Singapore now ‘super-aged’ society as population hits 6.21 million

Singapore’s population rose 1.6 per cent to 6.21 million in June 2026, driven mainly by growth in its non-resident population. — AFP file pic

By Malay Mail

First Published: Friday, 25 Sep 2026 4:19 PM MYT

SINGAPORE, Sept 25 — Singapore’s population has climbed to 6.21 million as at June 2026, up 1.6 per cent from a year earlier, with non-residents accounting for most of the increase.

According to the Population in Brief 2026 report released by the National Population and Talent Division (NPTD) today, the non-resident population grew 3.7 per cent to 1.98 million, mainly because of more Work Permit holders and migrant domestic workers.

The report said the rise in construction workers was tied to major projects including Changi Terminal 5, the Marina Bay Sands expansion, increased housing supply and other transport infrastructure.

Singapore’s citizen population grew 0.7 per cent to 3.68 million, while the permanent resident population was broadly unchanged at about 550,000.

Foreign workers excluding migrant domestic workers now make up about two-thirds of the non-resident population, with the remainder largely comprising domestic workers, dependants and students.

The report also highlighted Singapore’s accelerating ageing trend, with 21.4 per cent of citizens aged 65 and above, putting the country within the United Nations definition of a “super-aged” society.

The number of citizens aged 80 and above has meanwhile risen 60 per cent over the past decade, from 95,000 in 2016 to 152,000 this year.

At the same time, citizen marriages fell 5.6 per cent to 21,671 in 2025, while Singaporeans continued to marry later than a decade ago.

Citizen births dropped more sharply, falling 10.8 per cent to 26,071, while the resident total fertility rate declined to 0.87 from 0.97 in 2024.

Singapore also granted 25,094 citizenships and 35,352 permanent residencies in 2025, with the five-year annual averages for both exceeding those recorded from 2016 to 2020.

Of the new citizens, 62.1 per cent were from Southeast Asian countries, which also accounted for 61.6 per cent of new permanent residents granted that year.