | 2024 |
| Median age | 38 | 30.6 | 2024 |
The table deliberately uses one 2024 source context for New Zealand and the world. This avoids combining national figures from one year with global figures from another.
Key Takeaways
New Zealand has 5,213,944 people in the 2024 estimate, with the population changing +0.79% over the year.
Age structure is a key feature of the profile: 18.12% are under 15 and 17.20% are 65 or older.
The World Bank 2024 sex-share series is 50.3% female and 49.7% male.
On the medium path, 2050 reaches 5.755M, a +10.4% shift from the 2024 level.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the population of New Zealand?
The 2024 harmonized population estimate for New Zealand is 5,213,944 people.
Is the population of New Zealand growing or declining?
In the 2024 estimate, New Zealand's population is growing, with annual change of +0.79%.
What percentage of the population of New Zealand is aged 65 or older?
People aged 65 or older account for 17.20% of New Zealand's 2024 population in the UN WPP-based broad age data.
What is the projected population of New Zealand in 2050?
The UN World Population Prospects 2024 medium projection puts New Zealand's 2050 population at 5,755,288.
What is the fertility rate in New Zealand?
The 2024 harmonized fertility estimate for New Zealand is 1.7 children per woman.
Sources & methodology
This profile uses United Nations World Population Prospects 2024 as the primary framework for globally comparable population, age, fertility and projection data. The World Bank is the primary source for the female population share. Some country values were accessed through secondary retrieval interfaces that republish or organize UN data; those interfaces are identified below as secondary and are not treated as the original statistical publishers.
View sources used for this page
Primary global framework for the population estimates and projections.
Harmonized 2024 country table based on UN World Population Prospects 2024.
Harmonized broad age shares based on UN World Population Prospects 2024.
Harmonized reference for the 2000 population point.
Harmonized 2050 country projection based on UN World Population Prospects 2024.
Used for the 2024 female share; the male share is calculated as the remainder to 100%.