How Old Is Carl on ‘The Walking Dead’?

carl age

(AMC/The Walking Dead)

Carl is finally falling in love for the first time. But how old is this character supposed to be on The Walking Dead? He’s actually a lot younger than you might think.

Here’s what you need to know.

According to The Walking Dead Wikia, Carl was just 12-year-old when the zombie apocalypse began. And although we’re not on Season 7 of The Walking Dead, that doesn’t mean Carl is 19-years-old. In fact, less time has passed on The Walking Dead than has passed in real-life.

We learned on Fear the Walking Dead that the zombie apocalypse began in 2010. According to Movie Pilot and The Walking Dead Wikia, the mid-season finale of the fifth season, Coda, took place 514 days after the initial outbreak.  This season is taking place about 628 days after the outbreak.

Just to be generous, let’s round that 628 days up and say it’s about two years. That would put Carl at around 14-years-old. If that seems far too young, it’s because the actor, Chandler Riggs, was born in 1999 and he’s 17.