How Spain is ageing
This is not a sudden shift. Spain has been ageing slowly for decades.
Spain's population is older today than it was thirty years ago. The combination of longer life expectancy and fewer births is gradually but persistently reshaping the country's demographic structure.
Median age 2025
45.8
% 65+ (2025)
20.7%
Life exp. 2024
84
Birth rate 2024
6.5‰
The median age rises year after year
In 1991, half of Spain's population was under 33.7. In 2025 that figure is 45.8 — an increase of 12.1 points over three decades. The trend is linear and uninterrupted.
Median age of Spain's population (1991–2025)
Source: Eurostat — demo_pjanind
One in five Spaniards is over 65
In 1991, 13.8% of the population was aged 65 or over. In 2025 that share is 20.7% — nearly 6.9 points higher. Each year, the weight of older people increases slightly and very consistently.
% of population aged 65 or over (1991–2025)
Source: Eurostat — demo_pjanind
Fewer births, longer lives
In 1991, the birth rate was 10.2 births per 1,000 people and life expectancy was 77.1 years. In 2024 births have fallen to 6.5 per thousand and life expectancy has risen to 84 years. Fewer arrivals, longer stays: the equation behind ageing.
Life expectancy at birth in Spain
Source: Eurostat — demo_mlexpec
Crude birth rate in Spain (births per 1,000 people)
Source: Eurostat — demo_gind
Ageing is not uniform across the country
Asturias, Castilla y León and Galicia lead in ageing — already above 25% of residents aged 65+. At the other end, Melilla and Ceuta are below 14%. The gap between the oldest and youngest communities is nearly 16 percentage points.
% aged 65+ by autonomous community (2025)
Most aged
| Autonomous Community | % 65+ |
|---|---|
| Asturias | 28.4% |
| Castilla y León | 27.3% |
| Galicia | 26.9% |
| Cantabria | 24.5% |
| País Vasco | 24.2% |
Least aged
| Autonomous Community | % 65+ |
|---|---|
| Melilla | 12.7% |
| Ceuta | 13.7% |
| Illes Balears | 16.8% |
| Murcia | 17% |
| Canarias | 18.2% |
A structural transformation, not a passing debate
Ageing is not today's headline or tomorrow's problem: it is a structural shift that has been underway for decades. It affects housing, the labour market, pensions and health services. The data shows a stable trend with no sign of reversing.
What the data tells us
1 Median age has risen 12.1 years since 1991: from 33.7 to 45.8.
2 The share of people aged 65+ has grown from 13.8% to 20.7% over three decades.
3 Lower birth rate (10.2 → 6.5 per thousand) and longer life expectancy (77.1 → 84 years) explain the change.