Age dependency ratio in China
China: Age dependency ratio was 43.5% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Age dependency ratio in China, 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 in China is 43.5%, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of down 1.7% on the previous year and up 9.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, age dependency ratio in China peaked at 82.3% in 1966 and was at its lowest, 37.2%, in 2010.
China ranks 191st of 217 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 66 years of available data.
Age dependency ratio in China, year by year
| Year | % of working-age population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 79.5% | — |
| 1961 | 78.0% | -1.9% |
| 1962 | 77.9% | -0.2% |
| 1963 | 79.7% | +2.3% |
| 1964 | 81.5% | +2.2% |
| 1965 | 82.2% | +0.9% |
| 1966 | 82.3% | +0.2% |
| 1967 | 81.5% | -0.9% |
| 1968 | 80.8% | -0.9% |
| 1969 | 80.6% | -0.3% |
| 1970 | 80.2% | -0.6% |
| 1971 | 79.8% | -0.4% |
| 1972 | 79.1% | -0.9% |
| 1973 | 78.5% | -0.8% |
| 1974 | 78.7% | +0.3% |
| 1975 | 79.2% | +0.6% |
| 1976 | 79.5% | +0.4% |
| 1977 | 78.3% | -1.6% |
| 1978 | 74.7% | -4.6% |
| 1979 | 71.0% | -4.9% |
| 1980 | 68.0% | -4.1% |
| 1981 | 65.5% | -3.8% |
| 1982 | 63.5% | -3.0% |
| 1983 | 61.3% | -3.5% |
| 1984 | 58.7% | -4.2% |
| 1985 | 56.5% | -3.8% |
| 1986 | 54.7% | -3.1% |
| 1987 | 53.5% | -2.2% |
| 1988 | 52.6% | -1.8% |
| 1989 | 51.9% | -1.2% |
| 1990 | 51.8% | -0.2% |
| 1991 | 51.8% | -0.2% |
| 1992 | 51.5% | -0.5% |
| 1993 | 51.2% | -0.4% |
| 1994 | 50.9% | -0.7% |
| 1995 | 50.3% | -1.0% |
| 1996 | 49.6% | -1.4% |
| 1997 | 48.7% | -2.0% |
| 1998 | 47.8% | -1.8% |
| 1999 | 47.0% | -1.6% |
| 2000 | 46.1% | -1.9% |
| 2001 | 45.0% | -2.5% |
| 2002 | 43.5% | -3.2% |
| 2003 | 42.1% | -3.3% |
| 2004 | 40.7% | -3.3% |
| 2005 | 39.2% | -3.6% |
| 2006 | 38.2% | -2.6% |
| 2007 | 37.7% | -1.3% |
| 2008 | 37.4% | -0.8% |
| 2009 | 37.3% | -0.4% |
| 2010 | 37.2% | -0.0% |
| 2011 | 37.4% | +0.3% |
| 2012 | 37.7% | +0.9% |
| 2013 | 38.2% | +1.4% |
| 2014 | 38.9% | +1.7% |
| 2015 | 39.6% | +1.9% |
| 2016 | 40.4% | +2.1% |
| 2017 | 41.5% | +2.6% |
| 2018 | 42.5% | +2.5% |
| 2019 | 43.4% | +2.0% |
| 2020 | 44.1% | +1.6% |
| 2021 | 44.5% | +0.9% |
| 2022 | 44.7% | +0.5% |
| 2023 | 44.7% | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 44.2% | -1.1% |
| 2025 | 43.5% | -1.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 80.4% | 77.9% | 82.3% | 10 |
| 1970s | 77.9% | 71.0% | 80.2% | 10 |
| 1980s | 58.6% | 51.9% | 68.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | 50.1% | 47.0% | 51.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 40.7% | 37.3% | 46.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 39.7% | 37.2% | 43.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 44.3% | 43.5% | 44.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near China
- 188 Trinidad and Tobago 43.7% compare
- 189 French Polynesia 43.7% compare
- 190 Azerbaijan 43.6% compare
- 192 Colombia 43.3% compare
- 193 Saint Kitts and Nevis 43.0% compare
- 194 Antigua and Barbuda 42.5% compare
More health data for China
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.15 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.0985 % change on previous year (2090)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates 2,029 (2090)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 4,642 (2100)
- Population ages 0-14, female, annual growth rate -3.74 % 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 0.072 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, male, annual growth rate -4.07 % 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 0.0821 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is age dependency ratio in China?
- Age dependency ratio in China was 43.5% in 2025, according to World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division.
- What is the highest age dependency ratio recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 82.3% in 1966.
- What is the lowest age dependency ratio recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 37.2% in 2010.
- How does China rank for age dependency ratio?
- China ranks 191st out of 217 countries with data for 2025.
- Is age dependency ratio rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 9.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this China 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.