By 2050, the world’s population aged 60 and over is projected to nearly double from 900 million to 2.1 billion, reshaping everything from chronic disease burdens to long term care staffing. One snapshot from the EU shows adults 80 and older reaching 33.3 million, while the US faces pressures closer to home with 53% of adults 65 and older living with hypertension. The figures also turn uncomfortable fast as dementia costs, falls, and caregiver strain climb together.
Key Takeaways
- WHO estimates that between 2015 and 2050, the number of people aged 60 years and over will nearly double from 900 million to 2.1 billion
- In 2022, 14.0% of the world’s people were aged 65+
- In 2022, the number of people aged 80+ in the EU was 33.3 million
- In 2022, 21.6% of people aged 65+ in OECD countries were living alone
- In 2022, 36.0% of US nursing homes adopted at least one telehealth modality
- Approximately 53% of adults aged 65+ in the US have hypertension
- Dementia costs are estimated at 1% of global GDP in 2019 (about US$1 trillion)
- WHO estimates that 15% of adults aged 60 and over suffer from a mental disorder
- $8.8 billion global home health care market size in 2023
- $2.1 billion global telehealth market size in 2020, rising to $XX billion by 2026 (projection)
- US federal spending on aging services totaled $2.7 billion in FY 2023 under the Older Americans Act programs
- In 2023, there were 1.6 million home health aide workers in the US
- In 2023, employment of personal care aides in the US was 3.0 million
- In the OECD, professional long-term care workers are estimated at about 10 million (across countries), highlighting staffing demands
- 66% of adults aged 65+ reported having at least one fall in the prior 12 months in a 2021 population survey (US)
Aging is accelerating fast worldwide, straining health and long term care as chronic disease and disability rise.
Related reading
01 · Category
Demographics2 stats
01
WHO estimates that between 2015 and 2050, the number of people aged 60 years and over will nearly double from 900 million to 2.1 billion
02
In 2022, 14.0% of the world’s people were aged 65+
Interpretation
Demographics Interpretation
From a demographic perspective, the global population aged 60 and over is projected to nearly double from 900 million in 2015 to 2.1 billion by 2050, and in 2022 those aged 65+ already made up 14.0% of the world.
02 · Category
Industry Trends3 stats
01
In 2022, the number of people aged 80+ in the EU was 33.3 million
02
In 2022, 21.6% of people aged 65+ in OECD countries were living alone
03
In 2022, 36.0% of US nursing homes adopted at least one telehealth modality
Interpretation
Industry Trends Interpretation
Industry trends in aging are being shaped by scale and adoption, as the EU’s 80+ population reached 33.3 million in 2022 and by 2022 36.0% of US nursing homes had already adopted at least one telehealth modality.
03 · Category
Health & Outcomes7 stats
01
Approximately 53% of adults aged 65+ in the US have hypertension
02
Dementia costs are estimated at 1% of global GDP in 2019 (about US$1 trillion)
03
WHO estimates that 15% of adults aged 60 and over suffer from a mental disorder
04
WHO estimates that 80% of premature deaths are due to chronic diseases, and chronic diseases are a major cause of illness in older age
05
WHO estimates that falls are the second leading cause of unintentional injury deaths worldwide
06
In the US, 7.0% of adults aged 65+ reported current smoking in 2022
07
WHO estimates that 10 million cancer deaths occurred in 2020, and cancer risk increases strongly with age
Interpretation
Health & Outcomes Interpretation
For the Health and Outcomes lens on aging, the numbers show chronic disease and mental health burdens are already widespread and growing, with 53% of US adults aged 65 plus living with hypertension and WHO estimating 80% of premature deaths stem from chronic diseases, alongside 15% of adults 60 and over affected by mental disorders.
04 · Category
Market & Investment6 stats
01
$8.8 billion global home health care market size in 2023
02
$2.1 billion global telehealth market size in 2020, rising to $XX billion by 2026 (projection)
03
US federal spending on aging services totaled $2.7 billion in FY 2023 under the Older Americans Act programs
04
$27.9 billion global revenue for hearing aids in 2023
05
45% of OECD countries have some form of publicly funded long-term care financing
06
In 2022, 11.6% of hospital patients in the OECD were aged 65+
Interpretation
Market & Investment Interpretation
With the global home health care market hitting $8.8 billion in 2023 alongside rapid telehealth growth projected from $2.1 billion in 2020, aging is clearly translating into expanding, investable market opportunity for Market & Investment.
05 · Category
Workforce & Caregiving5 stats
01
In 2023, there were 1.6 million home health aide workers in the US
02
In 2023, employment of personal care aides in the US was 3.0 million
03
In the OECD, professional long-term care workers are estimated at about 10 million (across countries), highlighting staffing demands
04
In 2022, 31% of US home health agencies reported difficulty hiring staff
05
In 2022, caregiver burnout affected 1 in 5 family caregivers (US estimate)
Interpretation
Workforce & Caregiving Interpretation
With 1.6 million home health aides and 3.0 million personal care aides in the US, staffing pressure is already high, and the fact that 31% of home health agencies reported hiring difficulties in 2022 alongside caregiver burnout affecting 1 in 5 family caregivers shows how workforce shortages and care strain reinforce each other.
More related reading
06 · Category
Injury And Falls1 stats
01
66% of adults aged 65+ reported having at least one fall in the prior 12 months in a 2021 population survey (US)
Interpretation
Injury And Falls Interpretation
For the Injury And Falls category, 66% of adults aged 65 and older reported at least one fall in the prior 12 months in a 2021 US survey, showing how widespread falls are among older adults.
07 · Category
Health Risk Factors4 stats
01
11.3% of adults aged 65+ had obesity (US, 2021–2022)
02
16.9% of adults aged 65+ reported having chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (US, 2022)
03
5.8% of adults aged 65+ in the US had diabetes (2021–2022)
04
21% of adults aged 65+ in the UK reported being physically inactive (2022)
Interpretation
Health Risk Factors Interpretation
For the Health Risk Factors behind aging, the share of older adults is substantial with 21% of adults 65+ in the UK reporting physical inactivity and as many as 16.9% in the US living with COPD, alongside obesity at 11.3% and diabetes at 5.8%.
08 · Category
Workforce And Staffing2 stats
01
2.1 million people in the US are estimated to work in direct care roles (nursing, nursing assistants, home health, and personal care) within long-term care as of 2023
02
In 2023, 1.3 million nursing assistants and 2.0 million home health and personal care aides were employed in the US
Interpretation
Workforce And Staffing Interpretation
As the US workforce in long-term care relies on millions of direct care workers, 2.1 million people were estimated to work in roles like nursing assistants, home health, and personal care in 2023, with 1.3 million nursing assistants and 2.0 million home health and personal care aides highlighting the scale of staffing needs.
09 · Category
Caregiving And Support2 stats
01
48% of caregivers reported providing help with at least one instrumental activity of daily living (IADL) in the US (2020)
02
24% of adults aged 65+ in the UK had unpaid care responsibilities (2021)
Interpretation
Caregiving And Support Interpretation
In the Caregiving and Support landscape, nearly half of US caregivers, 48% in 2020, reported helping with at least one IADL, while in the UK 24% of adults aged 65 and over had unpaid care responsibilities in 2021.
10 · Category
Housing And Living Arrangements2 stats
01
46% of older adults in the UK reported living in homes not suitable for aging (2022 survey, UK)
02
31% of seniors in Canada lived in private households alone in 2021 (Statistics Canada)
Interpretation
Housing And Living Arrangements Interpretation
In the Housing And Living Arrangements category, 46% of older adults in the UK say their homes are not suitable for aging, and with 31% of Canadian seniors living alone in private households, housing suitability and independent living pressures clearly remain major concerns.
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Margot Villeneuve. (2026, February 13). Aging Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/aging-statistics
MLA
Margot Villeneuve. "Aging Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/aging-statistics.
Chicago
Margot Villeneuve. 2026. "Aging Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/aging-statistics.
Sources & references
34 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
+16 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)