Life expectancy continues to climb steadily. Experts project that half of newborn girls today will live to 100 or older.
Reaching 100: No Longer a Rarity
The same holds for one in three newborn boys, according to the NIDI (Netherlands Interdisciplinary Demographic Institute). While only 1% of people born a century ago are still alive, a 65-year-old woman today can expect to reach 89 on average. Women in their early 20s are projected to live to 96.
Reconciling Differing Projections
Last year, Statistics Netherlands (CBS) reported averages of nearly 83 years for women and 79 for men. NIDI attributes this to CBS's focus on projections through 2060, which primarily covers those born before 1960, while NIDI analyzes trends across all generations.
