Age dependency ratio in European Union
European Union: Age dependency ratio was 57.9% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Age dependency ratio in European Union, 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 European Union is 57.9%, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 66 years on record.
The figure is up 1.0% on the previous year and up 10.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, age dependency ratio in European Union peaked at 57.9% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 48.4%, in 1999.
That places European Union 19th out of 47 groups with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 66 years of available data.
Age dependency ratio in European Union, year by year
| Year | % of working-age population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 55.2% | — |
| 1961 | 55.6% | +0.7% |
| 1962 | 55.7% | +0.1% |
| 1963 | 55.7% | -0.0% |
| 1964 | 55.7% | +0.1% |
| 1965 | 55.9% | +0.3% |
| 1966 | 56.1% | +0.3% |
| 1967 | 56.4% | +0.5% |
| 1968 | 56.6% | +0.4% |
| 1969 | 56.7% | +0.2% |
| 1970 | 56.7% | +0.1% |
| 1971 | 56.7% | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 56.7% | -0.0% |
| 1973 | 56.6% | -0.1% |
| 1974 | 56.6% | -0.1% |
| 1975 | 56.5% | -0.1% |
| 1976 | 56.4% | -0.2% |
| 1977 | 56.2% | -0.3% |
| 1978 | 56.0% | -0.4% |
| 1979 | 55.6% | -0.7% |
| 1980 | 54.9% | -1.1% |
| 1981 | 54.0% | -1.7% |
| 1982 | 52.8% | -2.2% |
| 1983 | 51.6% | -2.3% |
| 1984 | 50.6% | -1.9% |
| 1985 | 50.1% | -1.0% |
| 1986 | 49.8% | -0.5% |
| 1987 | 49.6% | -0.4% |
| 1988 | 49.5% | -0.3% |
| 1989 | 49.3% | -0.3% |
| 1990 | 49.2% | -0.3% |
| 1991 | 49.0% | -0.3% |
| 1992 | 48.9% | -0.3% |
| 1993 | 48.8% | -0.2% |
| 1994 | 48.8% | +0.1% |
| 1995 | 48.7% | -0.2% |
| 1996 | 48.6% | -0.4% |
| 1997 | 48.5% | -0.2% |
| 1998 | 48.4% | -0.1% |
| 1999 | 48.4% | -0.0% |
| 2000 | 48.4% | +0.1% |
| 2001 | 48.5% | +0.1% |
| 2002 | 48.5% | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 48.5% | -0.1% |
| 2004 | 48.5% | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 48.6% | +0.2% |
| 2006 | 48.7% | +0.3% |
| 2007 | 48.8% | +0.2% |
| 2008 | 49.0% | +0.3% |
| 2009 | 49.3% | +0.6% |
| 2010 | 49.6% | +0.7% |
| 2011 | 50.0% | +0.9% |
| 2012 | 50.6% | +1.2% |
| 2013 | 51.3% | +1.3% |
| 2014 | 52.0% | +1.4% |
| 2015 | 52.6% | +1.3% |
| 2016 | 53.2% | +1.2% |
| 2017 | 53.9% | +1.2% |
| 2018 | 54.5% | +1.1% |
| 2019 | 55.1% | +1.1% |
| 2020 | 55.6% | +1.0% |
| 2021 | 56.1% | +0.9% |
| 2022 | 56.5% | +0.7% |
| 2023 | 56.9% | +0.7% |
| 2024 | 57.4% | +0.8% |
| 2025 | 57.9% | +1.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 56.0% | 55.2% | 56.7% | 10 |
| 1970s | 56.4% | 55.6% | 56.7% | 10 |
| 1980s | 51.2% | 49.3% | 54.9% | 10 |
| 1990s | 48.7% | 48.4% | 49.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 48.7% | 48.4% | 49.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 52.3% | 49.6% | 55.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 56.7% | 55.6% | 57.9% | 6 |
Countries ranked near European Union
More health data for European Union
- Population ages 70-74, male, annual growth rate 1.35 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 65-69, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 65-69, male, per capita 0.0293 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 70-74, female, annual growth rate 1.25 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 70-74, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 70-74, female, per capita 0.0295 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 70-74, male, per capita 0.0246 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 75-79, female, per capita 0.0252 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 75-79, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 65-69, male, annual growth rate 1.91 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is age dependency ratio in European Union?
- Age dependency ratio in European Union 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 European Union?
- The highest recorded value was 57.9% in 2025.
- What is the lowest age dependency ratio recorded in European Union?
- The lowest recorded value was 48.4% in 1999.
- How does European Union rank for age dependency ratio?
- European Union ranks 19th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is age dependency ratio rising or falling in European Union?
- Over the last ten years it is up 10.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this European Union 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.