Age dependency ratio, old in Germany

Germany: Age dependency ratio, old was 38.0% in 2025. ▲ Rising

Latest (2025)
38.0%
Change on year
up 3.0%
World rank
9th
of 217 countries
All-time high
38.0%
in 2025
All-time low
17.1%
in 1960
Years of data
66
1960–2025

Age dependency ratio, old in Germany, 1960–2025

010203040196019922025

Source: World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division. Measured in % of working-age population.

Analysis

In 2025, age dependency ratio, old in Germany stood at 38.0%. That is the highest value across all 66 years on record.

That represents a change of up 3.0% on the previous year and up 18.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, age dependency ratio, old in Germany peaked at 38.0% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 17.1%, in 1960.

Germany ranks 9th of 217 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 66 years of available data.

Age dependency ratio, old in Germany, year by year

Annual values for Age dependency ratio, old (% of working-age population) in Germany, 1960 to 2025.
Year % of working-age population Change
1960 17.1%
1961 17.5% +2.8%
1962 18.0% +2.7%
1963 18.4% +2.3%
1964 18.9% +2.5%
1965 19.3% +2.4%
1966 19.8% +2.5%
1967 20.4% +3.1%
1968 21.0% +2.5%
1969 21.2% +1.4%
1970 21.6% +1.8%
1971 22.0% +1.9%
1972 22.3% +1.4%
1973 22.6% +1.3%
1974 23.0% +1.4%
1975 23.3% +1.5%
1976 23.5% +1.0%
1977 23.7% +0.9%
1978 23.9% +0.7%
1979 23.9% +0.1%
1980 23.7% -1.2%
1981 23.0% -2.9%
1982 22.1% -3.6%
1983 21.3% -3.6%
1984 20.9% -2.2%
1985 20.9% +0.2%
1986 21.1% +1.1%
1987 21.4% +1.0%
1988 21.5% +0.6%
1989 21.5% +0.0%
1990 21.5% +0.2%
1991 21.6% +0.5%
1992 21.7% +0.5%
1993 21.9% +0.8%
1994 22.2% +1.4%
1995 22.5% +1.3%
1996 22.8% +1.0%
1997 22.9% +0.7%
1998 23.2% +1.2%
1999 23.7% +2.0%
2000 24.2% +2.5%
2001 24.9% +2.7%
2002 25.6% +2.7%
2003 26.3% +2.9%
2004 27.3% +3.5%
2005 28.3% +3.8%
2006 29.4% +3.9%
2007 30.3% +3.0%
2008 30.8% +1.7%
2009 31.2% +1.4%
2010 31.3% +0.2%
2011 31.1% -0.5%
2012 31.3% +0.5%
2013 31.6% +0.9%
2014 31.8% +0.8%
2015 32.0% +0.6%
2016 32.2% +0.7%
2017 32.6% +1.2%
2018 33.0% +1.1%
2019 33.4% +1.3%
2020 33.9% +1.5%
2021 34.6% +1.9%
2022 35.3% +2.1%
2023 36.0% +2.0%
2024 36.9% +2.4%
2025 38.0% +3.0%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1960s 19.2% 17.1% 21.2% 10
1970s 23.0% 21.6% 23.9% 10
1980s 21.7% 20.9% 23.7% 10
1990s 22.4% 21.5% 23.7% 10
2000s 27.8% 24.2% 31.2% 10
2010s 32.0% 31.1% 33.4% 10
2020s 35.8% 33.9% 38.0% 6

Countries ranked near Germany

  1. 6 Finland 39.4% compare
  2. 7 Greece 38.9% compare
  3. 8 United States Virgin Islands 38.3% compare
  4. 10 Isle of Man 37.8% compare
  5. 11 Croatia 37.7% compare
  6. 12 France 36.8% compare

See the full ranking of 266 places →

More health data for Germany

All data for Germany →

Frequently asked questions

What is age dependency ratio, old in Germany?
Age dependency ratio, old in Germany was 38.0% in 2025, according to World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division.
What is the highest age dependency ratio, old recorded in Germany?
The highest recorded value was 38.0% in 2025.
What is the lowest age dependency ratio, old recorded in Germany?
The lowest recorded value was 17.1% in 1960.
How does Germany rank for age dependency ratio, old?
Germany ranks 9th out of 217 countries with data for 2025.
Is age dependency ratio, old rising or falling in Germany?
Over the last ten years it is up 18.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Germany 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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Age dependency ratio, old in Germany. Statizoid, drawing on World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division. Retrieved 28 August 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/age-dependency-ratio-old-percent-of-working-age-population/germany/

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About this data

Indicator
Age dependency ratio, old (% of working-age population)
Unit
% of working-age population
Source
World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
266 places, 17,526 data points, 1960–2025
Last refreshed

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.