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List of prime ministers of New Zealand by age

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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 8 January 2025 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, 222 days). The youngest living former prime minister is Jacinda Ardern, born 26 July 1980 (aged 44 years, 166 days).

The longest-lived prime minister is also Jim Bolger who is currently aged 89 years, 222 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:

  Dead   Living   Incumbent
# 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 48-24348 years, 243 days 20 May 1856 48 years, 256 days 00,01313 days 22 years, 359 days 14 May 1879 26,182 days (71 years, 249 days)
2 William Fox 20 January 1812 20 May 1856 44-00044 years, 121 days 8 April 1873 61 years, 78 days 01,6091,609 days 20 years, 76 days 23 June 1893 29,740 days (81 years, 154 days)
3 Edward Stafford 23 April 1819 2 June 1856 37-04037 years, 40 days 11 October 1872 53 years, 171 days 03,2483,248 days 28 years, 126 days 14 February 1901 29,882 days (81 years, 297 days)
4 Alfred Domett 20 May 1811 6 August 1862 51-07851 years, 78 days 30 October 1863 52 years, 163 days 00,450450 days 24 years, 3 days 2 November 1887 27,925 days (76 years, 166 days)
5 Frederick Whitaker 23 April 1812 30 October 1863 51-19051 years, 190 days 25 September 1883 71 years, 155 days 00,913913 days 8 years, 70 days 4 December 1891 29,079 days (79 years, 225 days)
6 Frederick Weld 9 May 1823 24 November 1864 41-19941 years, 199 days 16 October 1865 42 years, 160 days 00,326326 days 25 years, 277 days 20 July 1891 24,909 days (68 years, 72 days)
7 George Waterhouse 6 April 1824 11 October 1872 48-18848 years, 188 days 3 March 1873 48 years, 331 days 00,143143 days 33 years, 156 days 6 August 1906 30,071 days (82 years, 122 days)
8 Julius Vogel 24 February 1835 8 April 1873 38-04338 years, 43 days 1 September 1876 41 years, 190 days 01,0181,018 days 22 years, 192 days 12 March 1899 23,392 days (64 years, 16 days)
9 Daniel Pollen 2 June 1813 6 July 1875 62-03462 years, 27 days 15 February 1876 62 years, 258 days 00,224224 days 20 years, 93 days 18 May 1896 30,301 days (82 years, 351 days)
10 Harry Atkinson 1 November 1831 1 September 1876 44-30544 years, 305 days 24 January 1891 59 years, 84 days 01,9431,943 days 1 year, 156 days 28 June 1892 22,155 days (60 years, 240 days)
11 George Grey 14 April 1812 13 October 1877 65-18265 years, 182 days 8 October 1879 67 years, 177 days 00,725725 days 18 years, 346 days 19 September 1898 31,569 days (86 years, 158 days)
12 Hall, JohnJohn Hall 18 December 1824 8 October 1879 54-29454 years, 294 days 21 April 1882 57 years, 124 days 00,926926 days 25 years, 65 days 25 June 1907 30,138 days (82 years, 189 days)
13 Robert Stout 28 September 1844 16 August 1884 39-32339 years, 323 days 8 October 1887 43 years, 10 days 01,1421,142 days 42 years, 284 days 19 July 1930 31,339 days (85 years, 294 days)
14 John Ballance 27 March 1839 24 January 1891 51-30351 years, 303 days 27 April 1893 N/A 00,824824 days N/A 27 Apr 1893 19,755 days (54 years, 31 days)
15 Richard Seddon 22 June 1845 27 April 1893 47-30947 years, 309 days 10 June 1906 N/A 04,7914,791 days N/A 10 June 1906 22,267 days (60 years, 353 days)
16 Hall-Jones, WilliamWilliam Hall-Jones 16 January 1851 10 June 1906 55-14555 years, 145 days 6 August 1906 55 years, 202 days 00,05757 days 29 years, 318 days 19 June 1936 31,200 days (85 years, 155 days)
17 Joseph Ward 26 April 1856 6 August 1906 50-10250 years, 102 days 28 May 1930 74 years, 32 days 02,5952,595 days 41 days 8 July 1930 27,100 days (74 years, 73 days)
18 Thomas Mackenzie 10 March 1853 28 March 1912 58-01859 years, 18 days 10 Jul 1912 59 years, 122 days 00,104104 days 17 years, 219 days 14 February 1930 28,099 days (76 years, 341 days)
19 William Massey 26 March 1856 10 July 1912 56-10656 years, 106 days 10 May 1925 N/A 04,6874,687 days N/A 10 May 1925 25,246 days (69 years, 45 days)
20 Bell, FrancisFrancis Bell 31 March 1851 10 May 1925 74-04074 years, 40 days 30 May 1925 74 years, 60 days 00,02020 days 10 years, 288 days 13 March 1936 31,028 days (84 years, 348 days)
21 Gordon Coates 3 February 1878 30 May 1925 47-11647 years, 116 days 10 December 1928 50 years, 311 days 01,2901,290 days 14 years, 168 days 27 May 1943 23,853 days (65 years, 113 days)
22 Forbes, GeorgeGeorge Forbes 12 March 1869 28 May 1930 61-07761 years, 77 days 6 December 1935 66 years, 269 days 02,0182,018 days 11 years, 162 days 17 May 1947 28,554 days (78 years, 66 days)
23 Savage, Michael JosephMichael Joseph Savage 23 March 1872 6 December 1935 63-25863 years, 258 days 27 March 1940 N/A 01,5731,573 days N/A 27 March 1940 24,840 days (68 years, 4 days)
24 Peter Fraser 28 August 1884 27 March 1940 55-21255 years, 212 days 13 December 1949 65 years, 107 days 03,5483,548 days 364 days 12 December 1950 24,211 days (66 years, 106 days)
25 Sidney Holland 18 October 1893 13 December 1949 56-05656 years, 56 days 20 September 1957 63 years, 337 days 02,8382,838 days 3 years, 319 days 5 August 1961 24,762 days (67 years, 291 days)
26 Keith Holyoake 11 February 1904 20 September 1957 53-22153 years, 221 days 7 February 1972 67 years, 361 days 04,1574,157 days 11 years, 304 days 8 December 1983 29,155 days (79 years, 300 days)
27 Walter Nash 12 February 1882 12 December 1957 75-30375 years, 303 days 12 December 1960 78 years, 304 days 01,0961,096 days 7 years, 175 days 4 June 1968 31,523 days (86 years, 113 days)
28 Jack Marshall 5 March 1912 7 February 1972 59-33959 years, 339 days 8 December 1972 60 years, 278 days 00,305305 days 15 years, 266 days 30 August 1988 27,937 days (76 years, 178 days)
29 Norman Kirk 6 January 1923 8 December 1972 49-33749 years, 337 days 31 August 1974 N/A 00,631631 days N/A 31 August 1974 18,865 days (51 years, 237 days)
30 Bill Rowling 15 November 1927 6 September 1974 46-29546 years, 295 days 12 December 1975 48 years, 27 days 00,462462 days 19 years, 323 days 31 October 1995 24,822 days (67 years, 350 days)
31 Robert Muldoon 25 September 1921 12 December 1975 54-07854 years, 78 days 26 July 1984 62 years, 305 days 03,1493,149 days 8 years, 10 days 5 August 1992 25,882 days (70 years, 315 days)
32 David Lange 4 August 1942 26 July 1984 41-35741 years, 357 days 8 August 1989 47 years, 4 days 01,8391,839 days 16 years, 5 days 13 August 2005 23,020 days (63 years, 9 days)
33 Geoffrey Palmer 21 April 1942 8 August 1989 47-10947 years, 109 days 4 September 1990 48 years, 136 days 00,392392 days 34 years, 126 days 2025-01-8 30,213 days (82 years, 262 days)
34 Moore, MikeMike Moore 28 January 1949 4 September 1990 41-21941 years, 219 days 2 November 1990 41 years, 278 days 00,05959 days 29 years, 92 days 2 February 2020 25,937 days (71 years, 5 days)
35 Jim Bolger 31 May 1935 2 November 1990 55-15555 years, 155 days 8 December 1997 62 years, 191 days 02,5932,593 days 27 years, 31 days 2025-01-8 32,730 days (89 years, 222 days)
36 Jenny Shipley 4 February 1952 8 December 1997 45-30745 years, 307 days 10 December 1999 47 years, 309 days 00,727727 days 25 years, 34 days 2025-01-8 26,637 days (72 years, 339 days)
37 Helen Clark 26 February 1950 10 December 1999 49-28249 years, 287 days 19 November 2008 58 years, 267 days 03,2723,267 days 16 years, 50 days 2025-01-8 27,345 days (74 years, 317 days)
38 John Key 9 August 1961 19 November 2008 47-10247 years, 102 days 12 December 2016 55 years, 125 days 02,9452,945 days 8 years, 27 days 2025-01-8 23,163 days (63 years, 152 days)
39 Bill English 30 December 1961 12 December 2016 54-34754 years, 348 days 26 October 2017 55 years, 300 days 00,318318 days 7 years, 74 days 2025-01-8 23,020 days (63 years, 9 days)
40 Jacinda Ardern 26 July 1980 26 October 2017 37-09237 years, 92 days 25 January 2023 42 years, 183 days 01,9171,917 days 1 year, 349 days 2025-01-8 16,237 days (44 years, 166 days)
41 Chris Hipkins 5 September 1978 25 January 2023 44-14244 years, 142 days 27 November 2023 45 years, 83 days 00,306306 days 1 year, 42 days 2025-01-8 16,927 days (46 years, 125 days)
42 Christopher Luxon 19 July 1970 27 November 2023 44-14253 years, 131 days Incumbent Incumbent 00,408408 days Incumbent 2025-01-8 19,897 days (54 years, 173 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
  1. ^ Died in office on this date.

Records

The three youngest people when they first became prime minister were:

The three oldest people when they first became prime minister were:

The three oldest people to last leave the office of prime minister were:

The three youngest people to last leave the office of prime minister were:

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 29 years, 69 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 29 years, 69 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

Notes

Lists related to prime ministers of New Zealand
Premiership
By monarch
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