Given Singapore’s small land mass, its population growth and composition are always areas of focus.
The annual Population in Brief report for 2024 was recently released, and it highlighted many interesting trends related to Singapore’s resident population.
Carried out by the National Population and Talen Division (NTPD) of the Prime Minister’s Office – alongside its partner agencies – the report looks at various metrics from population composition to foreign employment growth.
Here are 7 things we learned from the latest Population in Brief 2024 report.
#1 Singapore’s Population Exceeds 6 Million For First Time
Like any population landmark, surpassing a certain number is a notable occasion. In the latest report, Singapore’s Little Red Dot saw its population surpass 6 million for the first time ever.
Singapore’s population in 2024 stands at 6.04 million, up 2% from the same report in 2023, when Singapore recorded a population of 5.92 million.
Most of this increase came from the non-residents section of the population, as their share grew to 1.86 million in 2024 from 1.77 million in 2023, marking a 5% increase. The citizen and PR populations accounted for 3.64 million, an annual increase of 0.7% from last year.
Total population by residency status as of June 2024
Sources: Department of Statistics, Population in Brief 2024
#2 Median Age Of Citizens Continues To Rise
The median age of Singapore’s citizen population rose slightly from June 2023 to June 2024, from 43.0 in June 2023 to 43.4 in June 2024. The more notable statistic is that the median age has risen yearly over the past decade. The median age of Singaporeans in June 2014 was 40.4, having risen three years over a decade and highlighting Singapore’s ageing population.
Remember that the “median” is the midpoint of a distribution of observed values, so the median age is trying to measure the middle ground of the citizen population’s ages.
Median age of citizens, as of June (years)
Sources: Department of Statistics, Population in Brief 2024
#3 Total Fertility Rate Hits Historic Low
The ageing population can also potentially be a sign of a low birth rate, and in Singapore’s case, the data suggest this.
In 2023, the Total Fertility Rate (TFR)—a measure of the average number of children a woman has during her childbearing years—for Singapore citizens fell to a record low of 0.97. It has been declining for decades and is down from 1.19 in 2013.
The Population in Brief report cited the COVID-19 pandemic as potentially exacerbating this decline, as increased economic uncertainty and disrupted marriage plans contributed to it.
#4 Foreign Employment Growth Comes In At 39,000
The foreign workforce in Singapore expanded between June 2023 and June 2024 by 39,000. While this is an increase, it was significantly down from the 162,000 in foreign employment growth between 2022-2023.
Hiring had been strong in the years following reopening from COVID-19 as there was a post-COVID bounce in the number of work permit holders in the Construction, Marine Shipyard and Process (CMP) sectors as projects were restarted.
#5 Higher Proportion Of Singles Across Nearly All Age Groups
With the generally global trend of individuals—both men and women—marrying later (or not getting married at all), it was no surprise that over the past decade, there has been a higher proportion of singles across nearly all age groups in Singapore.
The Population in Brief report highlighted that as of June 2023, 72.2% of females aged 25-29 were single, compared to 69.8% in June 2013. For men in the same age bracket, 84.1% were single as of June 2023, slightly higher than the 83.9% single as of June 2013.
For women aged 30-34, 36.5% were single in June 2023 versus 33.5% in June 2013. Meanwhile, for men aged 30-34, 46.7% were single in June 2023 versus 44.9% in June 2013.
The proportion of singles among citizen population by age group and sex, as of June (years)
Sources: Sources: Department of Statistics, Population in Brief 2024
#6 Fewer Citizen Marriages In 2023 Versus 2022
There were fewer citizen marriages in 2023 (24,400) than in 2022 (24,800). However, the number of citizen marriages in 2023 was still slightly higher than the average number of citizen marriages between 2014 and 2018 (24,000).
This suggests that Singaporeans still value the institution of marriage. Last year, it was noted that 1 in 6 citizen marriages were inter-ethnic, and that percentage has remained largely stable (between 16% and 18%) over the past ten years.
#7 Transnational marriages make up over one-third of citizen marriages
In 2023, transnational marriages (which involve a citizen marrying a non-citizen) rose to 36% from 33% in 2022. These proportions dipped in 2020 (30%) and 2021 (29%), most likely due to COVID-19-related travel restrictions.
However, over the past decade, that share has remained relatively stable, but it is down slightly from the decade-high 39% recorded in 2013.
Read Also: 10 International Rankings That Singaporeans Enjoy
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