Deaths increase as population ages

Deaths in New Zealand increased to the highest on record in 2021, but this is expected as it reflects our aging population, Stats NZ said today.

There were 34,932 deaths registered in New Zealand in 2021, up from 32,613 in 2020 (an increase of seven percent, or 2,319 deaths). However, the 2021 total was only a slight increase (two percent or 672 deaths) on the 34,260 deaths registered in 2019.

"Annual deaths are generally increasing over time because of population growth and more people in older age groups where most deaths occur," population estimates and projections manager Hamish Slack said

"Deaths in 2021 were in line with the expected trend of increasing deaths, while deaths in 2020 were lower as there were far fewer winter deaths than other years."

Two out of three deaths in New Zealand are to people aged 75 years or older (64 percent). As the number of people reaching older ages increases, the number of deaths will also increase -2073).

Despite the increase in deaths, the number of older people has grown even faster, resulting in lower death rates at older ages and increased life expectancy.

Life expectancy up at all ages

The latest period life tables, which use deaths registered from 2019 to 2021 to calculate life expectancy, indicate that a newborn boy can expect to live, on average, 80.5 years, and a newborn girl 84.1 years. This is an increase in life expectancy at birth of about six months for males, and seven months for females, from 2017-2019.

Life expectancy increased at every age between 2017-2019 and 2019-2021. The average life expectancy of both men and women aged 75 years has increased by about five months each.

"New Zealand's life expectancy increased at a time when it dropped in many countries, including Italy, United Kingdom, the United States, and France, likely as a result of COVID-19-related deaths in other countries," Mr Slack said.

OECD data shows that between 2018 and 2020, life expectancy at birth decreased by 13 months in Italy and the United Kingdom, eight months in the United States, and six months in France. Health at a Glance, published by OECD, has more information about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on deaths and life expectancy.

Stats NZ does not collect cause-of-death data. Mortality data and stats published by the Ministry of Health has more information on cause of death.

Life tables give a detailed comparison of mortality and survival trends, including life expectancy, between populations and time periods. The life expectancy from period life tables assumes people experience the age-specific death rates of a specific period from that age onwards. If death rates decline further, the actual life expectancy of babies born in 2019-2021 will be higher than these figures . Cohort life tables measure the actual life expectancy experienced by people born in each year and allow for a better comparison over time. The New Zealand cohort life tables: March 2021 update is currently available, with the March 2022 update being released on 3 March 2022.