Literacy rates of older vs. younger population in Singapore
Singapore: Literacy rates of older vs. younger population was 88.1% in 2020. ▲ Rising
Literacy rates of older vs. younger population in Singapore, 1980–2020
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Singapore recorded 88.1% for literacy rates of older vs. younger population in 2020. That is the highest value across all 14 years on record.
That represents a change of up 1.0% on the previous year and up 16.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, literacy rates of older vs. younger population in Singapore peaked at 88.1% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 37.8%, in 1980.
That places Singapore 21st out of 85 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 14 years of available data.
Literacy rates of older vs. younger population in Singapore, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 37.8% | — |
| 1990 | 51.0% | +34.8% |
| 2000 | 60.3% | +18.3% |
| 2010 | 75.7% | +25.6% |
| 2011 | 79.0% | +4.4% |
| 2012 | 80.3% | +1.6% |
| 2013 | 81.5% | +1.5% |
| 2014 | 82.6% | +1.4% |
| 2015 | 84.0% | +1.7% |
| 2016 | 84.6% | +0.7% |
| 2017 | 85.6% | +1.1% |
| 2018 | 86.4% | +1.0% |
| 2019 | 87.2% | +0.9% |
| 2020 | 88.1% | +1.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 37.8% | 37.8% | 37.8% | 1 |
| 1990s | 51.0% | 51.0% | 51.0% | 1 |
| 2000s | 60.3% | 60.3% | 60.3% | 1 |
| 2010s | 82.7% | 75.7% | 87.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 88.1% | 88.1% | 88.1% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Singapore
More education data for Singapore
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 163,746 (2023)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), annual growth -1.8 % change on previous year (2023)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 16,639 (2023)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate -0.917 % change on previous year (2023)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 79,921 (2023)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate -1.84 % change on previous year (2023)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 83,825 (2023)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate -1.75 % change on previous year (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 104,560 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual -2.06 % change on previous year (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is literacy rates of older vs. younger population in Singapore?
- Literacy rates of older vs. younger population in Singapore was 88.1% in 2020, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest literacy rates of older vs. younger population recorded in Singapore?
- The highest recorded value was 88.1% in 2020.
- What is the lowest literacy rates of older vs. younger population recorded in Singapore?
- The lowest recorded value was 37.8% in 1980.
- How does Singapore rank for literacy rates of older vs. younger population?
- Singapore ranks 21st out of 85 countries with data for 2020.
- Is literacy rates of older vs. younger population rising or falling in Singapore?
- Over the last ten years it is up 16.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Singapore data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Literacy rates of older vs. younger population. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Share of the population aged 65 years and older who can read and write.