WELLINGTON, Jul 27 (NNN-AGENCIES) – The number of New Zealanders aged 65 years or older, is likely to hit one million by 2028, New Zealand’s statistics department, Stats NZ, said today.
Population projections show that, while there are currently about 842,000 people aged above 65, this number will continue to increase over the next 50 years.
“The number of people aged above 65 years is increasing by about 80 people a day, and is likely to reach one million people within six years,” population estimates and projections manager, Hamish Slack said, in a statement.
The number of people in this age group could reach 1.3 million around 2040, and 1.5 million by the 2050s, Slack said.
The proportion of the population aged above 65 years is also increasing. In 2022, one in every six people in New Zealand were in these older age groups. In 2028, one in five people in the population will be above 65 years. By the 2050s, this group could make up one-quarter of the population, he said.
The number of people aged above 85 years is also increasing. Currently, there are about 93,000 people in this age group, and by 2025 there will be more than 100,000. By 2040, this could increase to 200,000 people aged above 85 years, according to the estimates.
The proportion of this oldest age group in the New Zealand population is also increasing. Currently, one in 50 people in the population are aged above 85 years. This could increase to about one in 30 during the 2030s, and to about one in 20 in the 2040s.
“While population ageing is not new, it will really accelerate over the next decade. The increasing number and proportion of older people in the population has implications across New Zealand’s society,” Slack said.– NNN-AGENCIES
