Age dependency ratio, young in China
China: Age dependency ratio, young was 22.1% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Age dependency ratio, young in China, 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, young in China stood at 22.1%. That is the lowest value across all 66 years on record.
The figure is down 4.2% on the previous year and down 13.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, age dependency ratio, young in China peaked at 75.7% in 1966 and was at its lowest, 22.1%, in 2025.
China ranks 189th 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 China, year by year
| Year | % of working-age population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 72.4% | — |
| 1961 | 71.1% | -1.8% |
| 1962 | 71.1% | -0.1% |
| 1963 | 72.9% | +2.6% |
| 1964 | 74.8% | +2.5% |
| 1965 | 75.5% | +1.0% |
| 1966 | 75.7% | +0.2% |
| 1967 | 74.9% | -1.0% |
| 1968 | 74.2% | -1.0% |
| 1969 | 74.0% | -0.3% |
| 1970 | 73.5% | -0.6% |
| 1971 | 73.1% | -0.5% |
| 1972 | 72.4% | -1.0% |
| 1973 | 71.7% | -1.0% |
| 1974 | 71.8% | +0.2% |
| 1975 | 72.1% | +0.5% |
| 1976 | 72.3% | +0.3% |
| 1977 | 71.0% | -1.8% |
| 1978 | 67.4% | -5.1% |
| 1979 | 63.6% | -5.5% |
| 1980 | 60.7% | -4.7% |
| 1981 | 58.0% | -4.3% |
| 1982 | 56.0% | -3.5% |
| 1983 | 53.8% | -4.0% |
| 1984 | 51.2% | -4.8% |
| 1985 | 48.9% | -4.4% |
| 1986 | 47.0% | -3.8% |
| 1987 | 45.8% | -2.7% |
| 1988 | 44.7% | -2.3% |
| 1989 | 44.0% | -1.7% |
| 1990 | 43.7% | -0.6% |
| 1991 | 43.5% | -0.6% |
| 1992 | 43.0% | -1.0% |
| 1993 | 42.6% | -1.0% |
| 1994 | 42.0% | -1.4% |
| 1995 | 41.2% | -1.8% |
| 1996 | 40.3% | -2.2% |
| 1997 | 39.2% | -2.9% |
| 1998 | 38.0% | -2.9% |
| 1999 | 37.0% | -2.7% |
| 2000 | 35.9% | -3.1% |
| 2001 | 34.5% | -3.8% |
| 2002 | 32.9% | -4.6% |
| 2003 | 31.3% | -4.8% |
| 2004 | 29.8% | -4.8% |
| 2005 | 28.3% | -5.2% |
| 2006 | 27.1% | -4.2% |
| 2007 | 26.4% | -2.5% |
| 2008 | 25.9% | -1.8% |
| 2009 | 25.6% | -1.3% |
| 2010 | 25.4% | -0.9% |
| 2011 | 25.2% | -0.6% |
| 2012 | 25.2% | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 25.3% | +0.4% |
| 2014 | 25.5% | +0.6% |
| 2015 | 25.6% | +0.5% |
| 2016 | 25.7% | +0.5% |
| 2017 | 26.0% | +1.0% |
| 2018 | 26.1% | +0.6% |
| 2019 | 26.1% | -0.1% |
| 2020 | 25.9% | -0.8% |
| 2021 | 25.4% | -1.8% |
| 2022 | 24.8% | -2.5% |
| 2023 | 24.0% | -3.1% |
| 2024 | 23.1% | -3.8% |
| 2025 | 22.1% | -4.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 73.7% | 71.1% | 75.7% | 10 |
| 1970s | 70.9% | 63.6% | 73.5% | 10 |
| 1980s | 51.0% | 44.0% | 60.7% | 10 |
| 1990s | 41.1% | 37.0% | 43.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 29.8% | 25.6% | 35.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 25.6% | 25.2% | 26.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 24.2% | 22.1% | 25.9% | 6 |
Countries ranked near China
- 186 Isle of Man 22.3% compare
- 187 Germany 22.2% compare
- 188 Cuba 22.1% compare
- 190 Liechtenstein 22.1% compare
- 191 Turks and Caicos Islands 22.1% compare
- 192 Croatia 21.9% compare
More health data for China
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.15 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.0985 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 2,029 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 4,642 deaths (2100)
- Population ages 0-14, female, annual growth rate -3.74 % 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 0.072 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, male, annual growth rate -4.07 % 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 0.0821 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is age dependency ratio, young in China?
- Age dependency ratio, young in China was 22.1% in 2025, according to World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division.
- What is the highest age dependency ratio, young recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 75.7% in 1966.
- What is the lowest age dependency ratio, young recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 22.1% in 2025.
- How does China rank for age dependency ratio, young?
- China ranks 189th out of 217 countries with data for 2025.
- Is age dependency ratio, young rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is down 13.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this China 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.