Men and Women in Denmark — Key Figures

Population
6,023,520 people by mid-2026, with steady, slow growth driven mainly by immigration.

Gender split
Almost perfectly balanced: ≈50.4% women and 49.6% men.

Life expectancy
Women: 84.2 years
Men: 80.6 years

→ A typical Nordic gap, though it is gradually narrowing.

Fertility & popular names (as of January 1, 2026)
Fertility rate: ~1.5–1.7 children per woman (≈0.75–0.85 per adult)

Top boys’ names: Peter (45,777), Michael (43,976), Lars (42,596)
Top girls’ names: Anne (43,021), Mette (37,932), Kirsten (34,588)

→ Short, classic, international names continue to dominate.

Most common surnames
Denmark: Nielsen (222,355), Jensen (218,886), Hansen (186,106), Andersen (143,880)
Sweden: Andersson (≈230,000+)
Norway: Hansen (≈220,000+)

Most Danish surnames are patronymic. The first surname on the list that does not end in -sen (“son of”) is Møller, an occupational name meaning “miller.” Patronymics typically derive from given names, but can also be linked to nicknames, geographic features, or occupations.

Nielsen means “son of Niels.” The given name Niels is the Danish form of the Greek name Nikolaos (Nicholas), meaning “victory of the people.”

Average height
Men: ~181–182 cm

Women: ~167–168 cm

→ Among the tallest populations in the world.

 Average weight

Men: ~84–86 kg                                     

Women: ~69–72 kg

→ Danish men and women are among the tallest and relatively heavier (lean mass) populations in Europe.

Average shoe size

There is no official national statistical dataset for shoe sizes in Denmark. However, based on Scandinavian anthropometric studies and retail data:

Men: ~EU 43–44

Women: ~EU 38–39

→ Denmark aligns closely with other Nordic populations (taller-than-average Europeans).

Where do men and women live?
Women: highest concentration in Copenhagen and other major cities (education, service-sector jobs).
Men: slightly overrepresented in rural areas and western Jutland (industry, agriculture).

Typical appearance (most common traits)
Eyes: predominantly blue or light-colored
Hair: mostly blonde to light brown

→ The classic Northern European phenotype remains dominant.

Urban vs. rural population
About 87.6% urban and 12.4% rural

→ Denmark is highly urbanized, though small towns remain important.

Education levels
Women: higher tertiary education rates (~45–50%)

Men: slightly lower (~35–40%)

→ Women clearly lead in university attainment.

Gender pay gap (same or comparable roles)
On average, women earn 12.4%–12.9% less than men overall. In specific sectors such as finance, an “unexplained” gap of around 7.1% persists even in comparable roles.

→ Smaller in the public sector, larger in the private sector.

Age of leaving the parental home

Denmark is one of the earliest in Europe:

Women: ~20.5–21 years

Men: ~21–22 years

→  Denmark has one of the lowest shares of young adults living with parents (~3–5%), meaning early independence is the norm.

Relationship structure - Using the latest national structure data (2023–2024):

Civil status (approximate distribution of total population):

• Married:
• Men: 18.1%
• Women: 18.0%
• Never married (single):
• Men: 26.3%
• Women: 23.4%
• Divorced:
• Men: 4.1%
• Women: 5.4%
• Widowed:
• Men: 1.2%
• Women: 3.6%

Cohabitation (informal unions)

Denmark is a high cohabitation society:

• ~20–25% of adults live in non-marital partnerships (estimate based on Statistics Denmark household typologies)

Living alone

• Roughly 35–40% of households are single-person households (very high by EU standards)

Divorce rate

• Around 40.8% of marriages end in divorce
• ~12,700 divorces annually (2023)

→  Denmark is among higher-divorce Nordic countries, but stable in recent years.

Single parents (by gender)

Denmark shows a strong gender imbalance:

Women: ~80–85% of single parents

Men: ~15–20%

→  This reflects custody patterns,  part-time work differences and parental leave structure (mothers still take more leave).

Civic engagement / social participation
Women: ~55–60% active in associations or volunteer work

Men: ~50–55%

→ Denmark ranks among the most socially engaged societies in Europe.

References:

1. DST (retrieved 2026-07-09)

2. WOLDOMETERS (retrieved 2026-07-09)

3. OECD (retrieved 2026-07-14)