Age dependency ratio in New Zealand
New Zealand: Age dependency ratio was 55.0% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Age dependency ratio in New Zealand, 1960–2025
Source: World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division. Measured in % of working-age population.
Analysis
In 2025, age dependency ratio in New Zealand stood at 55.0%.
That represents a change of up 0.8% on the previous year and up 4.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, age dependency ratio in New Zealand peaked at 71.1% in 1961 and was at its lowest, 50.4%, in 2006.
That places New Zealand 110th out of 218 countries 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 New Zealand, year by year
| Year | % of working-age population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 70.9% | — |
| 1961 | 71.1% | +0.3% |
| 1962 | 70.9% | -0.3% |
| 1963 | 70.5% | -0.6% |
| 1964 | 70.1% | -0.6% |
| 1965 | 69.7% | -0.6% |
| 1966 | 69.3% | -0.6% |
| 1967 | 69.0% | -0.5% |
| 1968 | 68.7% | -0.3% |
| 1969 | 68.4% | -0.5% |
| 1970 | 67.8% | -0.8% |
| 1971 | 67.3% | -0.9% |
| 1972 | 66.6% | -1.0% |
| 1973 | 65.7% | -1.4% |
| 1974 | 64.6% | -1.7% |
| 1975 | 63.5% | -1.6% |
| 1976 | 62.6% | -1.5% |
| 1977 | 61.5% | -1.7% |
| 1978 | 60.5% | -1.7% |
| 1979 | 59.5% | -1.6% |
| 1980 | 58.6% | -1.6% |
| 1981 | 57.7% | -1.5% |
| 1982 | 56.7% | -1.7% |
| 1983 | 55.5% | -2.0% |
| 1984 | 54.5% | -1.9% |
| 1985 | 53.7% | -1.4% |
| 1986 | 53.0% | -1.2% |
| 1987 | 52.5% | -1.1% |
| 1988 | 52.1% | -0.7% |
| 1989 | 52.0% | -0.1% |
| 1990 | 52.2% | +0.4% |
| 1991 | 52.3% | +0.2% |
| 1992 | 52.4% | +0.1% |
| 1993 | 52.6% | +0.4% |
| 1994 | 52.8% | +0.3% |
| 1995 | 52.8% | +0.1% |
| 1996 | 52.8% | -0.1% |
| 1997 | 52.7% | -0.1% |
| 1998 | 52.8% | +0.1% |
| 1999 | 52.8% | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 52.7% | -0.1% |
| 2001 | 52.5% | -0.4% |
| 2002 | 52.0% | -1.0% |
| 2003 | 51.3% | -1.2% |
| 2004 | 50.8% | -1.0% |
| 2005 | 50.5% | -0.7% |
| 2006 | 50.4% | -0.3% |
| 2007 | 50.4% | +0.1% |
| 2008 | 50.6% | +0.3% |
| 2009 | 50.8% | +0.4% |
| 2010 | 51.2% | +0.7% |
| 2011 | 51.6% | +0.9% |
| 2012 | 52.2% | +1.2% |
| 2013 | 52.7% | +0.9% |
| 2014 | 52.8% | +0.1% |
| 2015 | 52.5% | -0.4% |
| 2016 | 52.3% | -0.4% |
| 2017 | 52.3% | -0.1% |
| 2018 | 52.4% | +0.2% |
| 2019 | 52.6% | +0.4% |
| 2020 | 53.0% | +0.8% |
| 2021 | 53.6% | +1.2% |
| 2022 | 54.1% | +0.8% |
| 2023 | 54.3% | +0.4% |
| 2024 | 54.6% | +0.6% |
| 2025 | 55.0% | +0.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 69.9% | 68.4% | 71.1% | 10 |
| 1970s | 64.0% | 59.5% | 67.8% | 10 |
| 1980s | 54.6% | 52.0% | 58.6% | 10 |
| 1990s | 52.6% | 52.2% | 52.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 51.2% | 50.4% | 52.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 52.3% | 51.2% | 52.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 54.1% | 53.0% | 55.0% | 6 |
Countries ranked near New Zealand
- 107 Liechtenstein 55.3% compare
- 108 Haiti 55.2% compare
- 109 Hungary 55.1% compare
- 111 United States of America 55.0% compare
- 112 Gibraltar 54.9% compare
- 113 Switzerland 54.6% compare
More health data for New Zealand
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -2.94 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.4815 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,116 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 33 deaths (2100)
- Population ages 40-44, male, annual growth rate 1.53 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 40-44, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 40-44, male, per capita 0.0317 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 45-49, female, annual growth rate 0.0095 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 45-49, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 45-49, female, per capita 0.0297 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is age dependency ratio in New Zealand?
- Age dependency ratio in New Zealand was 55.0% in 2025, according to World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division.
- What is the highest age dependency ratio recorded in New Zealand?
- The highest recorded value was 71.1% in 1961.
- What is the lowest age dependency ratio recorded in New Zealand?
- The lowest recorded value was 50.4% in 2006.
- How does New Zealand rank for age dependency ratio?
- New Zealand ranks 110th out of 218 countries with data for 2025.
- Is age dependency ratio rising or falling in New Zealand?
- Over the last ten years it is up 4.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this New Zealand 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.