Age dependency ratio, old in European Union
European Union: Age dependency ratio, old was 35.4% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Age dependency ratio, old in European Union, 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 European Union is 35.4%, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 66 years on record.
That represents a change of up 2.3% on the previous year and up 21.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, age dependency ratio, old in European Union peaked at 35.4% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 14.8%, in 1960.
That places European Union 2nd out of 47 groups with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 66 years of available data.
Age dependency ratio, old in European Union, year by year
| Year | % of working-age population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 14.8% | — |
| 1961 | 15.1% | +2.0% |
| 1962 | 15.3% | +1.8% |
| 1963 | 15.6% | +1.4% |
| 1964 | 15.8% | +1.6% |
| 1965 | 16.1% | +2.2% |
| 1966 | 16.5% | +2.2% |
| 1967 | 16.9% | +2.3% |
| 1968 | 17.2% | +2.0% |
| 1969 | 17.5% | +1.6% |
| 1970 | 17.8% | +1.9% |
| 1971 | 18.1% | +1.7% |
| 1972 | 18.4% | +1.6% |
| 1973 | 18.7% | +1.6% |
| 1974 | 19.0% | +1.6% |
| 1975 | 19.3% | +1.6% |
| 1976 | 19.6% | +1.3% |
| 1977 | 19.8% | +1.3% |
| 1978 | 20.1% | +1.2% |
| 1979 | 20.2% | +0.9% |
| 1980 | 20.2% | -0.2% |
| 1981 | 19.9% | -1.5% |
| 1982 | 19.5% | -2.1% |
| 1983 | 19.0% | -2.3% |
| 1984 | 18.8% | -1.5% |
| 1985 | 18.8% | +0.4% |
| 1986 | 19.1% | +1.4% |
| 1987 | 19.4% | +1.5% |
| 1988 | 19.7% | +1.5% |
| 1989 | 19.9% | +1.3% |
| 1990 | 20.2% | +1.3% |
| 1991 | 20.5% | +1.4% |
| 1992 | 20.7% | +1.3% |
| 1993 | 21.0% | +1.4% |
| 1994 | 21.4% | +2.0% |
| 1995 | 21.8% | +1.6% |
| 1996 | 22.0% | +1.1% |
| 1997 | 22.3% | +1.4% |
| 1998 | 22.6% | +1.3% |
| 1999 | 22.9% | +1.4% |
| 2000 | 23.3% | +1.5% |
| 2001 | 23.6% | +1.5% |
| 2002 | 23.9% | +1.4% |
| 2003 | 24.2% | +1.2% |
| 2004 | 24.5% | +1.3% |
| 2005 | 24.9% | +1.5% |
| 2006 | 25.3% | +1.5% |
| 2007 | 25.5% | +1.1% |
| 2008 | 25.8% | +0.9% |
| 2009 | 26.1% | +1.2% |
| 2010 | 26.4% | +1.1% |
| 2011 | 26.8% | +1.4% |
| 2012 | 27.3% | +2.1% |
| 2013 | 28.0% | +2.3% |
| 2014 | 28.6% | +2.4% |
| 2015 | 29.3% | +2.2% |
| 2016 | 29.8% | +2.0% |
| 2017 | 30.4% | +2.0% |
| 2018 | 31.0% | +1.9% |
| 2019 | 31.6% | +1.9% |
| 2020 | 32.1% | +1.8% |
| 2021 | 32.7% | +1.8% |
| 2022 | 33.3% | +1.7% |
| 2023 | 33.9% | +1.8% |
| 2024 | 34.6% | +2.2% |
| 2025 | 35.4% | +2.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 16.1% | 14.8% | 17.5% | 10 |
| 1970s | 19.1% | 17.8% | 20.2% | 10 |
| 1980s | 19.4% | 18.8% | 20.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 21.6% | 20.2% | 22.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 24.7% | 23.3% | 26.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 28.9% | 26.4% | 31.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 33.7% | 32.1% | 35.4% | 6 |
Countries ranked near European Union
More health data for European Union
- Population ages 65-69, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 60-64, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 60-64, male, per capita 0.0333 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 65-69, female, annual growth rate 1.46 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 65-69, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 65-69, female, per capita 0.0328 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 65-69, male, annual growth rate 1.91 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 70-74, female, per capita 0.0295 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 70-74, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 70-74, male, annual growth rate 1.35 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is age dependency ratio, old in European Union?
- Age dependency ratio, old in European Union was 35.4% in 2025, according to World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division.
- What is the highest age dependency ratio, old recorded in European Union?
- The highest recorded value was 35.4% in 2025.
- What is the lowest age dependency ratio, old recorded in European Union?
- The lowest recorded value was 14.8% in 1960.
- How does European Union rank for age dependency ratio, old?
- European Union ranks 2nd out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is age dependency ratio, old rising or falling in European Union?
- Over the last ten years it is up 21.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this European Union 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.