---

Life expectancy at birth, 2021: 83.1
Share of the population aged 65 and over, 2021: 20.0%
Share of the population aged 65 and over, 2050: 23.7%
Share of the population aged 80 and over, 2021: 5.2%
Share of the population aged 80 and over, 2050: 9.0%
Adults aged 65 and over rating their own health as good or very good, 2021: 62%
Adults aged 65 and over rating their own health as poor or very poor, by income, 2021
– Lowest quintile: 13%
– Highest quintile: 5%
– Total: 9%
Limitations in daily activities in adults aged 65 and over, 2021
– Severe Limitations: 7%
– Some Limitations: 21%
Share of adults aged 65 and over receiving long-term care, 2021: 15.7%

Source: OECD (2023), Health at a Glance 2023: OECD Indicators, OECD Publishing, Paris, doi.org/10.1787/7a7afb35-en.

---

Population, Midyear 2022: 10,549,347
Population Density (Number of Persons per Square Kilometer): 25.90
Life Expectancy at Birth, 2022: 83.51
Projected Population, Midyear 2030: 11,007,228
Percentage of Total Population Aged 65 and Older, Midyear 2022: 20.25%
Projected Percentage of Total Population Aged 65 and Older, Midyear 2030: 21.84%
Projected Percentage of Total Population Aged 65 and Older, Midyear 2050: 24.76%

Source: United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2023). Data Portal, custom data acquired via website. United Nations: New York. Accessed 12 May 2023.

---

“Life expectancy in Sweden is among the highest in the world – 84.8 years for women and 81.2 years for men in 2021 (Table 1.3). As in most other EU countries, average life expectancy has increased steadily apart from a small decrease during the COVID-19 pandemic. Although women in Sweden live longer than men, the percentage of women that state that their health is good is slightly lower than among men, also when adjusted for differences in age. It is also more common for women to have chronic conditions (AHCSA, 2022a). According to a survey in 2021, 82% of the population aged 65 and above had a chronic disease (AHCSA, 2022b). People with chronic diseases account for 80–85% of total health care costs (AHCSA, 2014a). Hence, the growing number of elderly people with chronic diseases pose challenges to the health care system.”

Source: Janlöv N, Blume S, Glenngård AH, Hanspers K, Anell A, Merkur S. Sweden: Health system review. Health Systems in Transition, 2023; 25(3): i–198.

---

“A distinctive feature of Swedish welfare policy is that it is largely universal, namely, public services and social transfers are designed as social rights that cover the entire population in different life situations, not just vulnerable groups (Ministry of Finance, 2017). Consequently, Sweden has a comprehensive public sector, with total public expenditure accounting for about half of Sweden’s GDP (measured in terms of consumption). The largest share (38%) comprises transfers to cover social protection (such as old age pensions but also expenses for care for elderly individuals, such as home services and special accommodation). Health care is the second largest part followed by education, general public services and economic affairs. The share of public expenditure in GDP on social protection and health care has been fairly stable since 2011, and varied between 27.9% and 25.9% (Eurostat, 2022a).”

Source: Janlöv N, Blume S, Glenngård AH, Hanspers K, Anell A, Merkur S. Sweden: Health system review. Health Systems in Transition, 2023; 25(3): i–198.

---

---

World Health Systems Facts is a project of the Real Reporting Foundation. We provide reliable statistics and other data from authoritative sources regarding health systems and policies in the US and sixteen other nations.

Page last updated March 31, 2025 by Doug McVay, Editor.