Sex ratio by age in New Zealand
New Zealand: Sex ratio by age was 38.3 males per 100 females in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
38.3 males per 100 females
Change on year
up 19.7%
World rank
41st
of 212 countries
All-time high
55 males per 100 females
in 1957
All-time low
15.82 males per 100 females
in 2005
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Sex ratio by age in New Zealand, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in males per 100 females.
Analysis
In 2023, sex ratio by age in New Zealand stood at 38.3 males per 100 females.
The figure is up 19.7% on the previous year and up 60.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, sex ratio by age in New Zealand peaked at 55 males per 100 females in 1957 and was at its lowest, 15.82 males per 100 females, in 2005.
That places New Zealand 41st out of 212 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 74 years of available data.
Sex ratio by age in New Zealand, year by year
| Year | males per 100 females | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 33.33 males per 100 females | — |
| 1951 | 32.14 males per 100 females | -3.6% |
| 1952 | 36.36 males per 100 females | +13.1% |
| 1953 | 40 males per 100 females | +10.0% |
| 1954 | 45 males per 100 females | +12.5% |
| 1955 | 52.63 males per 100 females | +17.0% |
| 1956 | 50 males per 100 females | -5.0% |
| 1957 | 55 males per 100 females | +10.0% |
| 1958 | 55 males per 100 females | +0.0% |
| 1959 | 52.38 males per 100 females | -4.8% |
| 1960 | 47.83 males per 100 females | -8.7% |
| 1961 | 45.83 males per 100 females | -4.2% |
| 1962 | 44 males per 100 females | -4.0% |
| 1963 | 44.44 males per 100 females | +1.0% |
| 1964 | 42.86 males per 100 females | -3.6% |
| 1965 | 37.93 males per 100 females | -11.5% |
| 1966 | 41.38 males per 100 females | +9.1% |
| 1967 | 41.94 males per 100 females | +1.3% |
| 1968 | 39.39 males per 100 females | -6.1% |
| 1969 | 37.14 males per 100 females | -5.7% |
| 1970 | 36.11 males per 100 females | -2.8% |
| 1971 | 35.14 males per 100 females | -2.7% |
| 1972 | 34.21 males per 100 females | -2.6% |
| 1973 | 35.9 males per 100 females | +4.9% |
| 1974 | 35.71 males per 100 females | -0.5% |
| 1975 | 31.91 males per 100 females | -10.6% |
| 1976 | 30 males per 100 females | -6.0% |
| 1977 | 27.78 males per 100 females | -7.4% |
| 1978 | 25.81 males per 100 females | -7.1% |
| 1979 | 25 males per 100 females | -3.1% |
| 1980 | 25.32 males per 100 females | +1.3% |
| 1981 | 24.14 males per 100 females | -4.7% |
| 1982 | 22.68 males per 100 females | -6.0% |
| 1983 | 22.86 males per 100 females | +0.8% |
| 1984 | 22.22 males per 100 females | -2.8% |
| 1985 | 21.77 males per 100 females | -2.0% |
| 1986 | 20.93 males per 100 females | -3.9% |
| 1987 | 20.44 males per 100 females | -2.4% |
| 1988 | 19.86 males per 100 females | -2.8% |
| 1989 | 19.74 males per 100 females | -0.6% |
| 1990 | 20.38 males per 100 females | +3.3% |
| 1991 | 21.34 males per 100 females | +4.7% |
| 1992 | 20.81 males per 100 females | -2.5% |
| 1993 | 19.23 males per 100 females | -7.6% |
| 1994 | 17.95 males per 100 females | -6.7% |
| 1995 | 17.56 males per 100 females | -2.2% |
| 1996 | 16.59 males per 100 females | -5.5% |
| 1997 | 16.36 males per 100 females | -1.4% |
| 1998 | 16.67 males per 100 females | +1.9% |
| 1999 | 16.45 males per 100 females | -1.3% |
| 2000 | 16.8 males per 100 females | +2.1% |
| 2001 | 16.99 males per 100 females | +1.1% |
| 2002 | 16.6 males per 100 females | -2.3% |
| 2003 | 16.36 males per 100 females | -1.5% |
| 2004 | 16.13 males per 100 females | -1.4% |
| 2005 | 15.82 males per 100 females | -1.9% |
| 2006 | 16.18 males per 100 females | +2.3% |
| 2007 | 17.35 males per 100 females | +7.2% |
| 2008 | 18.77 males per 100 females | +8.2% |
| 2009 | 19.4 males per 100 females | +3.4% |
| 2010 | 19.33 males per 100 females | -0.4% |
| 2011 | 20.11 males per 100 females | +4.0% |
| 2012 | 21.68 males per 100 females | +7.8% |
| 2013 | 23.9 males per 100 females | +10.2% |
| 2014 | 24.88 males per 100 females | +4.1% |
| 2015 | 24.94 males per 100 females | +0.2% |
| 2016 | 25.16 males per 100 females | +0.9% |
| 2017 | 25 males per 100 females | -0.6% |
| 2018 | 24.9 males per 100 females | -0.4% |
| 2019 | 26.12 males per 100 females | +4.9% |
| 2020 | 27.5 males per 100 females | +5.3% |
| 2021 | 28.01 males per 100 females | +1.8% |
| 2022 | 32 males per 100 females | +14.3% |
| 2023 | 38.3 males per 100 females | +19.7% |
New Zealand compared with similar countries
- New Zealand's 38.3 males per 100 females is above the median for high income countries, which is 21.34 males per 100 females, 1.8× the median. (78 countries reporting)
- New Zealand's 38.3 males per 100 females is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 21.92 males per 100 females, 1.7× the median. (28 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 45.19 males per 100 females | 32.14 males per 100 females | 55 males per 100 females | 10 |
| 1960s | 42.27 males per 100 females | 37.14 males per 100 females | 47.83 males per 100 females | 10 |
| 1970s | 31.76 males per 100 females | 25 males per 100 females | 36.11 males per 100 females | 10 |
| 1980s | 22 males per 100 females | 19.74 males per 100 females | 25.32 males per 100 females | 10 |
| 1990s | 18.33 males per 100 females | 16.36 males per 100 females | 21.34 males per 100 females | 10 |
| 2000s | 17.04 males per 100 females | 15.82 males per 100 females | 19.4 males per 100 females | 10 |
| 2010s | 23.6 males per 100 females | 19.33 males per 100 females | 26.12 males per 100 females | 10 |
| 2020s | 31.45 males per 100 females | 27.5 males per 100 females | 38.3 males per 100 females | 4 |
Countries ranked near New Zealand
More gender data for New Zealand
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 907.87 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth -0.6435 % change on previous year (2030)
- Population 4,499 (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 4,499 (2030)
- Population (UN estimates and projections), annual growth rate 0.7305 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 28,751 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 30,320 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 29,075 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 30,663 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 29,141 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is sex ratio by age in New Zealand?
- Sex ratio by age in New Zealand was 38.3 males per 100 females in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest sex ratio by age recorded in New Zealand?
- The highest recorded value was 55 males per 100 females in 1957.
- What is the lowest sex ratio by age recorded in New Zealand?
- The lowest recorded value was 15.82 males per 100 females in 2005.
- How does New Zealand rank for sex ratio by age?
- New Zealand ranks 41st out of 212 countries with data for 2023.
- Is sex ratio by age rising or falling in New Zealand?
- Over the last ten years it is up 60.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this New Zealand data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Sex ratio by age. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Number of males per 100 females at age 100+.