South Korea vs United States
South Korea vs United States: People aged 65 and over
People aged 65 and over in 2023: 18.3% in South Korea and 17.4% in United States, by UN estimates. In 2023 the value was higher in South Korea, by 0.9 percentage points, or 1.05 times that in United States.
% of people · UN
What the numbers say
- South Korea has been higher since 2021, when it overtook United States.
- In 2023, South Korea ranked 46 and United States ranked 52 of 229 countries, counting from the highest.
- The UN projection (medium variant) puts South Korea at 45.2% and United States at 28.4% in 2100.
- The world as a whole: 10% in 2023.
Every year
% of people · UN
| Year | South Korea | United States | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 18.3 | 17.4 | 10 |
| 2022 | 17.5 | 16.9 | 9.8 |
| 2021 | 16.7 | 16.5 | 9.5 |
| 2020 | 15.8 | 16.1 | 9.3 |
| 2019 | 15.1 | 15.7 | 9.1 |
| 2018 | 14.5 | 15.3 | 8.9 |
| 2017 | 13.9 | 14.9 | 8.7 |
| 2016 | 13.4 | 14.6 | 8.5 |
| 2015 | 13 | 14.3 | 8.3 |
| 2014 | 12.5 | 14 | 8.1 |
| 2013 | 12.1 | 13.7 | 7.9 |
| 2012 | 11.7 | 13.4 | 7.8 |
| 2011 | 11.4 | 13.1 | 7.7 |
| 2010 | 11 | 12.8 | 7.6 |
| 2009 | 10.6 | 12.7 | 7.5 |
| 2008 | 10.3 | 12.5 | 7.5 |
| 2007 | 9.9 | 12.3 | 7.4 |
| 2006 | 9.4 | 12.2 | 7.3 |
| 2005 | 9 | 12.1 | 7.3 |
| 2004 | 8.6 | 12.1 | 7.2 |
| 2003 | 8.2 | 12.1 | 7.1 |
| 2002 | 7.8 | 12.1 | 7 |
| 2001 | 7.4 | 12.1 | 6.9 |
| 2000 | 7.1 | 12.2 | 6.8 |
| 1999 | 6.8 | 12.2 | 6.8 |
| 1998 | 6.5 | 12.3 | 6.7 |
| 1997 | 6.2 | 12.4 | 6.6 |
| 1996 | 6 | 12.4 | 6.5 |
| 1995 | 5.8 | 12.4 | 6.5 |
| 1994 | 5.6 | 12.4 | 6.4 |
| 1993 | 5.4 | 12.4 | 6.3 |
| 1992 | 5.2 | 12.4 | 6.2 |
| 1991 | 5 | 12.4 | 6.1 |
| 1990 | 4.9 | 12.3 | 6.1 |
| 1989 | 4.8 | 12.2 | 6 |
| 1988 | 4.6 | 12.1 | 6 |
| 1987 | 4.5 | 12 | 5.9 |
| 1986 | 4.4 | 11.9 | 5.9 |
| 1985 | 4.2 | 11.7 | 5.8 |
| 1984 | 4.1 | 11.6 | 5.8 |
| 1983 | 4.1 | 11.5 | 5.8 |
| 1982 | 4 | 11.3 | 5.8 |
| 1981 | 3.9 | 11.2 | 5.8 |
| 1980 | 3.8 | 11.1 | 5.8 |
| 1979 | 3.8 | 10.9 | 5.8 |
| 1978 | 3.7 | 10.8 | 5.7 |
| 1977 | 3.7 | 10.6 | 5.6 |
| 1976 | 3.6 | 10.4 | 5.6 |
| 1975 | 3.6 | 10.3 | 5.5 |
| 1974 | 3.6 | 10.1 | 5.5 |
| 1973 | 3.5 | 10 | 5.4 |
| 1972 | 3.5 | 9.9 | 5.4 |
| 1971 | 3.4 | 9.8 | 5.3 |
| 1970 | 3.4 | 9.7 | 5.3 |
| 1969 | 3.3 | 9.6 | 5.2 |
| 1968 | 3.3 | 9.5 | 5.2 |
| 1967 | 3.3 | 9.4 | 5.2 |
| 1966 | 3.3 | 9.4 | 5.1 |
| 1965 | 3.3 | 9.3 | 5.1 |
| 1964 | 3.3 | 9.1 | 5 |
| 1963 | 3.2 | 9.1 | 5 |
| 1962 | 3.2 | 9 | 5 |
| 1961 | 3.2 | 8.9 | 5 |
| 1960 | 3.1 | 8.8 | 5 |
| 1959 | 3.1 | 8.7 | 5 |
| 1958 | 3.1 | 8.6 | 5 |
| 1957 | 3 | 8.6 | 5 |
| 1956 | 3 | 8.5 | 5 |
| 1955 | 2.9 | 8.4 | 5 |
| 1954 | 2.9 | 8.3 | 5 |
| 1953 | 2.8 | 8.2 | 5 |
| 1952 | 2.7 | 8.2 | 5 |
| 1951 | 2.7 | 8.1 | 5 |
| 1950 | 2.7 | 8 | 5.1 |
UN projection (medium variant) · 2024–2100
| Year | South Korea | United States | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 19.3 | 17.9 | 10.2 |
| 2025 | 20.3 | 18.4 | 10.4 |
| 2026 | 21.4 | 18.8 | 10.6 |
| 2027 | 22.5 | 19.3 | 10.8 |
| 2028 | 23.4 | 19.7 | 11.1 |
| 2029 | 24.2 | 20 | 11.5 |
| 2030 | 25.1 | 20.4 | 11.8 |
| 2031 | 25.9 | 20.6 | 12 |
| 2032 | 26.8 | 20.9 | 12.3 |
| 2033 | 27.7 | 21.1 | 12.6 |
| 2034 | 28.6 | 21.3 | 12.8 |
| 2035 | 29.6 | 21.5 | 13.1 |
| 2036 | 30.5 | 21.7 | 13.4 |
| 2037 | 31.4 | 21.8 | 13.7 |
| 2038 | 32.3 | 21.9 | 13.9 |
| 2039 | 33.1 | 22 | 14.1 |
| 2040 | 33.8 | 22 | 14.3 |
| 2041 | 34.4 | 22.1 | 14.5 |
| 2042 | 35 | 22.2 | 14.7 |
| 2043 | 35.6 | 22.3 | 14.9 |
| 2044 | 36.2 | 22.4 | 15 |
| 2045 | 36.9 | 22.5 | 15.2 |
| 2046 | 37.6 | 22.6 | 15.4 |
| 2047 | 38.3 | 22.7 | 15.7 |
| 2048 | 38.9 | 22.9 | 15.9 |
| 2049 | 39.3 | 23 | 16.1 |
| 2050 | 39.7 | 23.1 | 16.3 |
| 2051 | 40 | 23.2 | 16.6 |
| 2052 | 40.3 | 23.4 | 16.8 |
| 2053 | 40.6 | 23.5 | 17.1 |
| 2054 | 40.9 | 23.7 | 17.3 |
| 2055 | 41.2 | 23.9 | 17.6 |
| 2056 | 41.6 | 24.1 | 17.8 |
| 2057 | 42.1 | 24.2 | 18 |
| 2058 | 42.7 | 24.4 | 18.2 |
| 2059 | 43.2 | 24.5 | 18.4 |
| 2060 | 43.7 | 24.6 | 18.5 |
| 2061 | 44.2 | 24.6 | 18.7 |
| 2062 | 44.7 | 24.7 | 18.8 |
| 2063 | 45.1 | 24.8 | 19 |
| 2064 | 45.5 | 24.9 | 19.1 |
| 2065 | 45.9 | 25 | 19.3 |
| 2066 | 46.2 | 25.1 | 19.4 |
| 2067 | 46.4 | 25.2 | 19.6 |
| 2068 | 46.5 | 25.4 | 19.7 |
| 2069 | 46.6 | 25.5 | 19.9 |
| 2070 | 46.7 | 25.7 | 20 |
| 2071 | 46.7 | 25.9 | 20.2 |
| 2072 | 46.9 | 26.1 | 20.3 |
| 2073 | 47 | 26.3 | 20.5 |
| 2074 | 47.2 | 26.5 | 20.7 |
| 2075 | 47.4 | 26.7 | 20.9 |
| 2076 | 47.6 | 26.8 | 21.1 |
| 2077 | 47.9 | 27 | 21.3 |
| 2078 | 48.1 | 27.1 | 21.5 |
| 2079 | 48.3 | 27.2 | 21.7 |
| 2080 | 48.5 | 27.3 | 21.9 |
| 2081 | 48.7 | 27.4 | 22.1 |
| 2082 | 48.8 | 27.5 | 22.3 |
| 2083 | 48.8 | 27.6 | 22.4 |
| 2084 | 48.7 | 27.6 | 22.6 |
| 2085 | 48.5 | 27.7 | 22.7 |
| 2086 | 48.2 | 27.7 | 22.8 |
| 2087 | 47.9 | 27.8 | 22.9 |
| 2088 | 47.6 | 27.8 | 22.9 |
| 2089 | 47.3 | 27.9 | 23 |
| 2090 | 47 | 27.9 | 23.1 |
| 2091 | 46.8 | 27.9 | 23.2 |
| 2092 | 46.5 | 28 | 23.3 |
| 2093 | 46.3 | 28 | 23.3 |
| 2094 | 46.1 | 28.1 | 23.4 |
| 2095 | 46 | 28.1 | 23.5 |
| 2096 | 45.8 | 28.2 | 23.6 |
| 2097 | 45.7 | 28.2 | 23.7 |
| 2098 | 45.5 | 28.3 | 23.7 |
| 2099 | 45.4 | 28.4 | 23.8 |
| 2100 | 45.2 | 28.4 | 23.9 |
Each country on its own
Good to know
- The share of the population aged 65 or older.
- Source: UN DESA, World Population Prospects 2024.
- The dashed line is the UN projection (medium variant), a scenario rather than a forecast.
- 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
Health
- Life expectancySouth Korea: 84.3 years in 2023United States: 79.3 years in 2023
- Child mortalitySouth Korea: 0.3 per 100 live births in 2024United States: 0.7 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalitySouth Korea: 2.1 per 1,000 live births in 2023United States: 5.3 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- Safe drinking waterSouth Korea: 99.3% in 2022United States: 97.5% in 2022
- DepressionSouth Korea: 3.17% in 2017United States: 4.84% in 2017
- Suicide rateSouth Korea: 20.8 per 100,000 people in 2017United States: 12.8 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationSouth Korea: 51.8 million people in 2023United States: 344 million people in 2023
- Population growthSouth Korea: -0.04% a year in 2023United States: 0.58% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateSouth Korea: 0.72 births per woman in 2023United States: 1.62 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationSouth Korea: 81.2% in 2025United States: 80.2% in 2025
- Median ageSouth Korea: 44.5 years in 2023United States: 38 years in 2023
- Net migration rateSouth Korea: 1.7 per 1,000 people in 2023United States: 3.9 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
- GDP per personSouth Korea: $37,470 in 2025United States: $67,950 in 2025
- GDP growthSouth Korea: 1.1% a year in 2025United States: 2.3% a year in 2025
- InflationSouth Korea: 2.1% a year in 2025United States: 2.7% a year in 2025
- Government debtSouth Korea: 49.6% of GDP in 2024United States: 124.4% of GDP in 2025
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingSouth Korea: 2.6% of GDP in 2025United States: 3.12% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollarsSouth Korea: $48.9B in 2025United States: $929B in 2025
- Military spending per personSouth Korea: $924 in 2025United States: $2,755 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingSouth Korea: 10.8% of government spending in 2025United States: 8.3% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelSouth Korea: 569,000 people in 2020United States: 1.4 million people in 2020
- National powerSouth Korea: 2% of world capability in 2022United States: 12.36% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersSouth Korea: 2.01% of the labour force in 2020United States: 0.84% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsSouth Korea: 222 million TIV in 2025United States: 745 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsSouth Korea: 2.02 billion TIV in 2025United States: 14 billion TIV in 2025