Denmark population pyramid 2026
6,023,520 people in 2026 (projected). Denmark’s pyramid has two bulges, at 30–34 and 60–64, around a notch left by the early-1980s birth slump, when deaths first outnumbered births.
- 2026 population
- 6Mrank 114 of 237
- Median age
- 41.3 yearsoldest rank 54
- Fertility rate
- 1.52births per woman · below replacement
- Structure
- Older21.4% age 65+
Denmark population pyramid
2026 · Share of total by five-year age group and sex
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The UN series provides historical estimates through 2023. Figures from 2024 onward—including 2026—are medium-scenario projections, not counts or predictions guaranteed to occur.
Denmark age distribution in 2026
Children under 15 account for 15.5% of the population, while 21.4% are aged 65 or older. The remaining 63.1% are in the conventional working-age range of 15–64. On these shares, the site classifies Denmark’s age structure as older; the guide to constrictive population pyramids explains what that shape implies.
The total age dependency ratio is 58.4: about 58 people under 15 or 65+ for every 100 people aged 15–64 (24.5 children and 33.9 older people). This is an age-balance indicator, not a literal count of economic dependants per worker.
What shapes Denmark’s population pyramid
Booms, a slump and an echo
Denmark’s pyramid is a record of fertility swings rather than steady decline. The 1950 pyramid already shows a wave: children aged 0–9, born in the 1940s, outnumber the 10–19 bands above them by about a third. A second wave followed in the 1960s, when the total fertility rate was above 2.5; those born in 1962–66 now form the bulge at 60–64, about 9% larger than its neighbours.
Fertility then fell rapidly, to about 1.5 by 1980, and births dropped so low that deaths outnumbered them in 1981. The small cohorts born in 1982–86 appear as a notch at 40–44 in 2026. When fertility recovered to around 1.7–1.8 in the 1990s, and the large 1960s generation was itself in its late twenties and thirties, births rose again: the cohorts born in 1992–96 form the widest band in 2026, at 30–34. The pattern has repeated on a smaller scale since, with fertility falling from about 1.9 in 2010 to 1.5 in 2023 and the 0–4 band narrower than the 5–9 band above it.
Immigration fills the working ages
With births and deaths now almost equal, at about 59,000 each in 2026, nearly all of Denmark’s growth comes from migration. The UN estimates net immigration of about 480,000 between 2000 and 2023, a large figure for a country of six million, and a further 310,000 is projected for 2026–2050. Because migrants arrive mostly as young adults, these flows add chiefly to the bands in the twenties and thirties, reinforcing the bulge at 25–34.
At the top of the pyramid women predominate from about 70, although the life-expectancy gap between the sexes is relatively small, at under four years. Danish life expectancy grew slowly between 1970 and 1990, from 73 to 75, a stagnation widely linked to high smoking rates in that period, before rising to about 82 by 2023.
Towards a near-rectangle
Denmark’s age structure in 2026 is closest to those of the Netherlands, Norway and the United Kingdom. Under the UN medium scenario the population peaks at about 6.1 million in 2042 and changes little after that, reaching about 5.9 million in 2100. By then the bands from 25 to 79 are almost the same size, close to the stationary pyramid shape, and about 31% of residents are 65 or over.
What to notice across the years
Distinctive cohorts and turning points
No five-year band under age 80 is more than 10% larger or smaller than both of its neighbours, so Denmark’s 2026 pyramid has a comparatively smooth profile without sharp bulges or notches.
Births outnumber deaths in 2026 (deaths were higher in 1981); the medium scenario projects deaths to exceed births from 2027. People aged 65 and older came to outnumber children under 15 between 2010 and 2015.
Births, deaths, and migration
A pyramid changes in only three ways: births add to the base, deaths remove people at every age, and migration adds or removes people mainly in young adulthood. In 2026, Denmark is projected to record 59,616 births (about 163 births a day) and 59,118 deaths, a natural increase of 498. Net migration adds +18,360 people, ranking #39 in the net migration rate ranking.
Between 2000 and 2023 the UN estimates 1,478,417 births, 1,322,568 deaths, and cumulative net migration of +478,026. Over that period migration moved the total more than the balance of births and deaths did. See how migration shapes a pyramid and birth rate versus fertility rate. The medium scenario assumes net migration of +308,621 between 2026 and 2050.
Annual values 1950–2100; dashed lines after 2023 are the UN medium projection. The trend table below lists the values by decade.
Life expectancy and mortality
- Life expectancy, women
- 84.2 years71.5 in 1950
- Life expectancy, men
- 80.6 years69.1 in 1950
- Further years at 65
- 20.4 yearsboth sexes
- Infant mortality
- 2.7per 1,000 births · 30 in 1950
- Under-five mortality
- 3.2per 1,000 births
- Mother’s mean age at birth
- 31.8 yearssex ratio at birth 105.5
Women in Denmark are projected to live 3.6 years longer than men, which is why the female side of the pyramid widens relative to the other at older ages (see the life expectancy gap ranking). Infant mortality has fallen from 30 to 2.7 deaths per 1,000 live births since 1950, ranking #207 of 237 in the infant mortality ranking (highest first). A mean age at childbearing of 31.8 years sets the spacing between generations, and so how far apart echo cohorts sit in the pyramid.
Median age, fertility rate, and global ranks for Denmark
The median age of 41.3 years splits the population into two equal halves. A total fertility rate of 1.52 births per woman is below the replacement level of roughly 2.1, and life expectancy at birth is 82.4 years.
These ranks compare all 237 countries and areas in this dataset using the same 2026 UN medium projection. Ranks use the stored source precision, so displayed rounding can make adjacent values look identical; small differences should not be overinterpreted.
| Indicator | 2026 value | Global rank | Ranking direction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 6,023,520 | #114 | Largest first |
| Median age | 41.3 years | #54 | Oldest first |
| Fertility rate | 1.52 | #160 | Highest first |
| Annual growth | +0.3% | #157 | Fastest first |
| Life expectancy | 82.4 years | #39 | Highest first |
| Population aged 65+ | 21.4% | #30 | Highest share first |
Largest age groups in Denmark
The five largest cohorts identify where the 2026 population is concentrated. They can reflect past birth patterns, survival, and migration; the chart alone does not establish which cause dominates.
| Rank | Age group | Population | Share of total | Male / female |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 30–34 | 415,074 | 6.9% | 211.6K / 203.5K |
| 2 | 60–64 | 398,977 | 6.6% | 198.6K / 200.4K |
| 3 | 25–29 | 398,148 | 6.6% | 202.5K / 195.6K |
| 4 | 55–59 | 395,397 | 6.6% | 197.8K / 197.6K |
| 5 | 50–54 | 394,522 | 6.5% | 196.3K / 198.3K |
Sex ratio and the balance by age
In the 2026 projection, Denmark has 2,994,568 males and 3,028,952 females. That is 98.9 males per 100 females, ranking #98 when the dataset is ordered from the highest male-to-female ratio to the lowest.
Males account for 49.7% of the population and females for 50.3%. There are 34,384 more females than males overall. Among people aged 65 and older, the ratio is 85.9 males per 100 females.
The overall balance can conceal large differences by age; how sex ratios change with age explains the usual pattern. The ratio reflects the male/female categories in the UN source and is not a measure of gender identity. Compare all profiles in the sex-ratio ranking.
At birth, 105.5 boys are projected to be born for every 100 girls in 2026, close to the biological norm of about 105 (compare the sex ratio at birth ranking). The ratio at birth sets the balance at the base of the pyramid; how it changes with age then depends on survival and migration.
How Denmark has changed since 1950
The population has increased from 4,268,404 in 1950 to 6,023,520 in 2026, a change of 41%. Over the same span, median age moved from 30.6 to 41.3 years.
The under-15 share changed from 26.3% to 15.5%, while the share aged 65 and older changed from 9.0% to 21.4%. These shifts show why total population growth and age-structure change need to be read separately.
How the population could change by 2050
Under the UN medium scenario, Denmark’s population is projected to remain broadly stable, reaching 6,124,838 in 2050. The median age changes from 41.3 to 44.3 years.
The 65+ share is projected to rise by 4.2 percentage points to 25.6%. At the same time, the under-15 share is projected at 14.5%. How UN projections work explains the assumptions behind these figures.
The annual UN series reaches its highest projected population of 6,135,755 in 2042. That turning point depends on the medium scenario and may move in later revisions. Compare timing across countries in the population peak ranking.
Population trend: 1950–2100
Mid-year population for every year. Estimates through 2023; dashed line shows the UN medium projection.
| Year | Population | Median age | Fertility | Life exp. | Births | Deaths | Net migration | Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 4,268,404 | 30.6 | 2.57 | 70.3 | 79,454 | 39,252 | −6,435 | +0.8% |
| 1960 | 4,579,342 | 32.1 | 2.56 | 72.2 | 75,798 | 43,665 | −4,047 | +0.6% |
| 1970 | 4,928,668 | 31.5 | 1.96 | 73.4 | 70,888 | 48,210 | +20,947 | +0.9% |
| 1980 | 5,123,081 | 33.3 | 1.54 | 74.1 | 57,062 | 55,903 | +803 | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 5,141,025 | 36.1 | 1.66 | 74.9 | 63,245 | 60,842 | +8,667 | +0.2% |
| 2000 | 5,339,658 | 37.3 | 1.76 | 76.8 | 66,726 | 57,913 | +10,441 | +0.4% |
| 2010 | 5,547,862 | 39.6 | 1.86 | 79.2 | 62,763 | 54,179 | +17,533 | +0.5% |
| 2020 | 5,831,530 | 41.1 | 1.68 | 81.5 | 60,993 | 54,679 | +10,851 | +0.3% |
| 2023 | 5,948,136 | 41.2 | 1.51 | 81.9 | 57,810 | 57,275 | +31,006 | +0.5% |
| 2024* | 5,977,412 | 41.3 | 1.52 | 82.1 | 58,646 | 57,269 | +25,639 | +0.5% |
| 2026* | 6,023,520 | 41.3 | 1.52 | 82.4 | 59,616 | 59,118 | +18,360 | +0.3% |
| 2030* | 6,081,995 | 41.6 | 1.54 | 83.0 | 59,985 | 62,759 | +13,208 | +0.2% |
| 2040* | 6,134,659 | 43.1 | 1.56 | 84.4 | 58,332 | 68,393 | +11,461 | +0.0% |
| 2050* | 6,124,838 | 44.3 | 1.57 | 85.6 | 56,286 | 70,179 | +10,677 | -0.1% |
| 2060* | 6,078,224 | 45.3 | 1.59 | 86.8 | 55,497 | 71,255 | +10,279 | -0.1% |
| 2070* | 6,036,603 | 46.0 | 1.60 | 87.9 | 54,446 | 67,408 | +10,511 | -0.0% |
| 2080* | 6,008,790 | 46.7 | 1.61 | 89.0 | 53,207 | 67,511 | +10,455 | -0.1% |
| 2090* | 5,940,877 | 47.2 | 1.61 | 90.1 | 52,440 | 70,020 | +9,019 | -0.1% |
| 2100* | 5,863,216 | 47.5 | 1.61 | 91.1 | 51,392 | 67,515 | +8,922 | -0.1% |
* 2024 onward is the UN medium projection. Fertility is births per woman; life expectancy is years at birth; births, deaths, and net migration are counts for that calendar year.
Download every year, 1950–2100 (CSV)
2026 population by age and sex
The table provides the counts behind the chart. Age groups are five-year bands, with everyone aged 100 or older combined.
| Age group | Male | Female | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0–4 | 154,915 | 146,659 | 301,574 | 5.0% |
| 5–9 | 164,474 | 155,799 | 320,273 | 5.3% |
| 10–14 | 158,931 | 150,883 | 309,814 | 5.1% |
| 15–19 | 179,113 | 170,329 | 349,442 | 5.8% |
| 20–24 | 190,357 | 183,180 | 373,537 | 6.2% |
| 25–29 | 202,540 | 195,608 | 398,148 | 6.6% |
| 30–34 | 211,605 | 203,469 | 415,074 | 6.9% |
| 35–39 | 195,301 | 187,858 | 383,159 | 6.4% |
| 40–44 | 171,380 | 167,972 | 339,352 | 5.6% |
| 45–49 | 177,755 | 177,917 | 355,672 | 5.9% |
| 50–54 | 196,268 | 198,254 | 394,522 | 6.5% |
| 55–59 | 197,786 | 197,611 | 395,397 | 6.6% |
| 60–64 | 198,559 | 200,418 | 398,977 | 6.6% |
| 65–69 | 165,013 | 171,857 | 336,870 | 5.6% |
| 70–74 | 144,196 | 156,373 | 300,569 | 5.0% |
| 75–79 | 129,769 | 148,211 | 277,980 | 4.6% |
| 80–84 | 97,069 | 118,969 | 216,038 | 3.6% |
| 85–89 | 43,349 | 62,795 | 106,144 | 1.8% |
| 90–94 | 13,589 | 26,338 | 39,927 | 0.7% |
| 95–99 | 2,403 | 7,318 | 9,721 | 0.2% |
| 100+ | 198 | 1,130 | 1,328 | 0.0% |
Countries with the most similar age structure
These profiles have the 2026 age distributions closest to Denmark’s, measured by the total difference in the share of the population in each five-year band. Similar shapes can arise from very different histories, so the match is a starting point for comparison, not an explanation.
- Netherlands98% overlap · median age 41.5
- Norway97% overlap · median age 40.1
- United Kingdom97% overlap · median age 40.2
- Sweden97% overlap · median age 40.4
- Belgium97% overlap · median age 42.1
- France96% overlap · median age 42.5
To calculate school-age, working-age, or older groups with other boundaries, use the age-group calculator for Denmark.
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World Population Pyramid. (2026, October 19). Denmark Population Pyramid 2026. https://worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/denmark/
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“Denmark Population Pyramid 2026.” World Population Pyramid, 19 Oct. 2026, worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/denmark/.
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World Population Pyramid. “Denmark Population Pyramid 2026.” Last modified October 19, 2026. https://worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/denmark/.
Underlying data: United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2024). World Population Prospects 2024.
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Denmark in 2026?
Under the UN World Population Prospects 2024 medium scenario, Denmark's population in 2026 is projected at 6,023,520.
What is the median age in Denmark?
The projected median age in Denmark in 2026 is 41.3 years: half the population is younger and half is older.
What is the fertility rate in Denmark?
The projected total fertility rate in 2026 is 1.52 births per woman, below the replacement level of about 2.1 in low-mortality populations.
Is Denmark's population projected to grow?
Between 2026 and 2050, the UN medium scenario indicates the population will remain broadly stable, from 6M to 6.1M.
What share of Denmark is aged 65 or older?
In 2026, 21.4% of the projected population is aged 65 or older. By 2050, the medium scenario places the share at 25.6%.
How many babies are born in Denmark each year?
The UN medium scenario projects 59,616 births and 59,118 deaths in 2026, about 163 births a day. Births exceed deaths by 498.
What is life expectancy in Denmark for men and women?
Life expectancy at birth in 2026 is projected at 84.2 years for women and 80.6 years for men, a gap of 3.6 years in favour of women.
Does Denmark have more immigrants or emigrants?
Denmark is projected to gain about 18,360 more people through migration than it loses in 2026. Between 2000 and 2023 the UN estimates cumulative net migration of +478,026.
What is the sex ratio in Denmark?
The projected 2026 population sex ratio is 98.9 males per 100 females. This all-age ratio is different from the sex ratio at birth and can vary substantially by age.
Sources and notes
- United Nations, DESA, Population Division: World Population Prospects 2024, medium scenario.
- Population values are mid-year figures. Source values published in thousands are converted to people; displayed figures may imply more precision than is appropriate for planning.
- Historical values through 2023 are estimates. Values from 2024 onward are projections.
- Calculations follow the site methodology.