# demographics

/ˌdɛməˈɡɹæfɪks/ (US) · /dˌɛməɡɹˈæfɪks/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/demographics
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. population statistics

noun · CEFR B2 · Academic

information about a group of people, like how old they are or how much money they make.

For teachers: the statistical characteristics of human populations, such as age, income, and ethnicity, used to identify markets or social trends.

- The demographics of the city have changed as more young professionals move into the centre.
- The shifting demographics of the region suggest that local government must invest more heavily in elderly care and accessible public transport over the next decade.

Usage: Usually functions as a plural noun and takes a plural verb.

### 2. target groups

noun · CEFR B2 · Informal

specific groups of people that a company wants to sell things to.

For teachers: specific segments of a population identified by shared characteristics, particularly for marketing or broadcasting purposes.

- The new video game is very popular with the teenage demographics.
- Advertisers are struggling to reach younger demographics who increasingly avoid traditional television in favour of on-demand streaming services.

Teaching tip: In marketing, people often use 'demographics' to mean the groups themselves rather than just the data about them.

## Examples

- Demographics help companies target their ads.
- The marketing team studied local demographics to decide where to open the new store.
- Shifting demographics in the electorate forced political parties to rethink their long-standing strategies on healthcare and education.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.