Accurate Singapore population data is essential for planning in areas like business, healthcare, and infrastructure. This article provides the latest and specific information on Singapore demographics, using the most updated figures from SingStat, the official source of statistics.
Overview of Singapore’s Population
As of mid-2024, the total population of Singapore is about 6,036.9 million. This number includes 4,180.9 million Singapore residents (citizens and permanent residents) and 1.86 million non-residents (foreign workers, dependents, foreign students, etc).
| Category | Population (‘000) as of June 2024 | % Change (YoY) |
| Total population | 6,036.9 | +2.0 |
| Singapore residents | 4,180.9 | +0.8 |
| - Citizens | 3,635.9 | +0.7 |
| - Permanent Residents | 544.9 | +1.2 |
| Non-Residents | 1,856.0 | +5.0 |
Analysis of Demographic Composition
Ethnic Composition
The Singapore inhabitants remain ethnically diverse, but it is still dominated by three major ethnic groups: Chinese, Malay, and Indian.
| Category | Ethnic | Population |
| Citizens | Chinese | 2,748,615 |
| Malay | 549,136 | |
| Indian | 274,819 | |
| Other ethnic | 63,367 | |
| Residents | Chinese | 3,093,412 |
| Malay | 565,405 | |
| Indian | 377,973 | |
| Other ethnics | 144,078 |
Age Distribution & Aging
At the end of June 2024, there were 753,900 Singapore residents aged 65 years and over. It was about 18% of the resident population. Meanwhile, Singapore’s residents aged below 20 years were about 788,000.
The median age of Singapore citizens is 42.8 years (up from 42.4 years in 2023). This reflects Singapore's rapidly aging population, as the elderly share continues to rise while the youth share is shrinking.
Gender Ratio
In 2024, there were 948 males for every 1,000 females among residents, showing a near parity in gender balance.
Population Trends and Dynamics
Singapore’s year-on-year growth (June 2023–June 2024) is +2.0%. It is primarily driven by growth of the non-resident population, including foreign workers, foreign students, dependents, etc.
Birth rates and fertility fell to 0.97 in 2023, which is the lowest in history. From citizens data, the number of deaths was slightly higher than the number of births. It means more Singapore citizens passed away than babies were born.
Again, the arrival of immigrants and non-residents helped balance out the decline, so the overall population did not shrink.
Comparison with Other Southeast Asian Countries
Singapore’s population growth is considered as slow compared to other neighboring countries but aging trends are more pronounced.
However, even though Singapore has slow population growth, Singapore has one of the highest population density in Southeast Asia. It can reach about 8,207 people/km².
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
Q: What is the population of Singapore citizens?
A: As of June 2024, there are about 3.64 million Singapore citizens.
Q: How many foreign or non-resident people are in Singapore?
A: Approximately 1.86 million non-residents, including foreign workers, students, and dependents.
Q: Why is the Singapore demographics growing?
A: Singapore population growth is mostly because of non-resident inflows (foreign workforce, etc.), and also modest increases in permanent residents and citizens returning or immigrating. While natural increase (births minus deaths) is not enough alone because fertility is low in Singapore.
Q: Is the birth rate in Singapore low?
A: Yes. The resident fertility rate dropped to 0.97 in 2023, well below the replacement rate.
Conclusion
According to the data from Singstat, Singapore population as of mid-2024 stands at about 6.04 million. While citizen numbers are growing slowly, non-residents are driving a larger share of overall population increase. Singapore is experiencing notable aging trends, low fertility, and gender balance near parity.
