Age dependency ratio, old in South Africa
South Africa: Age dependency ratio, old was 10.2% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Age dependency ratio, old in South Africa, 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 South Africa is 10.2%, measured in 2025. 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 26.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, age dependency ratio, old in South Africa peaked at 10.2% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 6.2%, in 1962.
South Africa ranks 130th of 218 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 66 years of available data.
Age dependency ratio, old in South Africa, year by year
| Year | % of working-age population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 6.2% | — |
| 1961 | 6.2% | -0.5% |
| 1962 | 6.2% | -0.2% |
| 1963 | 6.2% | +0.1% |
| 1964 | 6.2% | +0.4% |
| 1965 | 6.3% | +0.8% |
| 1966 | 6.3% | +1.0% |
| 1967 | 6.4% | +1.1% |
| 1968 | 6.5% | +1.1% |
| 1969 | 6.5% | +1.1% |
| 1970 | 6.6% | +1.1% |
| 1971 | 6.7% | +0.9% |
| 1972 | 6.7% | +0.7% |
| 1973 | 6.8% | +0.6% |
| 1974 | 6.8% | +0.5% |
| 1975 | 6.8% | +0.5% |
| 1976 | 6.9% | +0.4% |
| 1977 | 6.9% | +0.3% |
| 1978 | 6.9% | +0.1% |
| 1979 | 6.9% | +0.1% |
| 1980 | 6.9% | -0.1% |
| 1981 | 6.9% | -0.2% |
| 1982 | 6.9% | +0.1% |
| 1983 | 6.9% | +0.4% |
| 1984 | 7.0% | +0.7% |
| 1985 | 7.0% | +0.4% |
| 1986 | 7.0% | -0.0% |
| 1987 | 7.0% | -0.3% |
| 1988 | 6.9% | -0.5% |
| 1989 | 6.9% | -0.9% |
| 1990 | 6.8% | -1.2% |
| 1991 | 6.7% | -0.5% |
| 1992 | 6.8% | +1.2% |
| 1993 | 6.8% | -0.5% |
| 1994 | 6.9% | +1.4% |
| 1995 | 7.2% | +4.3% |
| 1996 | 7.5% | +3.8% |
| 1997 | 7.7% | +3.2% |
| 1998 | 7.8% | +1.3% |
| 1999 | 7.8% | +0.6% |
| 2000 | 7.9% | +0.3% |
| 2001 | 7.9% | +0.2% |
| 2002 | 7.9% | +0.1% |
| 2003 | 7.9% | +0.2% |
| 2004 | 7.9% | +0.4% |
| 2005 | 8.0% | +0.7% |
| 2006 | 8.0% | +0.5% |
| 2007 | 8.1% | +0.4% |
| 2008 | 8.1% | +0.2% |
| 2009 | 8.1% | -0.1% |
| 2010 | 8.0% | -0.4% |
| 2011 | 8.0% | -0.5% |
| 2012 | 8.0% | -0.2% |
| 2013 | 8.0% | +0.4% |
| 2014 | 8.1% | +0.6% |
| 2015 | 8.1% | +0.5% |
| 2016 | 8.3% | +2.1% |
| 2017 | 8.5% | +3.0% |
| 2018 | 8.7% | +2.2% |
| 2019 | 8.9% | +2.5% |
| 2020 | 9.1% | +2.4% |
| 2021 | 9.3% | +1.7% |
| 2022 | 9.5% | +1.8% |
| 2023 | 9.7% | +2.3% |
| 2024 | 9.9% | +2.7% |
| 2025 | 10.2% | +3.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 6.3% | 6.2% | 6.5% | 10 |
| 1970s | 6.8% | 6.6% | 6.9% | 10 |
| 1980s | 6.9% | 6.9% | 7.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | 7.2% | 6.7% | 7.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 8.0% | 7.9% | 8.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 8.3% | 8.0% | 8.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 9.6% | 9.1% | 10.2% | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 127 Algeria 10.8% compare
- 128 Cape Verde 10.5% compare
- 129 Paraguay 10.4% compare
- 131 Bangladesh 10.2% compare
- 132 Nepal 10.1% compare
- 133 Brunei Darussalam 10.0% compare
More health data for South Africa
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -2.2 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.1386 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,152 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 3,333 deaths (2100)
- Population ages 50-54, male, annual growth rate 2.38 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 50-54, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 50-54, male, per capita 0.0221 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 55-59, female, annual growth rate 0.8639 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 55-59, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 55-59, female, per capita 0.0217 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is age dependency ratio, old in South Africa?
- Age dependency ratio, old in South Africa was 10.2% in 2025, according to World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division.
- What is the highest age dependency ratio, old recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 10.2% in 2025.
- What is the lowest age dependency ratio, old recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.2% in 1962.
- How does South Africa rank for age dependency ratio, old?
- South Africa ranks 130th out of 218 countries with data for 2025.
- Is age dependency ratio, old rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 26.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa 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.