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 31 August 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

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The oldest living prime minister is Jim Bolger, born 31 May 1935 (aged 89 years, 92 days). The youngest living former prime minister is Jacinda Ardern, born 26 July 1980 (aged 44 years, 36 days).

The longest-lived prime minister is also Jim Bolger who is currently aged 89 years, 92 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

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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[A] |  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[A] |  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[A] |  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[A] | 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[A] | 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  | 33 years, 362 days  | 2024-08-31 | 30,083 days (82 years, 132 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  | 26 years, 267 days  | 2024-08-31 | 32,600 days (89 years, 92 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  | 24 years, 270 days  | 2024-08-31 | 26,507 days (72 years, 209 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  | 15 years, 286 days  | 2024-08-31 | 27,215 days (74 years, 187 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  | 7 years, 263 days  | 2024-08-31 | 23,033 days (63 years, 22 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  | 6 years, 310 days  | 2024-08-31 | 22,890 days (62 years, 245 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, 219 days  | 2024-08-31 | 16,107 days (44 years, 36 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  | 278 days  | 2024-08-31 | 16,797 days (45 years, 361 days)
42  | Christopher Luxon | 19 July 1970 | 27 November 2023 | 44-14253 years, 131 days  | Incumbent  | Incumbent  | 00,278278 days  | Incumbent  | 2024-08-31 | 19,767 days (54 years, 43 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. ^ a b c d e Died in office on this date.

## Records

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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

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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, 305 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)

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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, 305 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

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Prime ministers of New Zealand.

* List of prime ministers of New Zealand by place of birth

## Notes

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