Average age of mothers at childbirth in China
China: Average age of mothers at childbirth was 29.02 years in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
29.02 years
Change on year
down 0.0%
World rank
134th
of 236 countries
All-time high
30.32 years
in 1968
All-time low
25.43 years
in 1991
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Average age of mothers at childbirth in China, 1950–2023
Source: Human Fertility Database (2025); UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in years.
Analysis
The most recent figure for average age of mothers at childbirth in China is 29.02 years, measured in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 4.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, average age of mothers at childbirth in China peaked at 30.32 years in 1968 and was at its lowest, 25.43 years, in 1991.
China ranks 134th of 236 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 74 years of available data.
Average age of mothers at childbirth in China, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 29.94 years | — |
| 1951 | 29.92 years | -0.1% |
| 1952 | 29.9 years | -0.1% |
| 1953 | 29.89 years | -0.1% |
| 1954 | 29.87 years | -0.1% |
| 1955 | 29.86 years | -0.0% |
| 1956 | 29.86 years | -0.0% |
| 1957 | 29.86 years | +0.0% |
| 1958 | 29.87 years | +0.0% |
| 1959 | 29.88 years | +0.0% |
| 1960 | 29.9 years | +0.1% |
| 1961 | 29.94 years | +0.1% |
| 1962 | 30 years | +0.2% |
| 1963 | 30.1 years | +0.3% |
| 1964 | 30.2 years | +0.3% |
| 1965 | 30.31 years | +0.4% |
| 1966 | 30.31 years | -0.0% |
| 1967 | 30.19 years | -0.4% |
| 1968 | 30.32 years | +0.4% |
| 1969 | 30.25 years | -0.2% |
| 1970 | 30.21 years | -0.1% |
| 1971 | 30.03 years | -0.6% |
| 1972 | 29.89 years | -0.5% |
| 1973 | 29.73 years | -0.5% |
| 1974 | 29.51 years | -0.7% |
| 1975 | 29.23 years | -0.9% |
| 1976 | 28.98 years | -0.9% |
| 1977 | 28.69 years | -1.0% |
| 1978 | 28.43 years | -0.9% |
| 1979 | 28.18 years | -0.9% |
| 1980 | 27.85 years | -1.2% |
| 1981 | 27.53 years | -1.2% |
| 1982 | 27.28 years | -0.9% |
| 1983 | 26.83 years | -1.6% |
| 1984 | 26.65 years | -0.7% |
| 1985 | 26.51 years | -0.5% |
| 1986 | 26.46 years | -0.2% |
| 1987 | 26.4 years | -0.2% |
| 1988 | 26.25 years | -0.6% |
| 1989 | 26.15 years | -0.4% |
| 1990 | 26.07 years | -0.3% |
| 1991 | 25.43 years | -2.5% |
| 1992 | 25.47 years | +0.2% |
| 1993 | 25.63 years | +0.6% |
| 1994 | 25.84 years | +0.8% |
| 1995 | 25.75 years | -0.4% |
| 1996 | 25.81 years | +0.2% |
| 1997 | 26 years | +0.8% |
| 1998 | 26.11 years | +0.4% |
| 1999 | 26.22 years | +0.4% |
| 2000 | 26.31 years | +0.4% |
| 2001 | 26.54 years | +0.9% |
| 2002 | 26.62 years | +0.3% |
| 2003 | 26.61 years | -0.0% |
| 2004 | 26.69 years | +0.3% |
| 2005 | 26.74 years | +0.2% |
| 2006 | 26.85 years | +0.4% |
| 2007 | 27.03 years | +0.7% |
| 2008 | 27.16 years | +0.5% |
| 2009 | 27.3 years | +0.5% |
| 2010 | 27.45 years | +0.5% |
| 2011 | 27.56 years | +0.4% |
| 2012 | 27.64 years | +0.3% |
| 2013 | 27.79 years | +0.6% |
| 2014 | 27.9 years | +0.4% |
| 2015 | 28.08 years | +0.7% |
| 2016 | 28.18 years | +0.4% |
| 2017 | 28.29 years | +0.4% |
| 2018 | 28.48 years | +0.7% |
| 2019 | 28.56 years | +0.3% |
| 2020 | 28.87 years | +1.1% |
| 2021 | 28.94 years | +0.3% |
| 2022 | 29.03 years | +0.3% |
| 2023 | 29.02 years | -0.0% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 29.02 years is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 28.64 years, 1.0× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- China's 29.02 years is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 29.17 years, 99% of the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 29.89 years | 29.86 years | 29.94 years | 10 |
| 1960s | 30.15 years | 29.9 years | 30.32 years | 10 |
| 1970s | 29.29 years | 28.18 years | 30.21 years | 10 |
| 1980s | 26.79 years | 26.15 years | 27.85 years | 10 |
| 1990s | 25.83 years | 25.43 years | 26.22 years | 10 |
| 2000s | 26.79 years | 26.31 years | 27.3 years | 10 |
| 2010s | 27.99 years | 27.45 years | 28.56 years | 10 |
| 2020s | 28.97 years | 28.87 years | 29.03 years | 4 |
Countries ranked near China
- 131 Guam 29.05 years compare
- 132 Bosnia and Herzegovina 29.04 years compare
- 133 Cote d'Ivoire 29.03 years compare
- 135 North Macedonia 29 years compare
- 136 Philippines 28.98 years compare
- 137 Central African Republic 28.97 years compare
More reference data data for China
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 49.4 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 75.5 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 303.29 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 18.8 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 303.29 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 165.62 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 206.2 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 350.74 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 1,480 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 102.37 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is average age of mothers at childbirth in China?
- Average age of mothers at childbirth in China was 29.02 years in 2023, according to Human Fertility Database (2025); UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest average age of mothers at childbirth recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 30.32 years in 1968.
- What is the lowest average age of mothers at childbirth recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 25.43 years in 1991.
- How does China rank for average age of mothers at childbirth?
- China ranks 134th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is average age of mothers at childbirth rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 4.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from Human Fertility Database (2025); UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Average age of mothers at childbirth. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Mean age of mothers at the birth of their children if women were subject throughout their lives to the age-specific fertility rates observed in a given year.