United States vs China by population

China and the United States are the 2nd and 3rd most populous countries in the world, respectively. China and the United States together account for about 21.62% of the total world population. China's population is 4.11 times the US population, with China home to about 1.42 billion people and the United States to 345 million in 2024. The population of China peaked in 2020, but the US will not peak until 2100. China is almost four times denser than the US, as China's population density is 148 people per square km compared to 38 in the US.

The ratio of China to the US population has increased from 3.53 in 1950 to the highest 4.56 in 1991. This ratio is expected to decline to 1.50 by 2100, as China's population growth rate is much lower than the United States.

As of 2024, China's total fertility rate is 1.01 births per woman, which is lower than the US's 1.62. China's fertility rate was almost double that of the US in 1950, but its figure became less than that of the USA in 2013.

Regarding overall life expectancy, China is catching up with the United States. The margin has been reduced to 1.44 years, which was over 24 years in 1950. The United States came 63rd globally, with 79.46 years, while China is at 78th with 78.02 years. China (39.59 years) has overtaken the United States (38.29 years) in terms of median age.

The US has a higher old population share, as 17.9% of the US population has an age above 65 years, compared to 14.7% of China. The United States has more people aged above 100 years.