The odds of living past 100 are possible but still uncommon , and they vary a lot by sex, country, health, and how old you are already. A recent analysis cited in WebMD said the probability of reaching 100 is about 5% for women and just under 2% for men , while an ONS calculator also notes that the chance depends strongly on age and sex.

What affects the odds

  • Sex matters: women generally have higher centenarian odds than men.
  • Age matters: if you are already middle-aged or older, your chance of reaching 100 is better than it was at birth.
  • Country matters: longevity rates differ a lot by population; Hong Kong was highlighted as having some of the highest projected centenarian rates in one analysis.
  • Health and lifestyle matter: medical care, genetics, smoking, activity, and chronic disease all influence the odds, though exact impact varies person to person.

A simple way to think about it

For a rough frame, think of living to 100 as something that is rare overall, but not rare enough to be surprising in large populations. In the U.S., one analysis noted there were about 108,000 people age 100+ in 2024 , showing that centenarians are still a small share of the population even as the number rises.

Quick table

Group Approximate chance of reaching 100
Women About 5%
Men Just under 2%
62-year-old average male About 4.4%
62-year-old healthy female About 12.7%

Bottom line

If you want the shortest answer: most people do not reach 100, but a meaningful minority do, and women and healthier individuals have better odds.