Taiwan has officially entered a super-aged society after the share of residents aged 65 and above surpassed 20%, according to newly released annual population statistics from the interior authorities. The move from an aged society, defined by a 14% senior population share, to a super-aged society took just 7 years and 9 months. The pace was faster than in many developed economies and nearly twice as fast as Japan over the same transition.
Senior population reaches 4.673 million
Data for 2025 showed that Taiwan’s population aged 65 and older had climbed to 4.673 million, accounting for more than one-fifth of the total population. Taipei recorded the highest aging ratio in Taiwan at 24.18%. The report said many elderly residents live in older apartment buildings without elevators or accessible facilities, creating a “double aging” problem in which both residents and housing stock are aging at the same time.
Births fall to about 107,000 despite Dragon Year effect
The deeper driver behind the shift is the long decline in births. Taiwan recorded only about 107,000 newborns in 2025, down more than 20% from a year earlier and marking the sharpest drop in roughly a decade. Even the Dragon Year, traditionally viewed as favorable for childbirth, failed to lift the number. The report linked the weak birth trend to high inflation, elevated housing costs, and stagnant wage growth among younger generations. Analysis cited in the article said Taiwan’s fertility rate has stayed below 0.8 for an extended period, placing it alongside South Korea at the bottom globally.
Demographic dividend set to run out by 2028
The strain is already showing up in the labor market and public finances. Taiwan’s National Development Council estimates that the island will exhaust its demographic dividend in 2028, when the working-age population share drops below two-thirds. At present, around 3.4 workers support one elderly person. By 2070, that ratio could deteriorate to 1:1. That shift points to a much heavier support burden across households, businesses, and the state.
Healthcare system and employers face mounting pressure
The healthcare burden is also rising. People aged 65 and over are already using more than 40% of medical resources, according to the report. As the pool of contributors shrinks, policymakers may be forced to choose between higher payments and welfare adjustments. Employers are also dealing with labor shortages by expanding automation and migrant labor programs. Those measures may ease staffing gaps in the short term, but the article said they also carry implications for local wage structures and employment stability.
Taiwan’s population is now recording a net daily decline of about 277 people. The number may appear small on a single day, but the cumulative effect is large enough to reshape the economy and broader society. The report said the next one to two years will be a critical window for changes to healthcare, pension, and immigration policy.