Age dependency ratio in Belgium
Belgium: Age dependency ratio was 57.9% in 2025. ▬ Flat
Latest (2025)
57.9%
Change on year
up 0.5%
World rank
89th
of 217 countries
All-time high
58.8%
in 1969
All-time low
48.2%
in 1986
Years of data
66
1960–2025
Age dependency ratio in Belgium, 1960–2025
Source: World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division. Measured in % of working-age population.
Analysis
Belgium recorded 57.9% for age dependency ratio in 2025.
The figure is up 0.5% on the previous year and up 6.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, age dependency ratio in Belgium peaked at 58.8% in 1969 and was at its lowest, 48.2%, in 1986.
That places Belgium 89th out of 217 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
Age dependency ratio in Belgium, year by year
| Year | % of working-age population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 55.5% | — |
| 1961 | 56.1% | +1.2% |
| 1962 | 56.5% | +0.8% |
| 1963 | 56.9% | +0.6% |
| 1964 | 57.3% | +0.8% |
| 1965 | 57.8% | +0.9% |
| 1966 | 58.3% | +0.8% |
| 1967 | 58.6% | +0.6% |
| 1968 | 58.7% | +0.2% |
| 1969 | 58.8% | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 58.7% | -0.1% |
| 1971 | 58.6% | -0.2% |
| 1972 | 58.4% | -0.3% |
| 1973 | 58.1% | -0.6% |
| 1974 | 57.5% | -1.0% |
| 1975 | 56.8% | -1.2% |
| 1976 | 56.0% | -1.4% |
| 1977 | 55.3% | -1.3% |
| 1978 | 54.6% | -1.2% |
| 1979 | 53.9% | -1.3% |
| 1980 | 53.1% | -1.5% |
| 1981 | 52.0% | -2.0% |
| 1982 | 50.8% | -2.3% |
| 1983 | 49.6% | -2.4% |
| 1984 | 48.6% | -1.8% |
| 1985 | 48.3% | -0.7% |
| 1986 | 48.2% | -0.1% |
| 1987 | 48.3% | +0.1% |
| 1988 | 48.5% | +0.5% |
| 1989 | 48.9% | +0.8% |
| 1990 | 49.4% | +1.0% |
| 1991 | 49.9% | +1.1% |
| 1992 | 50.3% | +0.9% |
| 1993 | 50.7% | +0.6% |
| 1994 | 50.9% | +0.5% |
| 1995 | 51.2% | +0.6% |
| 1996 | 51.5% | +0.6% |
| 1997 | 51.8% | +0.6% |
| 1998 | 52.1% | +0.5% |
| 1999 | 52.3% | +0.4% |
| 2000 | 52.5% | +0.3% |
| 2001 | 52.5% | +0.2% |
| 2002 | 52.5% | -0.0% |
| 2003 | 52.5% | -0.1% |
| 2004 | 52.5% | -0.0% |
| 2005 | 52.3% | -0.3% |
| 2006 | 52.0% | -0.7% |
| 2007 | 51.6% | -0.8% |
| 2008 | 51.4% | -0.3% |
| 2009 | 51.5% | +0.1% |
| 2010 | 51.6% | +0.3% |
| 2011 | 52.0% | +0.8% |
| 2012 | 52.6% | +1.1% |
| 2013 | 53.2% | +1.1% |
| 2014 | 53.8% | +1.1% |
| 2015 | 54.2% | +0.9% |
| 2016 | 54.7% | +0.8% |
| 2017 | 55.2% | +1.0% |
| 2018 | 55.7% | +0.9% |
| 2019 | 56.1% | +0.7% |
| 2020 | 56.3% | +0.5% |
| 2021 | 56.6% | +0.5% |
| 2022 | 57.0% | +0.7% |
| 2023 | 57.3% | +0.6% |
| 2024 | 57.6% | +0.5% |
| 2025 | 57.9% | +0.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 57.4% | 55.5% | 58.8% | 10 |
| 1970s | 56.8% | 53.9% | 58.7% | 10 |
| 1980s | 49.6% | 48.2% | 53.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 51.0% | 49.4% | 52.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 52.1% | 51.4% | 52.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 53.9% | 51.6% | 56.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 57.1% | 56.3% | 57.9% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Belgium
More health data for Belgium
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -3.28 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.2923 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,160 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 59 deaths (2100)
- Population ages 0-14, female, annual growth rate -1.14 % 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 0.0768 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, male, annual growth rate -1.13 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, male, per capita 0.0803 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is age dependency ratio in Belgium?
- Age dependency ratio in Belgium was 57.9% in 2025, according to World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division.
- What is the highest age dependency ratio recorded in Belgium?
- The highest recorded value was 58.8% in 1969.
- What is the lowest age dependency ratio recorded in Belgium?
- The lowest recorded value was 48.2% in 1986.
- How does Belgium rank for age dependency ratio?
- Belgium ranks 89th out of 217 countries with data for 2025.
- Is age dependency ratio rising or falling in Belgium?
- Over the last ten years it is up 6.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Belgium data come from?
- The figures come from World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division, published as part of Age dependency ratio (% of working-age population). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Age dependency ratio is the ratio of dependents--people younger than 15 or 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.