In just over 10 years' time, Northern Ireland's population will be comprised of more pensioners than children.
NI's overall population will reach 2m by the year 2041.
It has estimated, by that stage, the number of people aged 65 and over will have increased by 65%. That would see Northern Ireland's pensioner population rise significantly from its current figure of 297,800 to 491,700.
Over the same period, NISRA believes there will be a fall of almost 6% in the number of children living in Northern Ireland. That means the youngest section of society - from newborns to young people aged 15 - would drop from 388,000 to 365,400.
In another sign that people are living longer, the proportion of people aged 85 and over is set to double. It believes their representation will rise from 2% of the population to just over 4%.
The shift towards an older population profile means there will be fewer people of working-age to support pensioners in their retirement. An aging population can also put a greater demand on health and social care services.
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