Age dependency ratio, old in North America
North America: Age dependency ratio, old was 28.8% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Age dependency ratio, old in North America, 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 North America is 28.8%, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 66 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.9% on the previous year and up 32.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, age dependency ratio, old in North America peaked at 28.8% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 14.6%, in 1960.
That places North America 5th out of 45 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 North America, year by year
| Year | % of working-age population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 14.6% | — |
| 1961 | 14.8% | +1.5% |
| 1962 | 14.9% | +0.8% |
| 1963 | 15.0% | +0.5% |
| 1964 | 15.1% | +0.5% |
| 1965 | 15.2% | +1.0% |
| 1966 | 15.3% | +0.8% |
| 1967 | 15.3% | +0.2% |
| 1968 | 15.4% | +0.2% |
| 1969 | 15.4% | +0.2% |
| 1970 | 15.5% | +0.4% |
| 1971 | 15.5% | +0.2% |
| 1972 | 15.5% | -0.0% |
| 1973 | 15.5% | +0.1% |
| 1974 | 15.5% | +0.2% |
| 1975 | 15.6% | +0.5% |
| 1976 | 15.7% | +0.6% |
| 1977 | 15.8% | +0.8% |
| 1978 | 16.0% | +1.0% |
| 1979 | 16.2% | +1.1% |
| 1980 | 16.4% | +1.2% |
| 1981 | 16.5% | +1.0% |
| 1982 | 16.7% | +1.0% |
| 1983 | 16.9% | +1.1% |
| 1984 | 17.1% | +1.2% |
| 1985 | 17.3% | +1.1% |
| 1986 | 17.5% | +1.2% |
| 1987 | 17.7% | +1.4% |
| 1988 | 18.0% | +1.3% |
| 1989 | 18.2% | +1.3% |
| 1990 | 18.4% | +1.1% |
| 1991 | 18.5% | +0.8% |
| 1992 | 18.6% | +0.6% |
| 1993 | 18.7% | +0.4% |
| 1994 | 18.7% | +0.1% |
| 1995 | 18.7% | -0.0% |
| 1996 | 18.7% | -0.2% |
| 1997 | 18.6% | -0.4% |
| 1998 | 18.5% | -0.6% |
| 1999 | 18.4% | -0.6% |
| 2000 | 18.3% | -0.6% |
| 2001 | 18.2% | -0.5% |
| 2002 | 18.1% | -0.4% |
| 2003 | 18.1% | -0.2% |
| 2004 | 18.1% | -0.1% |
| 2005 | 18.1% | -0.0% |
| 2006 | 18.1% | +0.3% |
| 2007 | 18.3% | +1.1% |
| 2008 | 18.6% | +1.5% |
| 2009 | 18.9% | +1.6% |
| 2010 | 19.2% | +1.5% |
| 2011 | 19.6% | +2.0% |
| 2012 | 20.1% | +2.8% |
| 2013 | 20.7% | +2.8% |
| 2014 | 21.2% | +2.6% |
| 2015 | 21.7% | +2.5% |
| 2016 | 22.3% | +2.5% |
| 2017 | 22.8% | +2.6% |
| 2018 | 23.4% | +2.7% |
| 2019 | 24.1% | +2.8% |
| 2020 | 24.8% | +2.9% |
| 2021 | 25.5% | +2.8% |
| 2022 | 26.3% | +3.0% |
| 2023 | 27.1% | +3.3% |
| 2024 | 28.0% | +3.2% |
| 2025 | 28.8% | +2.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 15.1% | 14.6% | 15.4% | 10 |
| 1970s | 15.7% | 15.5% | 16.2% | 10 |
| 1980s | 17.2% | 16.4% | 18.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 18.6% | 18.4% | 18.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 18.3% | 18.1% | 18.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 21.5% | 19.2% | 24.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 26.7% | 24.8% | 28.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near North America
More health data for North America
- Population ages 0-14, male, per capita 0.0865 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 80 and above, male, annual growth rate 4.35 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 80 and above, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 80 and above, male, per capita 0.0175 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, female, annual growth rate -0.6988 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, female, per capita 0.0822 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, male, annual growth rate -0.7076 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 15-64, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is age dependency ratio, old in North America?
- Age dependency ratio, old in North America 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 North America?
- The highest recorded value was 28.8% in 2025.
- What is the lowest age dependency ratio, old recorded in North America?
- The lowest recorded value was 14.6% in 1960.
- How does North America rank for age dependency ratio, old?
- North America ranks 5th out of 45 groups with data for 2025.
- Is age dependency ratio, old rising or falling in North America?
- Over the last ten years it is up 32.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this North America 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.