Median age of population

The median age in Canada is expected to reach 40.6 years in 2025, marking an increase of 0.3 years from the previous year's 40.3 years. This uptick resumes the long-term aging trend observed from 1967 to 2021, following a brief interruption during the period of exceptionally high immigration from 2021 to 2024. The increase in median age during 2024-2025 is primarily attributed to the net loss of 124,915 non-permanent residents, particularly international students who tend to be younger than the general population.

As non-permanent residents decreased, the typical downward pressure they exerted on the median age diminished, allowing the underlying aging trend to reassert itself. The proportion of Canadians aged 65 and older rose to 19.5% by July 2025, while children and youth aged 0-14 accounted for 15.0% of the population. Regional variations remain significant, with Nunavut recording the lowest median age at 27.1 years and Newfoundland and Labrador the highest at 47.8 years, the latter becoming the first Canadian province where over one in four residents is 65 or older.

The median age exhibited an unusual temporary decline during the five-year period, a departure from the decades-long upward trajectory. Between 2021 and 2024, unprecedented waves of permanent and temporary immigration brought younger international migrants into Canada, causing the median age to decrease for three consecutive years, reaching 40.3 years by July 2024. This represented the first sustained decline in median age on record and temporarily offset the aging pressure from the large baby boomer cohorts reaching retirement age.

The average age of newcomers, both permanent and non-permanent residents, was approximately 28 years compared to the Canadian average of 42 years, providing significant demographic rejuvenation. Despite this influx, the aging of baby boomers continued to reshape Canada's age structure, with the population aged 65 and older growing by 3.4% annually during this period while those aged 0 to 14 increased by only 1.2%. The combination of declining fertility rates, increasing life expectancy, and the progression of baby boomers through retirement ages maintained underlying pressure toward an older population. Population aging proved to be an unavoidable long-term trend, with immigration providing only temporary moderation rather than a permanent reversal.