Median age in Switzerland
Switzerland: Median age was 42.33 years in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
42.33 years
Change on year
up 0.9%
World rank
36th
of 236 countries
All-time high
42.33 years
in 2023
All-time low
30.51 years
in 1964
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Median age in Switzerland, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in years.
Analysis
In 2023, median age in Switzerland stood at 42.33 years. That is the highest value across all 74 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.9% on the previous year and up 3.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, median age in Switzerland peaked at 42.33 years in 2023 and was at its lowest, 30.51 years, in 1964.
That places Switzerland 36th out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 74 years of available data.
Median age in Switzerland, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 32.18 years | — |
| 1951 | 32.08 years | -0.3% |
| 1952 | 31.94 years | -0.4% |
| 1953 | 31.9 years | -0.1% |
| 1954 | 31.92 years | +0.1% |
| 1955 | 31.91 years | -0.0% |
| 1956 | 31.86 years | -0.1% |
| 1957 | 31.8 years | -0.2% |
| 1958 | 31.74 years | -0.2% |
| 1959 | 31.68 years | -0.2% |
| 1960 | 31.59 years | -0.3% |
| 1961 | 31.32 years | -0.9% |
| 1962 | 30.94 years | -1.2% |
| 1963 | 30.65 years | -0.9% |
| 1964 | 30.51 years | -0.5% |
| 1965 | 30.52 years | +0.0% |
| 1966 | 30.58 years | +0.2% |
| 1967 | 30.61 years | +0.1% |
| 1968 | 30.64 years | +0.1% |
| 1969 | 30.7 years | +0.2% |
| 1970 | 30.9 years | +0.6% |
| 1971 | 31.12 years | +0.7% |
| 1972 | 31.23 years | +0.4% |
| 1973 | 31.38 years | +0.4% |
| 1974 | 31.61 years | +0.7% |
| 1975 | 31.96 years | +1.1% |
| 1976 | 32.39 years | +1.3% |
| 1977 | 32.78 years | +1.2% |
| 1978 | 33.14 years | +1.1% |
| 1979 | 33.47 years | +1.0% |
| 1980 | 33.77 years | +0.9% |
| 1981 | 34.04 years | +0.8% |
| 1982 | 34.31 years | +0.8% |
| 1983 | 34.59 years | +0.8% |
| 1984 | 34.88 years | +0.8% |
| 1985 | 35.13 years | +0.7% |
| 1986 | 35.36 years | +0.6% |
| 1987 | 35.54 years | +0.5% |
| 1988 | 35.7 years | +0.4% |
| 1989 | 35.82 years | +0.3% |
| 1990 | 35.88 years | +0.2% |
| 1991 | 35.84 years | -0.1% |
| 1992 | 35.83 years | -0.0% |
| 1993 | 35.93 years | +0.3% |
| 1994 | 36.08 years | +0.4% |
| 1995 | 36.27 years | +0.5% |
| 1996 | 36.51 years | +0.6% |
| 1997 | 36.79 years | +0.8% |
| 1998 | 37.09 years | +0.8% |
| 1999 | 37.38 years | +0.8% |
| 2000 | 37.66 years | +0.7% |
| 2001 | 37.95 years | +0.8% |
| 2002 | 38.26 years | +0.8% |
| 2003 | 38.57 years | +0.8% |
| 2004 | 38.9 years | +0.9% |
| 2005 | 39.25 years | +0.9% |
| 2006 | 39.6 years | +0.9% |
| 2007 | 39.89 years | +0.7% |
| 2008 | 40.11 years | +0.5% |
| 2009 | 40.32 years | +0.5% |
| 2010 | 40.52 years | +0.5% |
| 2011 | 40.69 years | +0.4% |
| 2012 | 40.88 years | +0.5% |
| 2013 | 41.04 years | +0.4% |
| 2014 | 41.16 years | +0.3% |
| 2015 | 41.26 years | +0.2% |
| 2016 | 41.32 years | +0.1% |
| 2017 | 41.38 years | +0.2% |
| 2018 | 41.48 years | +0.2% |
| 2019 | 41.58 years | +0.2% |
| 2020 | 41.67 years | +0.2% |
| 2021 | 41.74 years | +0.2% |
| 2022 | 41.96 years | +0.5% |
| 2023 | 42.33 years | +0.9% |
Switzerland compared with similar countries
- Switzerland's 42.33 years is above the median for high income countries, which is 39.36 years, 1.1× the median. (85 countries reporting)
- Switzerland's 42.33 years is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 41.35 years, 1.0× the median. (56 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 31.9 years | 31.68 years | 32.18 years | 10 |
| 1960s | 30.81 years | 30.51 years | 31.59 years | 10 |
| 1970s | 32 years | 30.9 years | 33.47 years | 10 |
| 1980s | 34.91 years | 33.77 years | 35.82 years | 10 |
| 1990s | 36.36 years | 35.83 years | 37.38 years | 10 |
| 2000s | 39.05 years | 37.66 years | 40.32 years | 10 |
| 2010s | 41.13 years | 40.52 years | 41.58 years | 10 |
| 2020s | 41.93 years | 41.67 years | 42.33 years | 4 |
Countries ranked near Switzerland
More reference data data for Switzerland
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.5507 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.2683 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 1.24 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.05 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 1.24 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.85 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 1.28 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 1.37 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 6.28 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.272 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is median age in Switzerland?
- Median age in Switzerland was 42.33 years in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest median age recorded in Switzerland?
- The highest recorded value was 42.33 years in 2023.
- What is the lowest median age recorded in Switzerland?
- The lowest recorded value was 30.51 years in 1964.
- How does Switzerland rank for median age?
- Switzerland ranks 36th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is median age rising or falling in Switzerland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Switzerland 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.