List of prime ministers of New Zealand by age
This is a list of prime ministers of New Zealand by age, including when they were born, what age they were when they were appointed prime minister, what age they were when they left the office and the age at which they died, or their current age as of 12 July 2024 if they are still alive. The table can be sorted by each different category.
The date of appointment is the date on which they were sworn in by the governor-general for their first term. The day on which they departed office is the final day of their final term. This is either the day a new prime minister was appointed or their date of death if they died whilst in office.
Overview
The oldest living prime minister is Jim Bolger, born 31 May 1935 (aged 89 years, 42 days). The youngest living former prime minister is Jacinda Ardern, born 26 July 1980 (aged 43 years, 352 days).
The longest-lived prime minister is also Jim Bolger who is currently aged 89 years, 42 days. George Grey was the second longest-lived prime minister who lived to the age of 86 years, 158 days. Bolger surpassed Grey's lifespan on 6 November 2021. The second oldest-living prime minister, Geoffrey Palmer, will tie Grey if he lives to 27 September 2028. The shortest-lived prime minister was Norman Kirk, who died in office at the age of 51 years, 237 days.
The prime minister with the longest retirement is Robert Stout. He left office on 8 October 1887, and died 42 years, and 284 days later on 19 July 1930. The prime minister with the shortest retirement is Joseph Ward, who died on 8 July 1930, 41 days after he left office on 28 May 1930.
Key:
| # | Prime minister | Date of birth | Start date of (first) term | Age at beginning of (first) term | End date of (final) term | Age at leaving office | Total time in office | Total time after leaving office | Date of death | Lifespan |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Henry Sewell | 7 September 1807 | 7 May 1856 | 48 years, 243 days | 20 May 1856 | 48 years, 256 days | 13 days | 22 years, 359 days | 14 May 1879 | 26,182 days (71 years, 249 days) |
| 2 | William Fox | 20 January 1812 | 20 May 1856 | 44 years, 121 days | 8 April 1873 | 61 years, 78 days | 1,609 days | 20 years, 76 days | 23 June 1893 | 29,740 days (81 years, 154 days) |
| 3 | Edward Stafford | 23 April 1819 | 2 June 1856 | 37 years, 40 days | 11 October 1872 | 53 years, 171 days | 3,248 days | 28 years, 126 days | 14 February 1901 | 29,882 days (81 years, 297 days) |
| 4 | Alfred Domett | 20 May 1811 | 6 August 1862 | 51 years, 78 days | 30 October 1863 | 52 years, 163 days | 450 days | 24 years, 3 days | 2 November 1887 | 27,925 days (76 years, 166 days) |
| 5 | Frederick Whitaker | 23 April 1812 | 30 October 1863 | 51 years, 190 days | 25 September 1883 | 71 years, 155 days | 913 days | 8 years, 70 days | 4 December 1891 | 29,079 days (79 years, 225 days) |
| 6 | Frederick Weld | 9 May 1823 | 24 November 1864 | 41 years, 199 days | 16 October 1865 | 42 years, 160 days | 326 days | 25 years, 277 days | 20 July 1891 | 24,909 days (68 years, 72 days) |
| 7 | George Waterhouse | 6 April 1824 | 11 October 1872 | 48 years, 188 days | 3 March 1873 | 48 years, 331 days | 143 days | 33 years, 156 days | 6 August 1906 | 30,071 days (82 years, 122 days) |
| 8 | Julius Vogel | 24 February 1835 | 8 April 1873 | 38 years, 43 days | 1 September 1876 | 41 years, 190 days | 1,018 days | 22 years, 192 days | 12 March 1899 | 23,392 days (64 years, 16 days) |
| 9 | Daniel Pollen | 2 June 1813 | 6 July 1875 | 62 years, 27 days | 15 February 1876 | 62 years, 258 days | 224 days | 20 years, 93 days | 18 May 1896 | 30,301 days (82 years, 351 days) |
| 10 | Harry Atkinson | 1 November 1831 | 1 September 1876 | 44 years, 305 days | 24 January 1891 | 59 years, 84 days | 1,943 days | 1 year, 156 days | 28 June 1892 | 22,155 days (60 years, 240 days) |
| 11 | George Grey | 14 April 1812 | 13 October 1877 | 65 years, 182 days | 8 October 1879 | 67 years, 177 days | 725 days | 18 years, 346 days | 19 September 1898 | 31,569 days (86 years, 158 days) |
| 12 | John Hall | 18 December 1824 | 8 October 1879 | 54 years, 294 days | 21 April 1882 | 57 years, 124 days | 926 days | 25 years, 65 days | 25 June 1907 | 30,138 days (82 years, 189 days) |
| 13 | Robert Stout | 28 September 1844 | 16 August 1884 | 39 years, 323 days | 8 October 1887 | 43 years, 10 days | 1,142 days | 42 years, 284 days | 19 July 1930 | 31,339 days (85 years, 294 days) |
| 14 | John Ballance | 27 March 1839 | 24 January 1891 | 51 years, 303 days | 27 April 1893[A] | N/A | 824 days | N/A | 27 Apr 1893 | 19,755 days (54 years, 31 days) |
| 15 | Richard Seddon | 22 June 1845 | 27 April 1893 | 47 years, 309 days | 10 June 1906[A] | N/A | 4,791 days | N/A | 10 June 1906 | 22,267 days (60 years, 353 days) |
| 16 | William Hall-Jones | 16 January 1851 | 10 June 1906 | 55 years, 145 days | 6 August 1906 | 55 years, 202 days | 57 days | 29 years, 318 days | 19 June 1936 | 31,200 days (85 years, 155 days) |
| 17 | Joseph Ward | 26 April 1856 | 6 August 1906 | 50 years, 102 days | 28 May 1930 | 74 years, 32 days | 2,595 days | 41 days | 8 July 1930 | 27,100 days (74 years, 73 days) |
| 18 | Thomas Mackenzie | 10 March 1853 | 28 March 1912 | 59 years, 18 days | 10 Jul 1912 | 59 years, 122 days | 104 days | 17 years, 219 days | 14 February 1930 | 28,099 days (76 years, 341 days) |
| 19 | William Massey | 26 March 1856 | 10 July 1912 | 56 years, 106 days | 10 May 1925[A] | N/A | 4,687 days | N/A | 10 May 1925 | 25,246 days (69 years, 45 days) |
| 20 | Francis Bell | 31 March 1851 | 10 May 1925 | 74 years, 40 days | 30 May 1925 | 74 years, 60 days | 20 days | 10 years, 288 days | 13 March 1936 | 31,028 days (84 years, 348 days) |
| 21 | Gordon Coates | 3 February 1878 | 30 May 1925 | 47 years, 116 days | 10 December 1928 | 50 years, 311 days | 1,290 days | 14 years, 168 days | 27 May 1943 | 23,853 days (65 years, 113 days) |
| 22 | George Forbes | 12 March 1869 | 28 May 1930 | 61 years, 77 days | 6 December 1935 | 66 years, 269 days | 2,018 days | 11 years, 162 days | 17 May 1947 | 28,554 days (78 years, 66 days) |
| 23 | Michael Joseph Savage | 23 March 1872 | 6 December 1935 | 63 years, 258 days | 27 March 1940[A] | N/A | 1,573 days | N/A | 27 March 1940 | 24,840 days (68 years, 4 days) |
| 24 | Peter Fraser | 28 August 1884 | 27 March 1940 | 55 years, 212 days | 13 December 1949 | 65 years, 107 days | 3,548 days | 364 days | 12 December 1950 | 24,211 days (66 years, 106 days) |
| 25 | Sidney Holland | 18 October 1893 | 13 December 1949 | 56 years, 56 days | 20 September 1957 | 63 years, 337 days | 2,838 days | 3 years, 319 days | 5 August 1961 | 24,762 days (67 years, 291 days) |
| 26 | Keith Holyoake | 11 February 1904 | 20 September 1957 | 53 years, 221 days | 7 February 1972 | 67 years, 361 days | 4,157 days | 11 years, 304 days | 8 December 1983 | 29,155 days (79 years, 300 days) |
| 27 | Walter Nash | 12 February 1882 | 12 December 1957 | 75 years, 303 days | 12 December 1960 | 78 years, 304 days | 1,096 days | 7 years, 175 days | 4 June 1968 | 31,523 days (86 years, 113 days) |
| 28 | Jack Marshall | 5 March 1912 | 7 February 1972 | 59 years, 339 days | 8 December 1972 | 60 years, 278 days | 305 days | 15 years, 266 days | 30 August 1988 | 27,937 days (76 years, 178 days) |
| 29 | Norman Kirk | 6 January 1923 | 8 December 1972 | 49 years, 337 days | 31 August 1974[A] | N/A | 631 days | N/A | 31 August 1974 | 18,865 days (51 years, 237 days) |
| 30 | Bill Rowling | 15 November 1927 | 6 September 1974 | 46 years, 295 days | 12 December 1975 | 48 years, 27 days | 462 days | 19 years, 323 days | 31 October 1995 | 24,822 days (67 years, 350 days) |
| 31 | Robert Muldoon | 25 September 1921 | 12 December 1975 | 54 years, 78 days | 26 July 1984 | 62 years, 305 days | 3,149 days | 8 years, 10 days | 5 August 1992 | 25,882 days (70 years, 315 days) |
| 32 | David Lange | 4 August 1942 | 26 July 1984 | 41 years, 357 days | 8 August 1989 | 47 years, 4 days | 1,839 days | 16 years, 5 days | 13 August 2005 | 23,020 days (63 years, 9 days) |
| 33 | Geoffrey Palmer | 21 April 1942 | 8 August 1989 | 47 years, 109 days | 4 September 1990 | 48 years, 136 days | 392 days | 33 years, 312 days | 30,033 days (82 years, 82 days) | |
| 34 | Mike Moore | 28 January 1949 | 4 September 1990 | 41 years, 219 days | 2 November 1990 | 41 years, 278 days | 59 days | 29 years, 92 days | 2 February 2020 | 25,937 days (71 years, 5 days) |
| 35 | Jim Bolger | 31 May 1935 | 2 November 1990 | 55 years, 155 days | 8 December 1997 | 62 years, 191 days | 2,593 days | 26 years, 217 days | 32,550 days (89 years, 42 days) | |
| 36 | Jenny Shipley | 4 February 1952 | 8 December 1997 | 45 years, 307 days | 10 December 1999 | 47 years, 309 days | 727 days | 24 years, 220 days | 26,457 days (72 years, 159 days) | |
| 37 | Helen Clark | 26 February 1950 | 10 December 1999 | 49 years, 287 days | 19 November 2008 | 58 years, 267 days | 3,267 days | 15 years, 236 days | 27,165 days (74 years, 137 days) | |
| 38 | John Key | 9 August 1961 | 19 November 2008 | 47 years, 102 days | 12 December 2016 | 55 years, 125 days | 2,945 days | 7 years, 213 days | 22,983 days (62 years, 338 days) | |
| 39 | Bill English | 30 December 1961 | 12 December 2016 | 54 years, 348 days | 26 October 2017 | 55 years, 300 days | 318 days | 6 years, 260 days | 22,840 days (62 years, 195 days) | |
| 40 | Jacinda Ardern | 26 July 1980 | 26 October 2017 | 37 years, 92 days | 25 January 2023 | 42 years, 183 days | 1,917 days | 1 year, 169 days | 16,057 days (43 years, 352 days) | |
| 41 | Chris Hipkins | 5 September 1978 | 25 January 2023 | 44 years, 142 days | 27 November 2023 | 45 years, 83 days | 306 days | 228 days | 16,747 days (45 years, 311 days) | |
| 42 | Christopher Luxon | 19 July 1970 | 27 November 2023 | 53 years, 131 days | Incumbent | Incumbent | 228 days | Incumbent | 19,717 days (53 years, 359 days) | |
| # | Prime minister | Date of birth | Start date of (first) term | Age at beginning of (first) term | End date of (final) term | Age at leaving office | Total time in office | Length of retirement | Date of death | Lifespan |
Records
The three youngest people when they first became prime minister were:
- Edward Stafford – 37
- Jacinda Ardern – 37
- Julius Vogel – 38
The three oldest people when they first became prime minister were:
- Walter Nash – 75
- Francis Bell – 74
- George Grey – 65
The three oldest people to last leave the office of prime minister were:
- Walter Nash – 78
- Francis Bell – 74
- Joseph Ward – 74
The three youngest people to last leave the office of prime minister were:
- Julius Vogel – 41
- Mike Moore – 41
- Frederick Weld – 42
Oldest living prime ministers of New Zealand
Not all prime ministers live to become the oldest of their time. Of the 33 deceased prime ministers, 16 eventually became the oldest of their time, while 17 did not (including all 5 prime ministers who died in office, and 12 others). Jim Bolger has held this distinction since Bill Rowling's death on 31 October 1995 a record 28 years, 255 days so far. He surpassed the previous record held by Robert Stout on 24 November 2018. Robert Stout became the oldest living prime minister when John Hall died in 1907 and remained so until his death in 1930, for 23 years and 24 days.
John Hall became the oldest living prime minister after the death of George Waterhouse, but he survived Waterhouse by only 323 days.On one occasion the oldest living prime minister lost this distinction not by his death, but due to the appointment of a prime minister who was older. Sidney Holland ceased to be the oldest living prime minister when Walter Nash was appointed.
John Hall was the oldest to acquire this distinction at the age of 81 years, and 231 days. Francis Bell, who was 84 years, and 348 days old when he died, was the oldest prime minister to die without ever acquiring this distinction. Mike Moore, who died on 2 February 2020 at 71 years, and 5 days old is the most recent prime minister to die without ever acquiring this distinction.
| Prime Minister | Became oldest living prime minister | Ceased to be oldest living prime minister | Age at start date | Age at end date | Duration (years, days) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Henry Sewell | 7 May 1856 | 14 May 1879 | 48 years, 243 days | 71 years, 249 days | 23 years, 7 days |
| Alfred Domett | 14 May 1879 | 2 November 1887 | 67 years, 359 days | 76 years, 166 days | 8 years, 172 days |
| William Fox | 2 November 1887 | 23 June 1893 | 75 years, 286 days | 81 years, 154 days | 5 years, 233 days |
| George Grey | 23 June 1893 | 19 September 1898 | 81 years, 70 days | 86 years, 158 days | 5 years, 88 days |
| Edward Stafford | 19 September 1898 | 14 February 1901 | 79 years, 149 days | 81 years, 297 days | 2 years, 148 days |
| George Waterhouse | 14 February 1901 | 6 August 1906 | 76 years, 314 days | 82 years, 122 days | 5 years, 173 days |
| John Hall | 6 August 1906 | 25 June 1907 | 81 years, 231 days | 82 years, 189 days | 323 days |
| Robert Stout | 25 June 1907 | 19 July 1930 | 62 years, 270 days | 85 years, 294 days | 23 years, 24 days |
| William Hall-Jones | 19 July 1930 | 19 June 1936 | 79 years, 184 days | 85 years, 155 days | 5 years, 336 days |
| George Forbes | 19 June 1936 | 17 May 1947 | 67 years, 99 days | 78 years, 66 days | 10 years, 332 days |
| Peter Fraser | 17 May 1947 | 12 December 1950 | 62 years, 262 days | 66 years, 106 days | 3 years, 209 days |
| Sidney Holland | 12 December 1950 | 12 December 1957 | 57 years, 55 days | 64 years, 55 days | 7 years, 0 days |
| Walter Nash | 12 December 1957 | 4 June 1968 | 75 years, 303 days | 86 years, 113 days | 10 years, 175 days |
| Keith Holyoake | 4 June 1968 | 8 December 1983 | 64 years, 114 days | 79 years, 300 days | 15 years, 187 days |
| Jack Marshall | 8 December 1983 | 30 August 1988 | 71 years, 278 days | 76 years, 178 days | 4 years, 266 days |
| Robert Muldoon | 30 August 1988 | 5 August 1992 | 66 years, 340 days | 70 years, 315 days | 3 years, 341 days |
| Bill Rowling | 5 August 1992 | 31 October 1995 | 64 years, 264 days | 67 years, 350 days | 3 years, 87 days |
| Jim Bolger | 31 October 1995 | Current oldest living prime minister | 60 years, 153 days | Current oldest living prime minister | 28 years, 255 days |
| Prime Minister | Became oldest living prime minister | Ceased to be oldest living prime minister | Age at start date | Age at end date | Duration (years, days) |
See also
