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 26 January 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.

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Overview

The oldest living prime minister is Jim Bolger, born 31 May 1935 (aged 88 years, 240 days). The youngest living former prime minister is Jacinda Ardern, born 26 July 1980 (aged 43 years, 184 days).

The longest-lived prime minister is also Jim Bolger who is currently aged 88 years, 240 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^[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, 144 days	2024-01-26	29,865 days (81 years, 280 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, 49 days	2024-01-26	32,382 days (88 years, 240 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, 52 days	2024-01-26	26,289 days (71 years, 356 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, 68 days	2024-01-26	26,997 days (73 years, 334 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, 45 days	2024-01-26	22,815 days (62 years, 170 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, 92 days	2024-01-26	22,672 days (62 years, 27 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, 1 day	2024-01-26	15,889 days (43 years, 184 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	60 days	2024-01-26	16,579 days (45 years, 143 days)
42	Christopher Luxon	19 July 1970	27 November 2023	44-14253 years, 131 days	Incumbent	Incumbent	00,6060 days	Incumbent	2024-01-26	19,549 days (53 years, 191 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

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e 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:

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, 87 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, 87 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)

Notes

v t e Lists of prime ministers of New Zealand
By order	Age Order of service Place of birth Place of burial
Other	Electorates Spouses Education

This page was last edited on 22 January 2024, at 14:16

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