I have created an interactive graph for a recent working committee meeting at Housing Europe and thought it would be of broader interest to this group. It shows how populations of different age groups across Europe are changing at very different paces, not only in different countries but, importantly, in urban and rural regions.

https://public.tableau.com/profile/gerald.koessl#!/vizhome/demographicchange/inEurope

In short: while both urban and rural areas in Europe are witnessing a rapid increase of their pension-age populations, the picture looks very different for working-age populations. While many urban areas are seeing also an increase of their working-age populations, rural areas are often faced with a decline of their working-age populations. Europe’s ageing population is therefore going to look very different in urban and in rural areas.

Demographic change in the EU between 2011 and 2016: % change in urban and rural areas 

/futurium/en/file/demographicchangeeu28pngdemographic_change_eu28.png

source: Eurostat