Wealthier countries have more older men
Comparing GNI per capita, Atlas method (current US$) with Population ages 65 and above, male (% of male population) across 203 countries, 2025–2025.
- Rank correlation
- +0.77
- Holding size constant
- +0.70
- Countries compared
- 203
- Period
- 2025–2025
What might link these
The correlation between GNI per capita and the percentage of the male population aged 65 and above may be linked to improvements in healthcare and living standards that come with higher incomes. A careful reader should be cautious about assuming causation and consider other factors such as advances in medical technology. Life expectancy is a likely confounder in this relationship.
Why this is not proof of anything
This is a correlation across countries, not an experiment. It cannot show that either indicator causes the other, and both may simply follow a third thing. This correlation could mislead by implying a direct causal link between wealth and aging, when in fact other factors like improvements in healthcare are likely driving both indicators.
The second figure above repeats the measurement with national population and income held constant. It is the more conservative number: a relationship that largely disappears there was mostly telling you that larger, richer countries have more of most things.
How this was measured
Both indicators were ranked across every country reporting each, and the two rankings compared — ranks rather than raw values, because a handful of very large countries can otherwise manufacture a relationship on their own. The calculation is arithmetic over figures already published on this site; the commentary above is drafted from the two indicator names and the resulting coefficients.