United States population pyramid 2026
349,035,494 people in 2026 (projected). 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.
- 2026 population
- 349Mrank 3 of 237
- Median age
- 38.7 yearsoldest rank 79
- Fertility rate
- 1.62births per woman · below replacement
- Structure
- Older18.8% age 65+
United States 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.
United States age distribution in 2026
Children under 15 account for 16.9% of the population, while 18.8% are aged 65 or older. The remaining 64.3% are in the conventional working-age range of 15–64. On these shares, the site classifies United States’s age structure as older; the guide to constrictive population pyramids explains what that shape implies.
The total age dependency ratio is 55.6: about 56 people under 15 or 65+ for every 100 people aged 15–64 (26.3 children and 29.3 older people). This is an age-balance indicator, not a literal count of economic dependants per worker.
What shapes United States’s population pyramid
Boom, bust and echo
The American pyramid is a record of three generations of unusually large or small birth cohorts. Births fell during the Depression of the 1930s, which is why the 1950 US pyramid shows narrow bands at ages 10–19 beneath a broad base of postwar babies. The baby boom ran from 1946 to 1964, and in 2026 those cohorts are aged 62–80. They form a broad shoulder from 60 to 79 that is markedly wider than the bands above it, with women increasingly outnumbering men as the boomers pass 70.
The boom was followed by a bust: birth numbers bottomed out in the mid-1970s, and the 50–54 band (born 1972–76) is the narrowest between ages 25 and 69. The millennial generation, born roughly 1981–96 and partly an echo of the boomers’ own childbearing, now occupies ages 30–45, and the 35–39 band is the widest in the pyramid.
Immigration widens the working ages
Unlike most high-income countries, the United States has kept its adult bands broad through sustained immigration. Migrants arrive mostly as young adults, so they thicken the bands from the twenties to the forties rather than the base or the top. This is a large part of why the US median age, about 39, is several years below that of Germany or Japan, and why the United Kingdom vs United States comparison shows two similarly shaped, migration-supported pyramids.
A base that has narrowed since 2007
Annual births peaked in 2007 at about 4.3 million and have since drifted lower; the total fertility rate has been near 1.6 in recent years. In the 2026 pyramid every band under 20 is narrower than the one above it, and ages 0–4 hold about 5.3% of the population against 6.8% at 20–24. Compared with the much sharper contraction in China vs the United States, the US base is tapering gently rather than collapsing.
Under the UN medium scenario the United States keeps growing to about 381 million people by 2050, with a median age near 42 and a nearly column-shaped pyramid from birth to the mid-sixties.
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 United States’s 2026 pyramid has a comparatively smooth profile without sharp bulges or notches.
Births outnumber deaths in 2026; the medium scenario projects deaths to exceed births from 2042. People aged 65 and older came to outnumber children under 15 between 2023 and 2025.
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, United States is projected to record 3,673,260 births (about one birth every 8.6 seconds) and 3,136,202 deaths, a natural increase of 537,058. Net migration adds +1,177,848 people, ranking #35 in the net migration rate ranking.
Between 2000 and 2023 the UN estimates 94,457,126 births, 64,354,464 deaths, and cumulative net migration of +34,283,346. 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 +30,789,084 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
- 82.2 years71.0 in 1950
- Life expectancy, men
- 77.4 years65.4 in 1950
- Further years at 65
- 20.2 yearsboth sexes
- Infant mortality
- 4.7per 1,000 births · 32 in 1950
- Under-five mortality
- 5.6per 1,000 births
- Mother’s mean age at birth
- 30.2 yearssex ratio at birth 105.0
Women in United States are projected to live 4.8 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 32 to 4.7 deaths per 1,000 live births since 1950, ranking #176 of 237 in the infant mortality ranking (highest first). A mean age at childbearing of 30.2 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 United States
The median age of 38.7 years splits the population into two equal halves. A total fertility rate of 1.62 births per woman is below the replacement level of roughly 2.1, and life expectancy at birth is 79.8 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 | 349,035,494 | #3 | Largest first |
| Median age | 38.7 years | #79 | Oldest first |
| Fertility rate | 1.62 | #147 | Highest first |
| Annual growth | +0.5% | #136 | Fastest first |
| Life expectancy | 79.8 years | #63 | Highest first |
| Population aged 65+ | 18.8% | #54 | Highest share first |
Largest age groups in United States
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 | 35–39 | 24,341,983 | 7.0% | 12.6M / 11.8M |
| 2 | 20–24 | 23,525,035 | 6.7% | 12.1M / 11.4M |
| 3 | 30–34 | 23,511,929 | 6.7% | 12.2M / 11.3M |
| 4 | 40–44 | 23,318,349 | 6.7% | 12M / 11.3M |
| 5 | 25–29 | 22,818,024 | 6.5% | 11.8M / 11M |
Sex ratio and the balance by age
In the 2026 projection, United States has 175,399,113 males and 173,636,381 females. That is 101.0 males per 100 females, ranking #63 when the dataset is ordered from the highest male-to-female ratio to the lowest.
Males account for 50.3% of the population and females for 49.7%. There are 1,762,732 more males than females overall. Among people aged 65 and older, the ratio is 85.3 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, 105.0 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 United States has changed since 1950
The population has increased from 154,202,680 in 1950 to 349,035,494 in 2026, a change of 126%. Over the same span, median age moved from 29.0 to 38.7 years.
The under-15 share changed from 27.3% to 16.9%, while the share aged 65 and older changed from 8.0% to 18.8%. These shifts show why total population growth and age-structure change need to be read separately. See the United States population pyramid in 1950 for the full starting shape.
How the population could change by 2050
Under the UN medium scenario, United States’s population is projected to grow by about 9%, reaching 380,846,910 in 2050. The median age changes from 38.7 to 41.9 years.
The 65+ share is projected to rise by 4.3 percentage points to 23.1%. At the same time, the under-15 share is projected at 15.9%. The United States population pyramid for 2050 shows the projected shape in detail. How UN projections work explains the assumptions behind these figures.
The population is still rising at the end of the UN medium projection in 2100, when it reaches 421,278,889. The page therefore does not assign a peak year beyond the available horizon.
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 | 154,202,680 | 29.0 | 3.09 | 68.1 | 3,697,926 | 1,479,687 | +52,383 | +1.5% |
| 1960 | 180,274,555 | 28.3 | 3.73 | 69.8 | 4,370,880 | 1,663,922 | +422,708 | +1.7% |
| 1970 | 207,796,339 | 26.7 | 2.51 | 70.7 | 3,894,161 | 1,960,713 | +744,902 | +1.3% |
| 1980 | 229,858,655 | 29.1 | 1.86 | 73.7 | 3,745,108 | 2,004,240 | +595,916 | +1.0% |
| 1990 | 253,373,387 | 31.9 | 2.07 | 75.4 | 4,172,065 | 2,178,344 | +1,084,720 | +1.2% |
| 2000 | 281,484,131 | 34.3 | 2.03 | 76.8 | 3,956,650 | 2,423,915 | +1,248,392 | +1.0% |
| 2010 | 311,062,790 | 35.9 | 1.92 | 78.7 | 3,978,953 | 2,502,224 | +1,594,453 | +1.0% |
| 2020 | 339,436,159 | 37.2 | 1.62 | 77.0 | 3,641,990 | 3,384,290 | +329,769 | +0.2% |
| 2023 | 343,477,335 | 38.0 | 1.62 | 79.3 | 3,657,476 | 2,975,658 | +1,322,668 | +0.6% |
| 2024* | 345,426,571 | 38.3 | 1.62 | 79.5 | 3,654,449 | 3,046,569 | +1,286,132 | +0.6% |
| 2026* | 349,035,494 | 38.7 | 1.62 | 79.8 | 3,673,260 | 3,136,202 | +1,177,848 | +0.5% |
| 2030* | 355,649,881 | 39.6 | 1.63 | 80.4 | 3,722,355 | 3,329,481 | +1,194,626 | +0.5% |
| 2040* | 370,209,316 | 40.8 | 1.64 | 81.8 | 3,928,654 | 3,874,500 | +1,228,832 | +0.3% |
| 2050* | 380,846,910 | 41.9 | 1.64 | 83.2 | 3,786,868 | 4,196,014 | +1,277,326 | +0.2% |
| 2060* | 388,918,394 | 43.1 | 1.64 | 84.6 | 3,746,407 | 4,170,094 | +1,244,141 | +0.2% |
| 2070* | 398,218,088 | 43.7 | 1.64 | 85.8 | 3,876,044 | 4,216,238 | +1,298,521 | +0.2% |
| 2080* | 407,079,816 | 44.1 | 1.65 | 87.0 | 3,868,056 | 4,415,195 | +1,292,368 | +0.2% |
| 2090* | 414,457,640 | 44.8 | 1.65 | 88.1 | 3,852,724 | 4,431,151 | +1,294,357 | +0.2% |
| 2100* | 421,278,889 | 45.3 | 1.65 | 89.2 | 3,914,151 | 4,597,258 | +1,226,443 | +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 | 9,548,528 | 9,090,535 | 18,639,063 | 5.3% |
| 5–9 | 9,937,547 | 9,464,097 | 19,401,644 | 5.6% |
| 10–14 | 10,773,888 | 10,190,129 | 20,964,017 | 6.0% |
| 15–19 | 11,671,004 | 11,001,638 | 22,672,642 | 6.5% |
| 20–24 | 12,122,102 | 11,402,933 | 23,525,035 | 6.7% |
| 25–29 | 11,800,869 | 11,017,155 | 22,818,024 | 6.5% |
| 30–34 | 12,170,274 | 11,341,655 | 23,511,929 | 6.7% |
| 35–39 | 12,570,419 | 11,771,564 | 24,341,983 | 7.0% |
| 40–44 | 12,004,074 | 11,314,275 | 23,318,349 | 6.7% |
| 45–49 | 11,227,103 | 10,698,967 | 21,926,070 | 6.3% |
| 50–54 | 10,280,376 | 9,907,453 | 20,187,829 | 5.8% |
| 55–59 | 10,480,532 | 10,283,180 | 20,763,712 | 5.9% |
| 60–64 | 10,548,446 | 10,660,028 | 21,208,474 | 6.1% |
| 65–69 | 9,910,054 | 10,428,041 | 20,338,095 | 5.8% |
| 70–74 | 8,040,301 | 8,981,422 | 17,021,723 | 4.9% |
| 75–79 | 6,042,180 | 7,108,404 | 13,150,584 | 3.8% |
| 80–84 | 3,635,964 | 4,631,952 | 8,267,916 | 2.4% |
| 85–89 | 1,757,672 | 2,637,973 | 4,395,645 | 1.3% |
| 90–94 | 694,138 | 1,262,074 | 1,956,212 | 0.6% |
| 95–99 | 165,623 | 383,880 | 549,503 | 0.2% |
| 100+ | 18,022 | 59,025 | 77,047 | 0.0% |
Countries with the most similar age structure
These profiles have the 2026 age distributions closest to United States’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.
- New Zealand98% overlap · median age 38.0
- Australia97% overlap · median age 38.5
- Gibraltar97% overlap · median age 38.8
- Norway97% overlap · median age 40.1
- United Kingdom97% overlap · median age 40.2
- Barbados97% overlap · median age 39.7
Compare United States with other countries
Side-by-side pages put two pyramids on the same percentage scale, with a full indicator table and the projected change to 2050.
- China vs United States
- India vs United States
- Japan vs United States
- United Kingdom vs United States
- Canada vs United States
- Mexico vs United States
- Russia vs United States
To calculate school-age, working-age, or older groups with other boundaries, use the age-group calculator for United States.
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APA
World Population Pyramid. (2026, October 19). United States Population Pyramid 2026. https://worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/united-states/
MLA
“United States Population Pyramid 2026.” World Population Pyramid, 19 Oct. 2026, worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/united-states/.
Chicago
World Population Pyramid. “United States Population Pyramid 2026.” Last modified October 19, 2026. https://worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/united-states/.
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 United States in 2026?
Under the UN World Population Prospects 2024 medium scenario, United States's population in 2026 is projected at 349,035,494.
What is the median age in United States?
The projected median age in United States in 2026 is 38.7 years: half the population is younger and half is older.
What is the fertility rate in United States?
The projected total fertility rate in 2026 is 1.62 births per woman, below the replacement level of about 2.1 in low-mortality populations.
Is United States's population projected to grow?
Between 2026 and 2050, the UN medium scenario indicates the population will grow by about 9%, from 349M to 380.8M.
What share of United States is aged 65 or older?
In 2026, 18.8% of the projected population is aged 65 or older. By 2050, the medium scenario places the share at 23.1%.
How many babies are born in United States each year?
The UN medium scenario projects 3,673,260 births and 3,136,202 deaths in 2026, about one birth every 8.6 seconds. Births exceed deaths by 537,058.
What is life expectancy in United States for men and women?
Life expectancy at birth in 2026 is projected at 82.2 years for women and 77.4 years for men, a gap of 4.8 years in favour of women.
Does United States have more immigrants or emigrants?
United States is projected to gain about 1,177,848 more people through migration than it loses in 2026. Between 2000 and 2023 the UN estimates cumulative net migration of +34,283,346.
What is the sex ratio in United States?
The projected 2026 population sex ratio is 101.0 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.