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 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 Geoffrey Palmer, born 21 April 1942 (aged ). The youngest living former prime minister is Jacinda Ardern, born 26 July 1980 (aged ).

The longest-lived prime minister was Jim Bolger who died aged . George Grey was the second longest-lived prime minister who lived to the age of . Bolger surpassed Grey's lifespan on 6 November 2021. The oldest living prime minister, Geoffrey Palmer, will tie Grey if he lives to 27 September 2028 and Bolger if he lives to 6 September 2032. 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:

Records

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

• Edward Stafford37
• Jacinda Ardern37
• Julius Vogel38

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

• Walter Nash75
• Francis Bell74
• George Grey65

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

• Walter Nash78
• Francis Bell74
• Joseph Ward74

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

• Julius Vogel41
• Mike Moore41
• Frederick Weld42

Oldest Living Prime Ministers of New Zealand

Not all prime ministers live to become the oldest of their time. Of the 34 deceased prime ministers, 18 eventually became the oldest of their time, while 16 did not (including all 5 prime ministers who died in office, and 12 others). Jim Bolger held this distinction from Bill Rowling's death on 31 October 1995 to his own death on 15 October 2025 for a record . 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.

Geoffrey Palmer was the oldest to acquire this distinction at the age of 83 years, and 177 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.

See also

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