Anyone can develop Schizophrenia. It affects men and women equally in all ethnic groups. Teens can also develop Schizophrenia. In rare cases, children have the illness too.
Symptoms of Schizophrenia usually start between ages 16 and 30. Men often develop symptoms at a younger age than women. People usually do not get Schizophrenia after age 45.

Onset: Late adolescence and early adulthood are peak periods for the onset of Schizophrenia, critical years in a young adult's social and vocational development. In 40% of men and 23% of women diagnosed with Schizophrenia, the condition manifested itself before the age of 19. To minimize the developmental disruption associated with Schizophrenia, much work has recently been done to identify and treat the prodromal (pre-onset) phase of the illness, which has been detected up to 30 months before the onset of symptoms. Those who go on to develop Schizophrenia may experience transient or self-limiting psychotic symptoms and the non-specific symptoms of social withdrawal, irritability, dysphoria, and clumsiness during the prodromal phase.