South Korea vs United States: Median age

Median age in 2023: 44.5 years in South Korea and 38 years in United States, by UN estimates. In 2023 the value was higher in South Korea, by 6.5 years, or 1.17 times that in United States.

Watch it change on the map

years · UN

South KoreaUnited StatesUN projection (medium variant)95% prediction intervalWorld

What the numbers say

South Korea has been higher since 2009, when it overtook United States.
In 2023, South Korea ranked 19 and United States ranked 68 of 229 countries, counting from the highest.
The UN projection (medium variant) puts South Korea at 59.9 years and United States at 45.3 years in 2100.
The world as a whole: 30.4 years in 2023.

Every year

years · UN

Year	South Korea	United States	World
2023	44.5	38	30.4
2022	43.9	37.7	30.1
2021	43.4	37.5	29.8
2020	42.8	37.2	29.6
2019	42.2	37	29.3
2018	41.6	36.8	29
2017	41.1	36.7	28.8
2016	40.5	36.5	28.5
2015	39.9	36.4	28.3
2014	39.2	36.3	28.1
2013	38.5	36.2	27.8
2012	37.9	36.1	27.6
2011	37.2	36	27.4
2010	36.6	35.9	27.2
2009	36	35.8	27
2008	35.4	35.7	26.7
2007	34.8	35.5	26.5
2006	34.2	35.4	26.3
2005	33.6	35.2	26.1
2004	32.9	35	25.9
2003	32.3	34.8	25.7
2002	31.7	34.7	25.5
2001	31.2	34.5	25.3
2000	30.7	34.3	25.1
1999	30.2	34.1	24.9
1998	29.7	33.9	24.7
1997	29.2	33.6	24.4
1996	28.8	33.4	24.2
1995	28.3	33.1	24
1994	27.9	32.9	23.8
1993	27.4	32.6	23.5
1992	26.9	32.4	23.3
1991	26.3	32.1	23.1
1990	25.8	31.9	22.9
1989	25.3	31.6	22.8
1988	24.8	31.3	22.6
1987	24.3	31	22.4
1986	23.8	30.7	22.2
1985	23.3	30.4	22
1984	22.8	30.2	21.9
1983	22.3	29.9	21.8
1982	21.8	29.6	21.7
1981	21.4	29.4	21.6
1980	20.9	29.1	21.5
1979	20.5	28.9	21.3
1978	20	28.6	21.1
1977	19.6	28.3	21
1976	19.2	27.9	20.8
1975	18.9	27.6	20.7
1974	18.5	27.3	20.5
1973	18.2	27.1	20.4
1972	18	27	20.4
1971	17.8	26.8	20.3
1970	17.7	26.7	20.3
1969	17.6	26.7	20.3
1968	17.6	26.7	20.4
1967	17.5	26.8	20.5
1966	17.5	26.9	20.6
1965	17.5	27	20.8
1964	17.7	27.2	21
1963	17.9	27.5	21.2
1962	18.1	27.7	21.4
1961	18.3	28	21.4
1960	18.3	28.3	21.5
1959	18.3	28.5	21.5
1958	18.3	28.7	21.5
1957	18.2	28.8	21.6
1956	18	28.9	21.7
1955	17.9	29	21.8
1954	17.7	29	21.9
1953	17.6	29	22
1952	17.5	29	22.1
1951	17.5	29	22.1
1950	17.7	29	22.2

UN projection (medium variant) · 2024–2100

Year	South Korea	United States	World
2024	45.145–45.1	38.338.3–38.3	30.6
2025	45.645.5–45.8	38.538.4–38.6	30.9
2026	46.245.9–46.5	38.738.6–38.9	31.1
2027	46.846.4–47.2	38.938.7–39.1	31.3
2028	47.346.8–47.9	39.138.8–39.4	31.6
2029	47.947.2–48.6	39.339–39.7	31.8
2030	48.547.6–49.3	39.639.1–40	32
2031	4948–50	39.839.2–40.3	32.2
2032	49.648.4–50.8	4039.3–40.6	32.4
2033	50.148.7–51.5	40.239.4–40.9	32.6
2034	50.749–52.2	40.339.5–41.2	32.8
2035	51.249.2–52.9	40.539.5–41.4	33
2036	51.649.4–53.6	40.639.5–41.7	33.2
2037	52.149.7–54.2	40.739.4–41.9	33.4
2038	52.549.8–54.9	40.739.4–42.1	33.6
2039	52.950–55.5	40.839.3–42.3	33.8
2040	53.350.2–56.1	40.839.3–42.5	34
2041	53.750.4–56.7	40.939.2–42.6	34.2
2042	5450.6–57.2	4139.2–42.8	34.4
2043	54.450.8–57.7	4139.2–43	34.6
2044	54.751–58.2	41.139.2–43.2	34.8
2045	5551.2–58.7	41.239.3–43.4	35
2046	55.351.4–59.2	41.339.4–43.6	35.2
2047	55.751.6–59.6	41.439.5–43.8	35.4
2048	5651.8–60.1	41.539.6–44	35.6
2049	56.452–60.5	41.739.7–44.2	35.9
2050	56.752.2–60.9	41.939.7–44.4	36.1
2051	57.152.4–61.4	4239.8–44.6	36.3
2052	57.552.6–61.8	42.239.9–44.8	36.5
2053	57.852.7–62.2	42.339.9–45.1	36.7
2054	58.252.9–62.6	42.440–45.3	36.9
2055	58.553–63.1	42.640–45.6	37.1
2056	58.853.1–63.5	42.740.1–45.8	37.3
2057	59.253.1–63.9	42.840.1–46	37.5
2058	59.553.1–64.4	42.940.1–46.2	37.6
2059	59.853.1–64.9	4340.2–46.4	37.8
2060	60.153.1–65.4	43.140.1–46.6	37.9
2061	60.353.1–65.8	43.240.1–46.8	38
2062	60.653.2–66.3	43.340.1–47	38.1
2063	60.853.2–66.7	43.440.1–47.2	38.3
2064	60.953.2–67.1	43.540–47.4	38.4
2065	6153.3–67.5	43.540–47.6	38.5
2066	61.153.4–67.9	43.540–47.7	38.6
2067	61.253.5–68.3	43.640–47.9	38.7
2068	61.353.5–68.7	43.640–48	38.8
2069	61.453.5–69	43.740–48.1	38.9
2070	61.553.6–69.4	43.740–48.3	39
2071	61.653.6–69.7	43.840–48.4	39.1
2072	61.853.5–70	43.840–48.5	39.2
2073	61.953.4–70.2	43.840–48.6	39.3
2074	62.153.3–70.3	43.940–48.7	39.4
2075	62.253.1–70.4	43.940–48.8	39.5
2076	62.452.9–70.4	43.940–48.9	39.6
2077	62.652.7–70.4	4440.1–49	39.7
2078	62.752.5–70.4	4440.1–49.2	39.8
2079	62.952.3–70.4	44.140.2–49.3	40
2080	6352.2–70.4	44.140.2–49.4	40.1
2081	6352–70.4	44.240.2–49.6	40.2
2082	6351.9–70.5	44.240.3–49.7	40.3
2083	62.951.8–70.6	44.340.3–49.8	40.4
2084	62.751.7–70.7	44.440.4–49.9	40.5
2085	62.551.7–70.8	44.540.4–50	40.6
2086	62.251.7–70.8	44.540.5–50.1	40.7
2087	61.951.6–70.8	44.640.5–50.3	40.9
2088	61.651.5–70.9	44.740.5–50.4	41
2089	61.451.5–70.7	44.840.6–50.5	41.1
2090	61.251.5–70.2	44.840.6–50.7	41.2
2091	6151.4–69.6	44.940.6–50.8	41.3
2092	60.951.3–69	4540.6–51	41.4
2093	60.751.3–68.3	4540.7–51.1	41.5
2094	60.651.3–67.6	45.140.7–51.2	41.6
2095	60.551.2–67	45.140.7–51.4	41.7
2096	60.451.2–66.4	45.240.7–51.5	41.8
2097	60.251.1–65.9	45.240.7–51.6	41.9
2098	60.151.1–65.3	45.340.7–51.7	42
2099	6051.1–64.7	45.340.7–51.8	42
2100	59.951–64.1	45.340.7–52	42.1

Each country on its own

Good to know

Half the people are older than this age and half are younger.
Source: UN DESA, World Population Prospects 2024.
The dashed line is the UN projection (medium variant), a scenario rather than a forecast; the band is its 95% prediction interval.
Ranks count the 229 countries with a value in 2023, highest first.
The faint line is the world as a whole, as the same source counts it.

How the layers work, where their data comes from and what they can’t tell you: Countries through time

South Korea vs United States: Median age

What the numbers say

Every year

Each country on its own

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