Median age in Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe: Median age was 17.81 years in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
17.81 years
Change on year
up 0.7%
World rank
216th
of 236 countries
All-time high
17.81 years
in 2023
All-time low
14.52 years
in 1965
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Median age in Zimbabwe, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in years.
Analysis
The most recent figure for median age in Zimbabwe is 17.81 years, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 74 years on record.
The figure is up 0.7% on the previous year and up 5.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, median age in Zimbabwe peaked at 17.81 years in 2023 and was at its lowest, 14.52 years, in 1965.
That places Zimbabwe 216th out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 74 years of available data.
Median age in Zimbabwe, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 17.43 years | — |
| 1951 | 17.17 years | -1.5% |
| 1952 | 16.92 years | -1.5% |
| 1953 | 16.68 years | -1.4% |
| 1954 | 16.43 years | -1.5% |
| 1955 | 16.2 years | -1.4% |
| 1956 | 15.98 years | -1.3% |
| 1957 | 15.78 years | -1.2% |
| 1958 | 15.6 years | -1.2% |
| 1959 | 15.43 years | -1.1% |
| 1960 | 15.27 years | -1.0% |
| 1961 | 15.12 years | -1.0% |
| 1962 | 14.95 years | -1.1% |
| 1963 | 14.75 years | -1.3% |
| 1964 | 14.56 years | -1.3% |
| 1965 | 14.52 years | -0.2% |
| 1966 | 14.56 years | +0.3% |
| 1967 | 14.59 years | +0.2% |
| 1968 | 14.62 years | +0.2% |
| 1969 | 14.65 years | +0.2% |
| 1970 | 14.7 years | +0.3% |
| 1971 | 14.74 years | +0.3% |
| 1972 | 14.77 years | +0.2% |
| 1973 | 14.79 years | +0.1% |
| 1974 | 14.8 years | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 14.79 years | -0.0% |
| 1976 | 14.78 years | -0.1% |
| 1977 | 14.75 years | -0.2% |
| 1978 | 14.65 years | -0.6% |
| 1979 | 14.53 years | -0.8% |
| 1980 | 14.57 years | +0.3% |
| 1981 | 14.66 years | +0.7% |
| 1982 | 14.71 years | +0.3% |
| 1983 | 14.74 years | +0.2% |
| 1984 | 14.76 years | +0.1% |
| 1985 | 14.8 years | +0.3% |
| 1986 | 14.86 years | +0.4% |
| 1987 | 14.86 years | -0.0% |
| 1988 | 14.86 years | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 14.98 years | +0.8% |
| 1990 | 15.15 years | +1.1% |
| 1991 | 15.34 years | +1.2% |
| 1992 | 15.24 years | -0.6% |
| 1993 | 15.11 years | -0.9% |
| 1994 | 15.25 years | +0.9% |
| 1995 | 15.48 years | +1.5% |
| 1996 | 15.76 years | +1.8% |
| 1997 | 16.04 years | +1.8% |
| 1998 | 16.32 years | +1.7% |
| 1999 | 16.56 years | +1.5% |
| 2000 | 16.75 years | +1.1% |
| 2001 | 16.9 years | +0.9% |
| 2002 | 17.06 years | +1.0% |
| 2003 | 17.22 years | +1.0% |
| 2004 | 17.37 years | +0.8% |
| 2005 | 17.46 years | +0.5% |
| 2006 | 17.49 years | +0.2% |
| 2007 | 17.48 years | -0.1% |
| 2008 | 17.43 years | -0.3% |
| 2009 | 17.36 years | -0.4% |
| 2010 | 17.28 years | -0.5% |
| 2011 | 17.19 years | -0.6% |
| 2012 | 17.03 years | -0.9% |
| 2013 | 16.87 years | -1.0% |
| 2014 | 16.76 years | -0.6% |
| 2015 | 16.73 years | -0.2% |
| 2016 | 16.77 years | +0.3% |
| 2017 | 16.88 years | +0.6% |
| 2018 | 17.02 years | +0.9% |
| 2019 | 17.19 years | +1.0% |
| 2020 | 17.36 years | +1.0% |
| 2021 | 17.54 years | +1.0% |
| 2022 | 17.68 years | +0.8% |
| 2023 | 17.81 years | +0.7% |
Zimbabwe compared with similar countries
- Zimbabwe's 17.81 years is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 21.43 years, 83% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Zimbabwe's 17.81 years is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 18.22 years, 98% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 16.36 years | 15.43 years | 17.43 years | 10 |
| 1960s | 14.76 years | 14.52 years | 15.27 years | 10 |
| 1970s | 14.73 years | 14.53 years | 14.8 years | 10 |
| 1980s | 14.78 years | 14.57 years | 14.98 years | 10 |
| 1990s | 15.63 years | 15.11 years | 16.56 years | 10 |
| 2000s | 17.25 years | 16.75 years | 17.49 years | 10 |
| 2010s | 16.97 years | 16.73 years | 17.28 years | 10 |
| 2020s | 17.6 years | 17.36 years | 17.81 years | 4 |
Countries ranked near Zimbabwe
More reference data data for Zimbabwe
- Exchange rate, new LCU per USD extended backward, period average 58,959 (2026)
- Exchange rate, old LCU per USD extended forward, period average 58,959 (2026)
- Official exchange rate, LCU per USD, period average 58,959 (2026)
- Global number of reported disasters by size, gaps filled 0 events (2024)
- Annual precipitation, annual growth rate 122.78 % change on previous year (2025)
- Free country, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Civil liberties rating, gaps filled 5 (2025)
- Civil liberties rating, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Civil liberties rating, per capita 0 units per person (2025)
- Consumer price index 11,077 2010 = 100 (2022)
Frequently asked questions
- What is median age in Zimbabwe?
- Median age in Zimbabwe was 17.81 years in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest median age recorded in Zimbabwe?
- The highest recorded value was 17.81 years in 2023.
- What is the lowest median age recorded in Zimbabwe?
- The lowest recorded value was 14.52 years in 1965.
- How does Zimbabwe rank for median age?
- Zimbabwe ranks 216th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is median age rising or falling in Zimbabwe?
- Over the last ten years it is up 5.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Zimbabwe 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.