Russia vs United States: population pyramids compared
United States is about 2.4 times as large as Russia, but size is only part of the story. Compare the two age structures on one percentage scale for 2026 and 2050, with every indicator side by side.
UN estimates run through 2023; figures from 2024 onward are medium-scenario projections.
Russia and United States in 2026
Russia population pyramid
2026 · Share of total by five-year age group and sex
United States population pyramid
2026 · Share of total by five-year age group and sex
Key differences between Russia and United States
Age. Russia is the older population, with a median age of 40.7 years against 38.7 in United States — a gap of 2.0 years. United States has the larger share of children (16.9% under 15 versus 16.7%), while United States has the larger share aged 65 and over (18.8% versus 18.4%).
Births and survival. United States’s fertility rate of 1.62 is below the replacement level, and Russia’s 1.47 is below it. Life expectancy at birth is 79.8 years in United States and 73.7 in Russia.
Dependency. The total age dependency ratio is 54.1 in Russia (25.8 children and 28.3 older people per 100 aged 15–64) and 55.6 in United States (26.3 and 29.3). Similar totals can hide very different mixes of young and old.
Outlook. Between 2026 and 2050, the UN medium scenario has Russia’s population declines by 5% and United States’s grows by 9%. These are scenario results, not forecasts; how projections work explains the assumptions.
Russia vs United States: indicators side by side
| Indicator | Russia | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Population, 2026 | 143,394,458 | 349,035,494 |
| Median age | 40.7 years | 38.7 years |
| Under age 15 | 16.7% | 16.9% |
| Aged 15–64 | 64.9% | 64.3% |
| Aged 65+ | 18.4% | 18.8% |
| Age dependency ratio | 54.1 | 55.6 |
| Fertility rate | 1.47 | 1.62 |
| Life expectancy at birth | 73.7 years | 79.8 years |
| Annual growth | -0.2% | +0.5% |
| Males per 100 females | 86.4 | 101.0 |
| Population, 2050 | 136,132,775 | 380,846,910 |
| Change, 2026–2050 | -5.1% | +9.1% |
| Population, 2100 | 126,386,515 | 421,278,889 |
| Peak year | 1991 | Still rising in 2100 |
| Global population rank | #9 | #3 |
2026, 2050, and 2100 values are UN World Population Prospects 2024 medium-scenario projections.
How the two pyramids could look in 2050
The same scale is kept for the projected charts, so a narrowing base or widening top can be compared directly with the 2026 shapes above.
Russia population pyramid
2050 · Share of total by five-year age group and sex
United States population pyramid
2050 · Share of total by five-year age group and sex
What shapes Russia’s pyramid
Russia’s pyramid is jagged with echoes of the Second World War and the 1990s birth collapse, and it has one of the largest female surpluses at older ages. Read the full Russia analysis.
What shapes United States’s pyramid
The US pyramid still bears the baby boom as a broad shoulder at ages 60–79, while immigration keeps its 20–44 bands the widest in a slowly ageing country. Read the full United States analysis.
Explore each country in depth
- Russia population pyramid 2026 · Russia in 2050
- United States population pyramid 2026 · United States in 2050
- Open this pair in the interactive comparison tool
Questions about Russia and United States
Which population is older, Russia or United States?
Russia is older: its projected 2026 median age is 40.7 years, compared with 38.7 in United States.
Which has a higher fertility rate, Russia or United States?
United States has the higher total fertility rate in 2026: 1.62 births per woman, against 1.47 in Russia.
Will Russia or United States have more people in 2050?
Under the UN medium scenario, United States is projected to be larger in 2050, with 380.8M people against 136.1M.