Higher elderly population linked to greater household spending
Comparing Households and NPISHs Final consumption expenditure (current US$) with Population ages 65 and above, total across 178 countries, 2025–2025.
- Rank correlation
- +0.92
- Holding size constant
- +0.74
- Countries compared
- 178
- Period
- 2025–2025
What might link these
Wealthier countries with aging populations may spend more on consumption, while poorer countries with younger populations spend less. A careful reader should note that correlation does not imply causation, and other factors like policy or cultural norms could drive this link.
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. The high rank correlation may reflect broader economic development patterns rather than a direct relationship.
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.