The EU Is Aging — the Real Continent-Wide Data

Name: EU Aging Population Statistics
Creator: I'm Alive
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Keywords: eu, aging, population, statistics

21.6% of the European Union's population was 65 or older in 2024, and nearly a third of EU adults in that age group live alone. This page draws directly from Eurostat, the EU's own statistical office — with links to the detailed country pages for Germany, France, and the Netherlands.

Last updated: July 2026

How much of the EU is 65 and older

Eurostat's Population structure and ageing release puts the EU's 65+ share at 21.6% of the total population in 2024. That share varies significantly by member state: Italy (24.3%), Portugal (24.1%), and Bulgaria (23.8%) have the EU's oldest populations by this measure, while Luxembourg (15.0%) and Ireland (15.5%) have the youngest. The EU's 80+ population share is projected by Eurostat to nearly triple over the coming decades, from 6.1% in 2024 to a projected 15.3% by 2100.

Share of population 65+, selected EU countries, 2024

Country	Share 65+
Italy	24.3%
Portugal	24.1%
Bulgaria	23.8%
Germany	23%
Luxembourg	15.0%
Ireland	15.5%

Eurostat, Population structure and ageing, Statistics Explained, 2024 data.

How many EU adults live alone

Eurostat's Household composition statistics show 22.5% of EU adults either live alone or are single parents (2025 data). Among people 65 and older specifically, that share nearly doubles: 32.2% live alone, compared to just 12.5% of 18-24 year-olds. The number of single adults 65+ grew 22.1% between 2016 and 2025 — nearly 1.5 times faster than the 14.6% growth rate among single adults aged 18-64 over the same period, showing the trend is accelerating fastest specifically among older Europeans.

22.5%

EU adults living alone or single-parent

2025

Source: Eurostat, Household composition statistics

32.2%

EU adults 65+ living alone

vs. 12.5% of 18-24 year-olds

Source: Eurostat

+22.1%

Growth in single adults 65+, 2016-2025

vs. +14.6% for adults 18-64

Source: Eurostat

Country detail

Germany, France, and the Netherlands each have detailed, government-sourced breakdowns on their own dedicated pages, covering national statistics offices' own living-alone, aging, and loneliness data in depth — Destatis for Germany, INSEE for France, and CBS for the Netherlands.

Sources

Related Data & Guides

Germany Living Alone Statistics France Living Alone Statistics Netherlands Living Alone Statistics

Frequently Asked Questions

What share of the EU population is 65 or older?

21.6% as of 2024, per Eurostat — with Italy (24.3%), Portugal (24.1%), and Bulgaria (23.8%) the oldest by this measure, and Luxembourg (15.0%) and Ireland (15.5%) the youngest.

How many older Europeans live alone?

32.2% of EU adults 65 and older live alone, per Eurostat — more than double the 12.5% rate among 18-24 year-olds, and a share that's been growing faster (+22.1% since 2016) than the growth in single younger adults (+14.6%).

Which EU country is aging fastest?

By current 65+ share, Italy (24.3%), Portugal (24.1%), and Bulgaria (23.8%) lead the EU, per Eurostat's 2024 data — though the EU's 80+ share is projected to nearly triple across all member states by 2100, from 6.1% to 15.3%.

Where can I find country-specific data for Germany, France, or the Netherlands?

Each has its own dedicated page sourced directly from that country's national statistics office: Destatis for Germany, INSEE for France, and CBS for the Netherlands, linked above.

← Back to Safety Data