Italy’s resident population continued its decline last year, dropping by 37,000 to 58,934,000 as of January 1, 2025, according to data released by national statistics agency Istat on Tuesday.
“The demographic trend in 2024 remains consistent with the recent post-pandemic years: a slight decline in the resident population, a persistently negative natural balance, and positive migration figures,” Istat stated. The data was presented by Istat President Francesco Maria Chelli during a hearing at the Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry into the economic and social impact of demographic changes.
“The population decline is not uniform across the country,” Chelli specified. “While the north has seen a slight increase of 1.6 per thousand, the centre and south recorded decreases of -0.6 per thousand and -3.8 per thousand, respectively.”
Birth rate down, life expectancy up
Italy’s birth rate has fallen further, with an average of 1.18 children per woman, surpassing the previous low of 1.19 recorded in 1995. In 1995, 526,000 births were registered, compared to just 370,000 in 2024.
Life expectancy, however, has seen notable growth. The average life expectancy at birth for the entire resident population now stands at 83.4 years, nearly five months higher than in 2023.
The birth rate remains low, with six births per 1,000 inhabitants, while the mortality rate has also declined significantly, now standing at 11 deaths per 1,000 inhabitants.
Household sizes continue to shrink, with the average number of members per family dropping from 2.6 twenty years ago to 2.2 in 2023-2024.
Emigration and immigration up
Emigration has surged, with 191,000 people leaving Italy in 2024, marking a 20.5% increase from 2023. Of these, 156,000 were Italian citizens, representing a 36.5% rise in expatriations.
Meanwhile, acquisitions of Italian citizenship increased, with 217,000 foreign residents granted citizenship, surpassing the previous record of 214,000 in 2023.
Migration patterns have shifted, with more arrivals and fewer departures than the previous year. The net migration balance rose from +261,000 in 2022 to +274,000 in 2023.
Southern Italy’s rural municipalities have been particularly affected by demographic decline, showing a decrease of around five per thousand compared to the previous year. Four out of five municipalities in these areas experienced a reduction in population.
The number of foreign residents in Italy continues to grow, reaching 5,308,000 as of January 1, 2024—an increase of 166,000 from the previous year.
