Age dependency ratio, old in Europe & Central Asia
Europe & Central Asia: Age dependency ratio, old was 28.8% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Age dependency ratio, old in Europe & Central Asia, 1960–2025
Source: World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division. Measured in % of working-age population.
Analysis
The most recent figure for age dependency ratio, old in Europe & Central Asia is 28.8%, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 66 years on record.
The figure is up 2.4% on the previous year and up 23.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, age dependency ratio, old in Europe & Central Asia peaked at 28.8% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 13.2%, in 1960.
That places Europe & Central Asia 8th out of 47 groups with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 66 years of available data.
Age dependency ratio, old in Europe & Central Asia, year by year
| Year | % of working-age population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 13.2% | — |
| 1961 | 13.4% | +1.8% |
| 1962 | 13.6% | +1.4% |
| 1963 | 13.8% | +1.2% |
| 1964 | 14.0% | +1.4% |
| 1965 | 14.3% | +1.9% |
| 1966 | 14.5% | +2.0% |
| 1967 | 14.8% | +1.9% |
| 1968 | 15.1% | +1.9% |
| 1969 | 15.4% | +1.7% |
| 1970 | 15.6% | +1.6% |
| 1971 | 15.9% | +1.6% |
| 1972 | 16.1% | +1.6% |
| 1973 | 16.3% | +1.5% |
| 1974 | 16.6% | +1.5% |
| 1975 | 16.8% | +1.5% |
| 1976 | 17.1% | +1.3% |
| 1977 | 17.3% | +1.4% |
| 1978 | 17.5% | +1.3% |
| 1979 | 17.7% | +1.1% |
| 1980 | 17.8% | +0.2% |
| 1981 | 17.5% | -1.3% |
| 1982 | 17.2% | -2.0% |
| 1983 | 16.9% | -1.9% |
| 1984 | 16.6% | -1.2% |
| 1985 | 16.6% | -0.1% |
| 1986 | 16.7% | +0.6% |
| 1987 | 16.9% | +0.8% |
| 1988 | 17.1% | +1.2% |
| 1989 | 17.3% | +1.3% |
| 1990 | 17.5% | +1.5% |
| 1991 | 17.8% | +1.7% |
| 1992 | 18.2% | +1.8% |
| 1993 | 18.5% | +1.9% |
| 1994 | 18.9% | +2.0% |
| 1995 | 19.2% | +1.5% |
| 1996 | 19.4% | +1.0% |
| 1997 | 19.6% | +1.0% |
| 1998 | 19.7% | +0.7% |
| 1999 | 19.8% | +0.4% |
| 2000 | 19.9% | +0.6% |
| 2001 | 20.1% | +1.0% |
| 2002 | 20.3% | +1.3% |
| 2003 | 20.6% | +1.3% |
| 2004 | 20.9% | +1.4% |
| 2005 | 21.2% | +1.3% |
| 2006 | 21.4% | +1.0% |
| 2007 | 21.5% | +0.5% |
| 2008 | 21.4% | -0.2% |
| 2009 | 21.4% | -0.2% |
| 2010 | 21.4% | -0.1% |
| 2011 | 21.5% | +0.5% |
| 2012 | 21.9% | +1.6% |
| 2013 | 22.3% | +1.9% |
| 2014 | 22.8% | +2.1% |
| 2015 | 23.3% | +2.2% |
| 2016 | 23.7% | +2.1% |
| 2017 | 24.2% | +2.1% |
| 2018 | 24.8% | +2.1% |
| 2019 | 25.3% | +2.2% |
| 2020 | 25.8% | +2.1% |
| 2021 | 26.3% | +1.8% |
| 2022 | 26.8% | +1.9% |
| 2023 | 27.5% | +2.3% |
| 2024 | 28.1% | +2.4% |
| 2025 | 28.8% | +2.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 14.2% | 13.2% | 15.4% | 10 |
| 1970s | 16.7% | 15.6% | 17.7% | 10 |
| 1980s | 17.1% | 16.6% | 17.8% | 10 |
| 1990s | 18.8% | 17.5% | 19.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 20.9% | 19.9% | 21.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 23.1% | 21.4% | 25.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 27.2% | 25.8% | 28.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Europe & Central Asia
More health data for Europe & Central Asia
- Population ages 35-39, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 45-49, female, annual growth rate 0.9265 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 40-44, male, per capita 0.0351 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 40-44, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 40-44, male, annual growth rate 0.3995 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 40-44, female, per capita 0.0352 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 40-44, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 40-44, female, annual growth rate 0.2923 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 35-39, male, per capita 0.0361 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 30-34, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is age dependency ratio, old in Europe & Central Asia?
- Age dependency ratio, old in Europe & Central Asia was 28.8% in 2025, according to World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division.
- What is the highest age dependency ratio, old recorded in Europe & Central Asia?
- The highest recorded value was 28.8% in 2025.
- What is the lowest age dependency ratio, old recorded in Europe & Central Asia?
- The lowest recorded value was 13.2% in 1960.
- How does Europe & Central Asia rank for age dependency ratio, old?
- Europe & Central Asia ranks 8th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is age dependency ratio, old rising or falling in Europe & Central Asia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 23.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Europe & Central Asia data come from?
- The figures come from World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division, published as part of Age dependency ratio, old (% of working-age population). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Age dependency ratio, old, is the ratio of older dependents--people older than 64--to the working-age population--those ages 15-64. Data are shown as the proportion of dependents per 100 working-age population.