Mapped: The Global Retirement Boom
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Between 1920 and 2020, the 65-and-older population in America grew nearly five times faster than the overall population.
By one estimate, a record 4.1 million people will turn 65 annually through 2027. In many of the world’s largest economies, aging populations are putting increasing pressure on retirement systems amid declining birth rates and mounting debt.
This graphic shows the number of people who turn 65 each day across select countries. Data is from UN Population Statistics and Haver Analytics via Apollo.
The Rapid Growth of the 65+ Population
As the table below shows, more than 32,000 people in China are turning 65 each day. Meanwhile, in America, this figure tops 11,500:
| Country | # of People Turning 65 Per Day | Per 100,000 People |
|---|---|---|
 China |
32,222 | 2.3 |
 U.S. |
11,548 | 3.4 |
 Japan |
4,063 | 3.3 |
 Germany |
3,342 | 4.0 |
 Italy |
2,266 | 3.8 |
 France |
2,233 | 3.3 |
 UK |
2,142 | 3.1 |
 Canada |
1,425 | 3.6 |
Today, China’s fertility rate has dropped to 1.1 births per woman, well below the 2.1 replacement level.
At the same time in China, the number of people aged 60 and over is projected to surpass 400 million by 2035, up from 300 million in 2023. By 2035, China’s “silver economy”—spending by its aging population—is expected to make up a third of the country’s GDP, reshaping the world’s second-largest economy.
Similarly, in the U.S., the baby boomer generation (born between 1946 and 1964) has accumulated a record $76 trillion in net worth, making them the wealthiest generation in the country’s history. As more enter retirement, demand for higher-yielding investments like money market funds is expected to rise to compensate for the loss of working income.
While China has the highest absolute number of people turning 65 each day, Germany’s aging rate is 1.7 times faster on a per capita basis. With persistently low birth rates, Germany’s population is projected to shrink by 12.8 million by 2100.
Going further, Italy faces an even steeper decline of 21.8 million, while Europe as a whole is expected to see its population shrink by 20%, equating to a loss of 152.2 million people by the turn of the century.
Learn More on the Voronoi App 
To learn more about this topic from a demographic perspective, check out this graphic on the world’s “super-aged” societies.
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