Age dependency ratio in Singapore
Singapore: Age dependency ratio was 35.0% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Age dependency ratio in Singapore, 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 Singapore stood at 35.0%.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 3.0% on the previous year and up 26.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, age dependency ratio in Singapore peaked at 89.6% in 1961 and was at its lowest, 26.9%, in 2012.
That places Singapore 210th out of 217 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 66 years of available data.
Age dependency ratio in Singapore, year by year
| Year | % of working-age population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 88.9% | — |
| 1961 | 89.6% | +0.8% |
| 1962 | 89.4% | -0.2% |
| 1963 | 88.5% | -1.1% |
| 1964 | 87.0% | -1.7% |
| 1965 | 85.1% | -2.1% |
| 1966 | 83.1% | -2.4% |
| 1967 | 80.8% | -2.7% |
| 1968 | 78.3% | -3.1% |
| 1969 | 75.5% | -3.6% |
| 1970 | 72.4% | -4.0% |
| 1971 | 69.3% | -4.3% |
| 1972 | 66.2% | -4.5% |
| 1973 | 63.2% | -4.5% |
| 1974 | 60.3% | -4.6% |
| 1975 | 57.4% | -4.7% |
| 1976 | 54.8% | -4.7% |
| 1977 | 52.3% | -4.6% |
| 1978 | 49.9% | -4.6% |
| 1979 | 47.6% | -4.6% |
| 1980 | 45.2% | -5.0% |
| 1981 | 42.8% | -5.4% |
| 1982 | 40.9% | -4.3% |
| 1983 | 39.9% | -2.4% |
| 1984 | 39.5% | -1.2% |
| 1985 | 39.4% | -0.2% |
| 1986 | 39.2% | -0.4% |
| 1987 | 38.6% | -1.5% |
| 1988 | 38.0% | -1.6% |
| 1989 | 37.5% | -1.4% |
| 1990 | 37.0% | -1.3% |
| 1991 | 36.7% | -0.8% |
| 1992 | 36.6% | -0.4% |
| 1993 | 36.4% | -0.4% |
| 1994 | 36.1% | -0.8% |
| 1995 | 35.6% | -1.5% |
| 1996 | 34.8% | -2.2% |
| 1997 | 34.0% | -2.2% |
| 1998 | 33.6% | -1.3% |
| 1999 | 33.5% | -0.2% |
| 2000 | 33.4% | -0.4% |
| 2001 | 33.2% | -0.7% |
| 2002 | 33.1% | -0.1% |
| 2003 | 33.0% | -0.3% |
| 2004 | 32.7% | -1.1% |
| 2005 | 32.1% | -1.8% |
| 2006 | 31.2% | -2.8% |
| 2007 | 29.9% | -4.2% |
| 2008 | 28.6% | -4.2% |
| 2009 | 27.9% | -2.6% |
| 2010 | 27.3% | -1.9% |
| 2011 | 26.9% | -1.4% |
| 2012 | 26.9% | -0.3% |
| 2013 | 27.0% | +0.5% |
| 2014 | 27.3% | +1.1% |
| 2015 | 27.7% | +1.4% |
| 2016 | 28.2% | +1.7% |
| 2017 | 28.8% | +2.5% |
| 2018 | 29.6% | +2.5% |
| 2019 | 30.2% | +2.1% |
| 2020 | 31.2% | +3.2% |
| 2021 | 32.3% | +3.7% |
| 2022 | 32.8% | +1.5% |
| 2023 | 33.1% | +1.0% |
| 2024 | 33.9% | +2.5% |
| 2025 | 35.0% | +3.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 84.6% | 75.5% | 89.6% | 10 |
| 1970s | 59.3% | 47.6% | 72.4% | 10 |
| 1980s | 40.1% | 37.5% | 45.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 35.4% | 33.5% | 37.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 31.5% | 27.9% | 33.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 28.0% | 26.9% | 30.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 33.1% | 31.2% | 35.0% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Singapore
- 207 Bhutan 37.0% compare
- 208 Jamaica 36.7% compare
- 209 Saudi Arabia 36.4% compare
- 211 Cayman Islands 34.4% compare
- 212 British Virgin Islands 31.9% compare
- 213 Maldives 31.6% compare
More health data for Singapore
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.5225 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,924 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 13 deaths (2100)
- Total tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 2 (2024)
- Total tetanus - number of reported cases, per capita 0 units per person (2024)
- Diphtheria - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2024)
- Diphtheria - number of reported cases, per capita 0 units per person (2024)
- Measles - number of reported cases, gaps filled 12 (2024)
- Measles - number of reported cases, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is age dependency ratio in Singapore?
- Age dependency ratio in Singapore was 35.0% in 2025, according to World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division.
- What is the highest age dependency ratio recorded in Singapore?
- The highest recorded value was 89.6% in 1961.
- What is the lowest age dependency ratio recorded in Singapore?
- The lowest recorded value was 26.9% in 2012.
- How does Singapore rank for age dependency ratio?
- Singapore ranks 210th out of 217 countries with data for 2025.
- Is age dependency ratio rising or falling in Singapore?
- Over the last ten years it is up 26.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Singapore 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.