Share of elderly population in Sweden 1970-2023, by age group

In Sweden, the share of elderly of the total population has increased since 1970. Whereas people aged 65 years or more made up below 14 percent of the population in 1970, they made up over 20 percent of the population in 2023. In total, the population in Sweden increased steadily over the past decade and amounted to 10.55 million in 2023.

Aging population

As the average life expectancy at birth in Sweden increased over the past decade, meaning that people live longer, and the birth rate decreased during the same period, the average age of Swedes reached almost 42 years in 2022.

Aging population means smaller labor force

The aging population brings future challenges for the Swedish society. The increasing number of elderly needs care, but simultaneously, there will be fewer people at working age to take care of the elderly. At the same time, there will be fewer people available for other jobs as more people retire. By 2030, it is estimated that the share of the labor force aged 64 years or more will increase by two percent.