Singapore's Population Reaches Record High of 6.11 Million in 2025
As of June 2025, Singapore's population reached a record high of 6.11 million, marking a 1.2% increase from the previous year. This growth was primarily driven by a rise in the number of non-residents, according to the latest government statistics.
Key Population Demographics
The citizen population experienced a modest increase of 0.7%, reaching 3.66 million. The number of permanent residents remained stable at 0.54 million. The non-resident population saw a more significant increase of 2.7%, totaling 1.91 million, attributed to a higher number of Work Permit Holders and migrant domestic workers.
Factors Driving Population Growth
According to the National Population and Talent Division, the increase in the non-resident population is largely due to manpower needs in sectors such as construction, supporting major infrastructure projects like Changi Airport Terminal 5 and new housing developments.
Singapore's Ageing Population
Singapore is facing an accelerating ageing trend. As of June 2025, 20.7% of citizens were aged 65 and above, a significant increase from 13.1% in 2015. The median age has risen to 43.7 years, and the number of citizens aged 80 and above has reached 145,000.
Family Formation Trends
In 2024, there were 22,955 citizen marriages registered, a 5.7% decrease from the previous year. However, citizen births saw a slight increase of 1.2%, with 29,237 births recorded. The total fertility rate for residents remained at 0.97, well below the replacement level. There is an increasing trend of citizens staying single across most age groups, and households are becoming smaller, with more families having one or no children.
Immigration and Citizenship
In 2024, 22,766 people became new citizens, excluding children granted citizenship by descent. Additionally, 35,264 individuals were granted permanent residency.
Key Ratios and Ethnic Mix
Singapore's old-age support ratio has decreased to 2.4 working-age citizens for every senior aged 65 and above. As of June 2025, the ethnic mix of citizens was 75.5% Chinese, 15.1% Malay, 7.6% Indian, and 1.8% from other groups. The number of overseas Singaporeans stood at 221,600.
Economic Context
The steady growth in the foreign workforce marks a recovery from the pandemic years when border restrictions caused a temporary population decline. While growing numbers of non-citizens can be a politically sensitive issue, Singapore's unemployment rate remains low at 2% as of June 2025. The city-state's economy grew by 4.4% year-on-year in the second quarter, although officials anticipate a slower second half due to external pressures.
