Age dependency ratio in South Africa
South Africa: Age dependency ratio was 48.4% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Age dependency ratio in South Africa, 1960–2025
Source: World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division. Measured in % of working-age population.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 48.4% for age dependency ratio in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.2% on the previous year and down 4.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, age dependency ratio in South Africa peaked at 84.7% in 1971 and was at its lowest, 48.3%, in 2024.
That places South Africa 162nd 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 South Africa, year by year
| Year | % of working-age population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 83.4% | — |
| 1961 | 83.4% | -0.0% |
| 1962 | 83.4% | -0.0% |
| 1963 | 83.3% | -0.1% |
| 1964 | 83.3% | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 83.5% | +0.3% |
| 1966 | 83.8% | +0.3% |
| 1967 | 84.0% | +0.3% |
| 1968 | 84.3% | +0.3% |
| 1969 | 84.5% | +0.2% |
| 1970 | 84.6% | +0.2% |
| 1971 | 84.7% | +0.1% |
| 1972 | 84.6% | -0.1% |
| 1973 | 84.5% | -0.2% |
| 1974 | 84.3% | -0.2% |
| 1975 | 84.0% | -0.3% |
| 1976 | 83.7% | -0.4% |
| 1977 | 83.3% | -0.6% |
| 1978 | 82.6% | -0.8% |
| 1979 | 82.0% | -0.8% |
| 1980 | 80.9% | -1.3% |
| 1981 | 79.6% | -1.7% |
| 1982 | 78.4% | -1.4% |
| 1983 | 77.5% | -1.2% |
| 1984 | 76.7% | -1.0% |
| 1985 | 76.0% | -1.0% |
| 1986 | 75.2% | -1.0% |
| 1987 | 74.4% | -1.1% |
| 1988 | 73.5% | -1.1% |
| 1989 | 72.6% | -1.3% |
| 1990 | 71.5% | -1.5% |
| 1991 | 70.9% | -0.9% |
| 1992 | 71.1% | +0.4% |
| 1993 | 70.2% | -1.3% |
| 1994 | 70.2% | -0.0% |
| 1995 | 71.5% | +1.8% |
| 1996 | 72.0% | +0.8% |
| 1997 | 71.6% | -0.6% |
| 1998 | 69.8% | -2.5% |
| 1999 | 67.8% | -2.9% |
| 2000 | 65.7% | -3.1% |
| 2001 | 63.5% | -3.3% |
| 2002 | 61.4% | -3.4% |
| 2003 | 59.5% | -3.2% |
| 2004 | 57.9% | -2.7% |
| 2005 | 56.7% | -2.1% |
| 2006 | 55.7% | -1.7% |
| 2007 | 54.8% | -1.5% |
| 2008 | 54.2% | -1.2% |
| 2009 | 53.7% | -1.0% |
| 2010 | 53.0% | -1.2% |
| 2011 | 52.4% | -1.2% |
| 2012 | 51.9% | -0.9% |
| 2013 | 51.5% | -0.8% |
| 2014 | 51.1% | -0.6% |
| 2015 | 50.8% | -0.7% |
| 2016 | 51.1% | +0.5% |
| 2017 | 51.3% | +0.4% |
| 2018 | 50.7% | -1.1% |
| 2019 | 50.1% | -1.2% |
| 2020 | 49.5% | -1.2% |
| 2021 | 48.9% | -1.2% |
| 2022 | 48.6% | -0.7% |
| 2023 | 48.4% | -0.4% |
| 2024 | 48.3% | -0.1% |
| 2025 | 48.4% | +0.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 83.7% | 83.3% | 84.5% | 10 |
| 1970s | 83.8% | 82.0% | 84.7% | 10 |
| 1980s | 76.5% | 72.6% | 80.9% | 10 |
| 1990s | 70.7% | 67.8% | 72.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 58.3% | 53.7% | 65.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 51.4% | 50.1% | 53.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 48.7% | 48.3% | 49.5% | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More health data for South Africa
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -2.2 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.1386 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,152 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 3,333 deaths (2100)
- Population ages 60-64, female, annual growth rate 1.27 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 60-64, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 60-64, female, per capita 0.0197 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 60-64, male, annual growth rate 0.6835 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 60-64, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 60-64, male, per capita 0.015 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is age dependency ratio in South Africa?
- Age dependency ratio in South Africa was 48.4% in 2025, according to World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division.
- What is the highest age dependency ratio recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 84.7% in 1971.
- What is the lowest age dependency ratio recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 48.3% in 2024.
- How does South Africa rank for age dependency ratio?
- South Africa ranks 162nd out of 218 countries with data for 2025.
- Is age dependency ratio rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 4.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Africa 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.