Median age in Iceland
Iceland: Median age was 35.81 years in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
35.81 years
Change on year
up 0.2%
World rank
93rd
of 236 countries
All-time high
35.81 years
in 2023
All-time low
23.01 years
in 1966
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Median age in Iceland, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in years.
Analysis
Iceland recorded 35.81 years for median age in 2023. That is the highest value across all 74 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.2% on the previous year and up 3.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, median age in Iceland peaked at 35.81 years in 2023 and was at its lowest, 23.01 years, in 1966.
Iceland ranks 93rd of 236 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 74 years of available data.
Median age in Iceland, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 25.52 years | — |
| 1951 | 25.46 years | -0.2% |
| 1952 | 25.37 years | -0.3% |
| 1953 | 25.29 years | -0.3% |
| 1954 | 25.21 years | -0.3% |
| 1955 | 25.13 years | -0.3% |
| 1956 | 25.05 years | -0.3% |
| 1957 | 25 years | -0.2% |
| 1958 | 24.89 years | -0.4% |
| 1959 | 24.69 years | -0.8% |
| 1960 | 24.44 years | -1.0% |
| 1961 | 24.17 years | -1.1% |
| 1962 | 23.9 years | -1.1% |
| 1963 | 23.61 years | -1.2% |
| 1964 | 23.32 years | -1.2% |
| 1965 | 23.11 years | -0.9% |
| 1966 | 23.01 years | -0.4% |
| 1967 | 23.01 years | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 23.1 years | +0.4% |
| 1969 | 23.26 years | +0.7% |
| 1970 | 23.45 years | +0.8% |
| 1971 | 23.62 years | +0.7% |
| 1972 | 23.75 years | +0.6% |
| 1973 | 23.91 years | +0.7% |
| 1974 | 24.12 years | +0.9% |
| 1975 | 24.38 years | +1.1% |
| 1976 | 24.66 years | +1.2% |
| 1977 | 24.99 years | +1.4% |
| 1978 | 25.31 years | +1.3% |
| 1979 | 25.59 years | +1.1% |
| 1980 | 25.86 years | +1.0% |
| 1981 | 26.13 years | +1.0% |
| 1982 | 26.38 years | +1.0% |
| 1983 | 26.65 years | +1.0% |
| 1984 | 26.97 years | +1.2% |
| 1985 | 27.35 years | +1.4% |
| 1986 | 27.75 years | +1.5% |
| 1987 | 28.09 years | +1.2% |
| 1988 | 28.33 years | +0.9% |
| 1989 | 28.61 years | +1.0% |
| 1990 | 28.96 years | +1.2% |
| 1991 | 29.24 years | +1.0% |
| 1992 | 29.48 years | +0.8% |
| 1993 | 29.74 years | +0.9% |
| 1994 | 30.07 years | +1.1% |
| 1995 | 30.44 years | +1.2% |
| 1996 | 30.8 years | +1.2% |
| 1997 | 31.12 years | +1.0% |
| 1998 | 31.42 years | +1.0% |
| 1999 | 31.67 years | +0.8% |
| 2000 | 31.87 years | +0.6% |
| 2001 | 32.08 years | +0.7% |
| 2002 | 32.36 years | +0.9% |
| 2003 | 32.67 years | +0.9% |
| 2004 | 32.95 years | +0.9% |
| 2005 | 33.19 years | +0.7% |
| 2006 | 33.45 years | +0.8% |
| 2007 | 33.56 years | +0.3% |
| 2008 | 33.52 years | -0.1% |
| 2009 | 33.63 years | +0.3% |
| 2010 | 33.88 years | +0.7% |
| 2011 | 34.14 years | +0.8% |
| 2012 | 34.38 years | +0.7% |
| 2013 | 34.53 years | +0.5% |
| 2014 | 34.7 years | +0.5% |
| 2015 | 34.94 years | +0.7% |
| 2016 | 35.18 years | +0.7% |
| 2017 | 35.31 years | +0.4% |
| 2018 | 35.37 years | +0.2% |
| 2019 | 35.45 years | +0.2% |
| 2020 | 35.59 years | +0.4% |
| 2021 | 35.72 years | +0.3% |
| 2022 | 35.75 years | +0.1% |
| 2023 | 35.81 years | +0.2% |
Iceland compared with similar countries
- Iceland's 35.81 years is below the median for high income countries, which is 39.36 years, 91% of the median. (85 countries reporting)
- Iceland's 35.81 years is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 41.35 years, 87% of the median. (56 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 25.16 years | 24.69 years | 25.52 years | 10 |
| 1960s | 23.49 years | 23.01 years | 24.44 years | 10 |
| 1970s | 24.38 years | 23.45 years | 25.59 years | 10 |
| 1980s | 27.21 years | 25.86 years | 28.61 years | 10 |
| 1990s | 30.29 years | 28.96 years | 31.67 years | 10 |
| 2000s | 32.93 years | 31.87 years | 33.63 years | 10 |
| 2010s | 34.79 years | 33.88 years | 35.45 years | 10 |
| 2020s | 35.72 years | 35.59 years | 35.81 years | 4 |
Countries ranked near Iceland
More reference data data for Iceland
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.0288 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.0708 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 0.1854 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0001 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 0.1854 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.0964 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.062 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.2576 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 0.7664 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0005 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is median age in Iceland?
- Median age in Iceland was 35.81 years in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest median age recorded in Iceland?
- The highest recorded value was 35.81 years in 2023.
- What is the lowest median age recorded in Iceland?
- The lowest recorded value was 23.01 years in 1966.
- How does Iceland rank for median age?
- Iceland ranks 93rd out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is median age rising or falling in Iceland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Iceland data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Median age. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Age that divides the population into two halves of equal size — half are younger and half are older.