Average age of mothers at childbirth in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Average age of mothers at childbirth was 30.91 years in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
30.91 years
Change on year
up 0.0%
World rank
42nd
of 236 countries
All-time high
30.91 years
in 2023
All-time low
26.48 years
in 1974
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Average age of mothers at childbirth in United Kingdom, 1950–2023
Source: Human Fertility Database (2026); UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in years.
Analysis
United Kingdom recorded 30.91 years for average age of mothers at childbirth in 2023. That is the highest value across all 74 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 3.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, average age of mothers at childbirth in United Kingdom peaked at 30.91 years in 2023 and was at its lowest, 26.48 years, in 1974.
That places United Kingdom 42nd 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.
Average age of mothers at childbirth in United Kingdom, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 28.34 years | — |
| 1951 | 28.27 years | -0.3% |
| 1952 | 28.18 years | -0.3% |
| 1953 | 28.09 years | -0.3% |
| 1954 | 28.01 years | -0.3% |
| 1955 | 27.91 years | -0.3% |
| 1956 | 27.81 years | -0.4% |
| 1957 | 27.75 years | -0.2% |
| 1958 | 27.68 years | -0.2% |
| 1959 | 27.63 years | -0.2% |
| 1960 | 27.63 years | -0.0% |
| 1961 | 27.58 years | -0.2% |
| 1962 | 27.51 years | -0.2% |
| 1963 | 27.47 years | -0.2% |
| 1964 | 27.44 years | -0.1% |
| 1965 | 27.34 years | -0.4% |
| 1966 | 27.21 years | -0.5% |
| 1967 | 27.13 years | -0.3% |
| 1968 | 27.04 years | -0.4% |
| 1969 | 26.93 years | -0.4% |
| 1970 | 26.79 years | -0.5% |
| 1971 | 26.7 years | -0.3% |
| 1972 | 26.6 years | -0.4% |
| 1973 | 26.51 years | -0.4% |
| 1974 | 26.48 years | -0.1% |
| 1975 | 26.53 years | +0.2% |
| 1976 | 26.61 years | +0.3% |
| 1977 | 26.73 years | +0.4% |
| 1978 | 26.81 years | +0.3% |
| 1979 | 26.91 years | +0.4% |
| 1980 | 26.94 years | +0.1% |
| 1981 | 27.04 years | +0.4% |
| 1982 | 27.12 years | +0.3% |
| 1983 | 27.21 years | +0.3% |
| 1984 | 27.28 years | +0.3% |
| 1985 | 27.3 years | +0.1% |
| 1986 | 27.36 years | +0.2% |
| 1987 | 27.41 years | +0.2% |
| 1988 | 27.44 years | +0.1% |
| 1989 | 27.52 years | +0.3% |
| 1990 | 27.61 years | +0.3% |
| 1991 | 27.68 years | +0.3% |
| 1992 | 27.81 years | +0.5% |
| 1993 | 27.94 years | +0.5% |
| 1994 | 28.11 years | +0.6% |
| 1995 | 28.2 years | +0.3% |
| 1996 | 28.23 years | +0.1% |
| 1997 | 28.31 years | +0.3% |
| 1998 | 28.36 years | +0.2% |
| 1999 | 28.42 years | +0.2% |
| 2000 | 28.53 years | +0.4% |
| 2001 | 28.63 years | +0.4% |
| 2002 | 28.75 years | +0.4% |
| 2003 | 28.86 years | +0.4% |
| 2004 | 28.97 years | +0.4% |
| 2005 | 29.07 years | +0.3% |
| 2006 | 29.16 years | +0.3% |
| 2007 | 29.27 years | +0.4% |
| 2008 | 29.3 years | +0.1% |
| 2009 | 29.36 years | +0.2% |
| 2010 | 29.49 years | +0.4% |
| 2011 | 29.65 years | +0.5% |
| 2012 | 29.78 years | +0.4% |
| 2013 | 29.96 years | +0.6% |
| 2014 | 30.14 years | +0.6% |
| 2015 | 30.27 years | +0.4% |
| 2016 | 30.4 years | +0.5% |
| 2017 | 30.48 years | +0.3% |
| 2018 | 30.57 years | +0.3% |
| 2019 | 30.65 years | +0.3% |
| 2020 | 30.74 years | +0.3% |
| 2021 | 30.91 years | +0.5% |
| 2022 | 30.91 years | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 30.91 years | +0.0% |
United Kingdom compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom's 30.91 years is above the median for high income countries, which is 30.49 years, 1.0× the median. (85 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom's 30.91 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 27.97 years | 27.63 years | 28.34 years | 10 |
| 1960s | 27.33 years | 26.93 years | 27.63 years | 10 |
| 1970s | 26.67 years | 26.48 years | 26.91 years | 10 |
| 1980s | 27.26 years | 26.94 years | 27.52 years | 10 |
| 1990s | 28.07 years | 27.61 years | 28.42 years | 10 |
| 2000s | 28.99 years | 28.53 years | 29.36 years | 10 |
| 2010s | 30.14 years | 29.49 years | 30.65 years | 10 |
| 2020s | 30.87 years | 30.74 years | 30.91 years | 4 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
More reference data data for United Kingdom
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 3.13 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 3.97 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 13.26 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 1.01 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 13.26 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 10.5 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 6.51 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 15.81 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 59.34 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 5.48 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is average age of mothers at childbirth in United Kingdom?
- Average age of mothers at childbirth in United Kingdom was 30.91 years in 2023, according to Human Fertility Database (2026); UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest average age of mothers at childbirth recorded in United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 30.91 years in 2023.
- What is the lowest average age of mothers at childbirth recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 26.48 years in 1974.
- How does United Kingdom rank for average age of mothers at childbirth?
- United Kingdom ranks 42nd out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is average age of mothers at childbirth rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United Kingdom data come from?
- The figures come from Human Fertility Database (2026); UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – with major processing 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.