Which has higher median age, American Samoa or South Africa?

American Samoa, at 28.43 years against 28.21 years in South Africa as of 2023.

What is the difference in median age between American Samoa and South Africa?

0.22 years, with American Samoa ahead.

How many years of comparable data are there for American Samoa and South Africa?

74 years are reported by both, from 1950 to 2023.

Where does this data come from?

UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as Median age. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

American Samoa vs South Africa: Median age

American Samoa

28.43 years

in 2023

South Africa

28.21 years

in 2023

American Samoa rank

140th

South Africa rank

143rd

Median age over time

American Samoa
South Africa

How they compare

American Samoa currently reports 28.43 years against 28.21 years in South Africa, a difference of 0.22 years.

The two have swapped places 3 times across 74 shared years of data; in 1950 it was South Africa ahead.

American Samoa ranks 140th and South Africa ranks 143rd of 236 countries.

South Africa has averaged higher in every one of the 8 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade	American Samoa	South Africa	Difference	Ahead
1950s	15.01 years	18.63 years	3.63 years	South Africa
1960s	14.77 years	17.8 years	3.03 years	South Africa
1970s	16.31 years	17.88 years	1.57 years	South Africa
1980s	18.74 years	19.22 years	0.4871 years	South Africa
1990s	20.02 years	20.47 years	0.4502 years	South Africa
2000s	21.11 years	22.03 years	0.9142 years	South Africa
2010s	23.9 years	25.21 years	1.32 years	South Africa
2020s	27.57 years	27.75 years	0.1867 years	South Africa

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher median age, American Samoa or South Africa?: American Samoa, at 28.43 years against 28.21 years in South Africa as of 2023.
What is the difference in median age between American Samoa and South Africa?: 0.22 years, with American Samoa ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for American Samoa and South Africa?: 74 years are reported by both, from 1950 to 2023.
How do American Samoa and South Africa rank globally for median age?: American Samoa ranks 140th and South Africa ranks 143rd of 236 countries.
Where does this data come from?: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as Median age. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

Individual pages

About this data

Indicator: Median age
Unit: years
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage: 236 places, 17,464 data points, 1950–2023
Last refreshed: 06 August 2026

The age that divides the population into two halves of equal size — half are younger and half are older.