Average age of mothers at childbirth in France
France: Average age of mothers at childbirth was 31.58 years in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
31.58 years
Change on year
up 0.3%
World rank
25th
of 236 countries
All-time high
31.58 years
in 2023
All-time low
26.56 years
in 1977
Years of data
78
1946–2023
Average age of mothers at childbirth in France, 1946–2023
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 France is 31.58 years, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 78 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.3% on the previous year and up 4.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, average age of mothers at childbirth in France peaked at 31.58 years in 2023 and was at its lowest, 26.56 years, in 1977.
That places France 25th out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 78 years of available data.
Average age of mothers at childbirth in France, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1946 | 28.78 years | — |
| 1947 | 28.37 years | -1.4% |
| 1948 | 28.3 years | -0.2% |
| 1949 | 28.21 years | -0.3% |
| 1950 | 28.15 years | -0.2% |
| 1951 | 28.07 years | -0.3% |
| 1952 | 28.05 years | -0.1% |
| 1953 | 27.96 years | -0.3% |
| 1954 | 27.96 years | -0.0% |
| 1955 | 27.93 years | -0.1% |
| 1956 | 27.85 years | -0.3% |
| 1957 | 27.83 years | -0.1% |
| 1958 | 27.78 years | -0.2% |
| 1959 | 27.74 years | -0.2% |
| 1960 | 27.68 years | -0.2% |
| 1961 | 27.65 years | -0.1% |
| 1962 | 27.58 years | -0.2% |
| 1963 | 27.52 years | -0.2% |
| 1964 | 27.43 years | -0.3% |
| 1965 | 27.34 years | -0.3% |
| 1966 | 27.33 years | -0.0% |
| 1967 | 27.34 years | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 27.32 years | -0.1% |
| 1969 | 27.27 years | -0.2% |
| 1970 | 27.17 years | -0.4% |
| 1971 | 27.09 years | -0.3% |
| 1972 | 26.97 years | -0.4% |
| 1973 | 26.87 years | -0.4% |
| 1974 | 26.78 years | -0.3% |
| 1975 | 26.68 years | -0.4% |
| 1976 | 26.58 years | -0.4% |
| 1977 | 26.56 years | -0.1% |
| 1978 | 26.64 years | +0.3% |
| 1979 | 26.75 years | +0.4% |
| 1980 | 26.85 years | +0.4% |
| 1981 | 26.99 years | +0.5% |
| 1982 | 27.07 years | +0.3% |
| 1983 | 27.14 years | +0.2% |
| 1984 | 27.28 years | +0.5% |
| 1985 | 27.48 years | +0.7% |
| 1986 | 27.66 years | +0.7% |
| 1987 | 27.87 years | +0.7% |
| 1988 | 28.04 years | +0.6% |
| 1989 | 28.18 years | +0.5% |
| 1990 | 28.31 years | +0.4% |
| 1991 | 28.39 years | +0.3% |
| 1992 | 28.54 years | +0.5% |
| 1993 | 28.68 years | +0.5% |
| 1994 | 28.83 years | +0.6% |
| 1995 | 28.99 years | +0.5% |
| 1996 | 29.11 years | +0.4% |
| 1997 | 29.21 years | +0.3% |
| 1998 | 29.28 years | +0.3% |
| 1999 | 29.32 years | +0.1% |
| 2000 | 29.36 years | +0.1% |
| 2001 | 29.39 years | +0.1% |
| 2002 | 29.46 years | +0.2% |
| 2003 | 29.53 years | +0.3% |
| 2004 | 29.58 years | +0.1% |
| 2005 | 29.67 years | +0.3% |
| 2006 | 29.75 years | +0.3% |
| 2007 | 29.82 years | +0.2% |
| 2008 | 29.86 years | +0.1% |
| 2009 | 29.91 years | +0.2% |
| 2010 | 29.96 years | +0.2% |
| 2011 | 30.04 years | +0.2% |
| 2012 | 30.09 years | +0.2% |
| 2013 | 30.2 years | +0.4% |
| 2014 | 30.3 years | +0.3% |
| 2015 | 30.41 years | +0.3% |
| 2016 | 30.51 years | +0.3% |
| 2017 | 30.62 years | +0.4% |
| 2018 | 30.72 years | +0.3% |
| 2019 | 30.79 years | +0.2% |
| 2020 | 30.9 years | +0.4% |
| 2021 | 31.11 years | +0.7% |
| 2022 | 31.48 years | +1.2% |
| 2023 | 31.58 years | +0.3% |
France compared with similar countries
- France's 31.58 years is above the median for high income countries, which is 30.49 years, 1.0× the median. (85 countries reporting)
- France's 31.58 years is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 30.36 years, 1.0× the median. (56 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1940s | 28.41 years | 28.21 years | 28.78 years | 4 |
| 1950s | 27.93 years | 27.74 years | 28.15 years | 10 |
| 1960s | 27.45 years | 27.27 years | 27.68 years | 10 |
| 1970s | 26.81 years | 26.56 years | 27.17 years | 10 |
| 1980s | 27.46 years | 26.85 years | 28.18 years | 10 |
| 1990s | 28.86 years | 28.31 years | 29.32 years | 10 |
| 2000s | 29.63 years | 29.36 years | 29.91 years | 10 |
| 2010s | 30.36 years | 29.96 years | 30.79 years | 10 |
| 2020s | 31.27 years | 30.9 years | 31.58 years | 4 |
Countries ranked near France
More reference data data for France
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 5.48 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 2.93 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 22.63 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 2.81 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 22.63 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 18.36 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 11.75 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 14.49 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 106.68 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 15.3 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is average age of mothers at childbirth in France?
- Average age of mothers at childbirth in France was 31.58 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 France?
- The highest recorded value was 31.58 years in 2023.
- What is the lowest average age of mothers at childbirth recorded in France?
- The lowest recorded value was 26.56 years in 1977.
- How does France rank for average age of mothers at childbirth?
- France ranks 25th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is average age of mothers at childbirth rising or falling in France?
- Over the last ten years it is up 4.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this France 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.
Download this data
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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.