Age dependency ratio, young in Canada
Canada: Age dependency ratio, young was 23.1% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Age dependency ratio, young in Canada, 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, young in Canada is 23.1%, measured in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 66 years on record.
That represents a change of down 0.4% on the previous year and down 3.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, age dependency ratio, young in Canada peaked at 58.1% in 1962 and was at its lowest, 23.1%, in 2025.
Canada ranks 176th 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, young in Canada, year by year
| Year | % of working-age population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 57.6% | — |
| 1961 | 58.0% | +0.8% |
| 1962 | 58.1% | +0.2% |
| 1963 | 57.9% | -0.4% |
| 1964 | 57.3% | -0.9% |
| 1965 | 56.5% | -1.5% |
| 1966 | 55.3% | -2.1% |
| 1967 | 53.8% | -2.7% |
| 1968 | 52.2% | -2.9% |
| 1969 | 50.6% | -3.1% |
| 1970 | 48.7% | -3.7% |
| 1971 | 46.8% | -4.0% |
| 1972 | 45.1% | -3.7% |
| 1973 | 43.4% | -3.8% |
| 1974 | 41.7% | -3.9% |
| 1975 | 40.1% | -3.8% |
| 1976 | 38.6% | -3.7% |
| 1977 | 37.2% | -3.6% |
| 1978 | 35.9% | -3.6% |
| 1979 | 34.6% | -3.5% |
| 1980 | 33.6% | -3.0% |
| 1981 | 32.8% | -2.3% |
| 1982 | 32.3% | -1.6% |
| 1983 | 31.9% | -1.2% |
| 1984 | 31.5% | -1.1% |
| 1985 | 31.1% | -1.2% |
| 1986 | 30.8% | -1.1% |
| 1987 | 30.6% | -0.6% |
| 1988 | 30.5% | -0.3% |
| 1989 | 30.4% | -0.2% |
| 1990 | 30.4% | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 30.5% | +0.2% |
| 1992 | 30.6% | +0.2% |
| 1993 | 30.6% | -0.0% |
| 1994 | 30.4% | -0.5% |
| 1995 | 30.2% | -0.8% |
| 1996 | 29.9% | -1.0% |
| 1997 | 29.5% | -1.2% |
| 1998 | 29.1% | -1.4% |
| 1999 | 28.7% | -1.6% |
| 2000 | 28.1% | -1.8% |
| 2001 | 27.6% | -1.9% |
| 2002 | 27.1% | -1.8% |
| 2003 | 26.6% | -1.8% |
| 2004 | 26.1% | -1.9% |
| 2005 | 25.6% | -2.1% |
| 2006 | 25.1% | -2.0% |
| 2007 | 24.7% | -1.6% |
| 2008 | 24.4% | -1.2% |
| 2009 | 24.1% | -1.1% |
| 2010 | 23.9% | -0.9% |
| 2011 | 23.7% | -0.6% |
| 2012 | 23.7% | -0.1% |
| 2013 | 23.8% | +0.2% |
| 2014 | 23.8% | +0.3% |
| 2015 | 24.0% | +0.5% |
| 2016 | 24.1% | +0.5% |
| 2017 | 24.1% | +0.2% |
| 2018 | 24.1% | -0.1% |
| 2019 | 24.0% | -0.2% |
| 2020 | 24.0% | -0.2% |
| 2021 | 23.9% | -0.3% |
| 2022 | 23.7% | -0.8% |
| 2023 | 23.4% | -1.3% |
| 2024 | 23.2% | -0.9% |
| 2025 | 23.1% | -0.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 55.7% | 50.6% | 58.1% | 10 |
| 1970s | 41.2% | 34.6% | 48.7% | 10 |
| 1980s | 31.5% | 30.4% | 33.6% | 10 |
| 1990s | 30.0% | 28.7% | 30.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 25.9% | 24.1% | 28.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 23.9% | 23.7% | 24.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 23.6% | 23.1% | 24.0% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Canada
- 173 Finland 23.3% compare
- 174 Cyprus 23.3% compare
- 175 Netherlands 23.3% compare
- 177 Switzerland 23.0% compare
- 178 Luxembourg 23.0% compare
- 179 Slovenia 22.9% compare
More health data for Canada
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.79 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.3588 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,083 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 385 deaths (2100)
- Population ages 0-14, female, annual growth rate 0.0542 % 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 0.0731 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, male, annual growth rate 0.0818 % 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 0.0767 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is age dependency ratio, young in Canada?
- Age dependency ratio, young in Canada was 23.1% in 2025, according to World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division.
- What is the highest age dependency ratio, young recorded in Canada?
- The highest recorded value was 58.1% in 1962.
- What is the lowest age dependency ratio, young recorded in Canada?
- The lowest recorded value was 23.1% in 2025.
- How does Canada rank for age dependency ratio, young?
- Canada ranks 176th out of 217 countries with data for 2025.
- Is age dependency ratio, young rising or falling in Canada?
- Over the last ten years it is down 3.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Canada data come from?
- The figures come from World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division, published as part of Age dependency ratio, young (% of working-age population). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Age dependency ratio, young, is the ratio of younger dependents--people younger than 15--to the working-age population--those ages 15-64. Data are shown as the proportion of dependents per 100 working-age population.