Where the World’s Centenarians Live (2025 Edition)
- Marc Lowe
- Aug 22
- 4 min read
If you want to find the most 100-year-olds on earth, you have to look at the map two ways: by how many centenarians a place has, and by how concentrated they are relative to the population. Those two lenses tell slightly different stories—and they both matter.
By headcount: the biggest populations of 100-year-olds
Using the United Nations’ 2024 projections (summarized by Pew Research Center), the five countries with the largest number of people age 100+ are:
Japan (~146,000)
United States (~108,000)
China (~60,000)
India (~48,000)
Thailand (~38,000)
Taken together, those five account for more than half of the world’s centenarians. In 2024 the UN estimated about 722,000 centenarians worldwide—a figure projected to climb toward 4 million by 2054. (Pew Research Center)
A quick nuance: modelled estimates vs. on-the-ground counts can differ. For example, Japan’s own administrative tally reported 95,119 centenarians as of Sept. 1, 2024, lower than the UN projection but still among the highest totals on earth. The discrepancy comes from different methods (UN projections vs. national registries) and timing. (AP News, Pew Research Center)
By concentration: where centenarians are most common
If you rank places by share of the population rather than raw numbers, a different picture emerges:
Japan stands out among large nations not just in count but in centenarians per 10,000 people (roughly 12 per 10,000 in 2024), reflecting one of the oldest age structures in the world. The U.S. sits around 3 per 10,000, while Thailand is near 5 per 10,000. (Pew Research Center)
France has one of Europe’s largest and fastest-growing centenarian populations—about 31,000 in 2024—and notable clusters in its overseas departments. (Ined)
Italy continues to age rapidly; 22,552 residents were 100+ on Jan. 1, 2024, up more than 30% over a decade. (ANSA.it)
Spain has seen steady growth too, with 14,660 centenarians in 2023. (envejecimientoenred.csic.es)
Caribbean territories punch above their weight. Research from France’s national demography institute notes unusually high shares of centenarians in Guadeloupe and Martinique; earlier comparative rankings also placed Guadeloupe among world leaders per capita. (Ined, U.S. News)
The “Blue Zones” you hear about—what they are (and aren’t)
Outside national statistics, you’ll often see stories about “Blue Zones”—communities with unusually high rates of healthy aging and notable numbers of people reaching 90 and 100: Okinawa (Japan), Sardinia (Italy), Ikaria (Greece), Nicoya (Costa Rica), and Loma Linda (California). These aren’t countries; they’re localized pockets with cultural, dietary, and social habits linked to longevity (think daily natural movement, plant-forward diets, strong social ties, and a sense of purpose). (info.bluezonesproject.com)
There’s active debate in academia about how clean the underlying records are in some locales (misreporting and historical record issues can inflate counts). That said, the lifestyle patterns documented in these communities remain widely studied and continue to inform public-health and personal-habit thinking. (MedRxiv)
Why the numbers don’t always match
If you’re scanning headlines, you may see different figures for the “most centenarians”—here’s why:
Data source & timing. The UN publishes projections by year; countries publish administrative counts at specific dates (e.g., Japan’s “Respect for the Aged Day” release each September). These can diverge, especially in fast-aging societies. (Pew Research Center, AP News)
Definitions. Some reports count exactly age 100; others include 100 and over.
Coverage & quality. National registries vary in completeness. Demographers frequently adjust for over- or under-counting in very old ages.
Zooming out: what this says about the world right now
The world already hosts hundreds of thousands of centenarians, and that number is set to multiply within a generation, reshaping health systems, housing, and labor markets. (Pew Research Center)
Asia and Europe remain the epicenters of population aging, but North America is close behind in absolute counts. (Japan currently leads the world in population age structure; Italy, France, Spain, and others are not far behind.) (Pew Research Center)
Quick country snapshots (2024–2025)
Japan: ~146k centenarians (UN est.); official count 95,119 (Sept. 2024). Highest share of elderly globally. (Pew Research Center, AP News)
United States: ~108k centenarians (UN est.), projected to quadruple by 2054. (Pew Research Center)
France: ~31k; rapid growth, notable concentrations including overseas departments. (Ined)
Italy: 22,552 (Jan. 1, 2024); up 30% in 10 years. (ANSA.it)
Spain: 14,660 (2023); continuing upward trend. (envejecimientoenred.csic.es)
Bottom line
Most centenarians by count: Japan and the U.S., followed by China, India, and Thailand (per UN projections). (Pew Research Center)
Highest concentrations: Japan among large nations; selected French Caribbean territories and celebrated Blue Zone communities are frequent standouts on a per-capita basis. (Ined, U.S. News, info.bluezonesproject.com)
About The Author
Marc Lowe is the Founder & President of In The Money Retirement Planning. He is a Certified Financial Planner and member of NAPFA National Association of Personal Financial Advisors, XY Planning Network & Fee-Only Network. He works with retirees and those approaching retirement. He has over a decade of experience helping these folks grow their net worth, organize their finances and build better lives for themselves and their families.
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