U.S. Census: People 65 And Older Now Outnumber Children Under 5 Worldwide

According to Axios, people age 65 and older now outnumber children age 5 and younger worldwide for the first time in recorded history, according to a new U.S. Census report. The report says the shift is being driven by falling fertility rates and longer lifespans, with more than 71% of the world's population living in countries at or below the roughly 2.1 births-per-woman replacement level in 2023, up from 45% in 2013. The Census projects the global 65+ population will rise from 852 million in 2025 to 2 billion in 2060, while the world's total population is projected to increase from 8.13 billion to 10.23 billion. It also says China and India now have fertility rates below replacement level, and that the U.S. ranked as the 48th-oldest country out of 227 in 2025, with 18.9% of its population age 65 or older, a share projected to reach 23.4% by 2060.