Luxembourg is still growing, and at a considerable pace. According to the latest demographic projections published by the National Institute of statistics and economic studies (STATEC), in line with Eurostat data, the Grand Duchy could be home to one million people by 2070. Growth is expected to remain strong through to 2050, after which it will gradually begin to slow.
Migration remains, as it has for several decades, the principal engine of population growth. Life expectancy is also projected to rise notably by 2070, with women expected to live to an average of 90.3 years and men to 86.7.
As the population grows, it is also growing older. Today, Luxembourg's age structure remains relatively balanced, thanks in large part to the influx of younger working-age migrants in recent decades. By 2070, however, that balance will have shifted. The average age of the population is projected to rise by around six years, reaching somewhere between 46 and 48.
A key factor in this ageing trend is the birth rate. Women in Luxembourg are currently having an average of 1.2 children, well below the 2.1 required for natural generational replacement. STATEC projects a modest improvement to 1.5 children per woman by 2070, but this would still fall short of what is needed to sustain the population through births alone.
