Taiwan’s population structure is迎來 a critical turning point. In less than eight years, it has entered a super-aged society. The pressures of declining birthrates and aging are全面考驗 Taiwan’s social governance and economic resilience.
（Previous summary: Dividend tax over NT$20,000 taxed at 2.11% supplemental health insurance fee canceled! Taiwan Executive Yuan: Temporarily halt response to public opinion, reduce intergenerational burden）
（Background supplement: What is Taiwan’s disease? The terrifying balance that even The Economist couldn’t understand: life insurance, tax system, and real estate jointly hostage the New Taiwan Dollar）

Table of Contents

• Accelerating aging, crossing a critical threshold in seven years
• Birth rate hitting bottom, declining birthrate becomes the core crisis
• Shrinking workforce, fiscal and medical pressures rising simultaneously
• Population countdown in progress, super-aged society already arrived

Taipei time, January 9, the Ministry of the Interior announced the latest annual population statistics. Data shows that Taiwan’s population aged 65 and above officially surpasses 20%, marking entry into a “super-aged society.” It took only 7 years and 9 months to go from an aging society (14%) to a super-aged society. The speed not only exceeds most developed countries but is nearly twice as fast as Japan at the same stage, also meaning that the time left for government, businesses, and families to respond is greatly shortened.

Accelerating aging, crossing a critical threshold in seven years

According to the Ministry of the Interior’s 2025 population data, Taiwan’s population aged 65 and above has reached 4.673 million, accounting for over one-fifth of the total population. Among them, Taipei City has the highest proportion of elderly at 24.18%, becoming the most severely aging administrative district in Taiwan.

A large number of elderly residents live in old apartments lacking elevators and accessible facilities, forming a “double elderly” phenomenon of people and homes. This not only affects quality of life but also suppresses housing mobility, thereby dragging down urban renewal and overall economic vitality. The rapid shift in population structure is becoming a long-term variable as important as geopolitical and supply chain risks.

Birth rate hitting bottom, declining birthrate becomes the core crisis

Aging is just the result; the decline in birthrate is a deeper warning. Statistics show that in 2025, there will be only about 107,000 newborns, a decrease of over 20% year-on-year, the largest drop in nearly a decade. Even during the Year of the Dragon, traditionally seen as a peak birth year, birth numbers have not rebounded, indicating that cultural factors are no longer able to offset real pressures.

Under the dual assault of high inflation and high housing prices, young generations’ salaries have stagnated, forming an unmanageable “economic scissors.” According to analysis by @E5@, Taiwan’s long-term fertility rate is below 0.8, ranking among the lowest in the world alongside South Korea, trapped in a structural and difficult-to-reverse low fertility cycle.

Shrinking workforce, fiscal and medical pressures rising simultaneously

The impact of population imbalance is rapidly reflected in fiscal and labor markets. The National Development Council estimates that Taiwan will exhaust its demographic dividend by 2028, with the working-age population dropping below two-thirds. Currently, about 3.4 workers support 1 elderly person; by 2070, this could worsen to 1:1.

The national health insurance system is most immediately affected. Over 40% of medical resources are used by the population aged 65 and above. As the paying population decreases, the government will inevitably face tough choices between increasing burdens and adjusting welfare. On the other hand, businesses face labor shortages, accelerating automation and migrant worker policies. While these can temporarily ease manpower issues, they also impact local wage structures and employment stability.

Population countdown in progress, super-aged society already arrived

Statistics show that Taiwan’s population decreases by about 277 people daily. While seemingly slow, the long-term accumulation is enough to reshape the economic and social landscape. Industry experts worry about energy and water resources, but the more urgent bottleneck is the labor force itself.

Most experts agree that the next one to two years will be a critical window for adjusting healthcare, pension, and immigration policies. The super-aged society is no longer just a forecast but a reality that has already arrived. How to complete structural transformation within limited time will determine Taiwan’s competitiveness for the next generation.