Population of compulsory school age, both sexes in North America

North America: Population of compulsory school age, both sexes was 54.26 million number in 2019. ▬ Flat

Latest (2019)
54.26 million number
Change on year
up 1.2%
Rank
37th
of 43 groups
All-time high
54.26 million number
in 2019
All-time low
51.17 million number
in 1997
Years of data
23
1997–2019

Population of compulsory school age, both sexes in North America, 1997–2019

020.0M40.0M60.0M1997200820191997: 51.2M number1998: 51.2M number1999: 52.3M number2000: 52.9M number2001: 53.3M number2002: 53.6M number2003: 53.8M number2004: 53.8M number2005: 53.8M number2006: 53.8M number2007: 53.8M number2008: 53.9M number2009: 53.7M number2010: 53.7M number2011: 53.6M number2012: 53.5M number2013: 53.4M number2014: 53.4M number2015: 53.5M number2016: 53.5M number2017: 53.6M number2018: 53.6M number2019: 54.3M number

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.

Analysis

The most recent figure for population of compulsory school age, both sexes in North America is 54.26 million number, measured in 2019. That is the highest value across all 23 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.2% on the previous year and up 1.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, population of compulsory school age, both sexes in North America peaked at 54.26 million number in 2019 and was at its lowest, 51.17 million number, in 1997.

North America ranks 37th of 43 groups on this measure, in the bottom quarter.

Population of compulsory school age, both sexes in North America, year by year

Annual values for Population of compulsory school age, both sexes (number) in North America, 1997 to 2019.
Year number Change
1997 51.17 million number
1998 51.17 million number +0.0%
1999 52.31 million number +2.2%
2000 52.91 million number +1.1%
2001 53.34 million number +0.8%
2002 53.59 million number +0.5%
2003 53.81 million number +0.4%
2004 53.81 million number +0.0%
2005 53.79 million number -0.1%
2006 53.78 million number -0.0%
2007 53.79 million number +0.0%
2008 53.87 million number +0.1%
2009 53.72 million number -0.3%
2010 53.68 million number -0.1%
2011 53.62 million number -0.1%
2012 53.45 million number -0.3%
2013 53.40 million number -0.1%
2014 53.41 million number +0.0%
2015 53.52 million number +0.2%
2016 53.52 million number -0.0%
2017 53.58 million number +0.1%
2018 53.59 million number +0.0%
2019 54.26 million number +1.2%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 51.55 million number 51.17 million number 52.31 million number 3
2000s 53.64 million number 52.91 million number 53.87 million number 10
2010s 53.60 million number 53.40 million number 54.26 million number 10

Countries ranked near North America

  1. 34 Italy 6.79 million number compare
  2. 35 Uzbekistan 6.75 million number compare
  3. 36 Yemen 6.42 million number compare
  4. 37 Côte d'Ivoire 6.40 million number compare
  5. 38 Iraq 5.71 million number compare
  6. 39 Angola 5.70 million number compare
  7. 40 Morocco 5.68 million number compare

See the full ranking of 231 places →

More reference data data for North America

All data for North America →

Frequently asked questions

What is population of compulsory school age, both sexes in North America?
Population of compulsory school age, both sexes in North America was 54.26 million number in 2019, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest population of compulsory school age, both sexes recorded in North America?
The highest recorded value was 54.26 million number in 2019.
What is the lowest population of compulsory school age, both sexes recorded in North America?
The lowest recorded value was 51.17 million number in 1997.
How does North America rank for population of compulsory school age, both sexes?
North America ranks 37th out of 43 groups with data for 2019.
Is population of compulsory school age, both sexes rising or falling in North America?
Over the last ten years it is up 1.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
Where does this North America data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Population of compulsory school age, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Population of compulsory school age, both sexes in North America. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 25 August 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/population-of-compulsory-school-age-both-sexes-number/north-america/

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About this data

Indicator
Population of compulsory school age, both sexes (number)
Unit
number
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
231 places, 4,849 data points, 1975–2020
Last refreshed

Population of children within the age span that children are legally obliged to attend school.