Age dependency ratio, young in European Union
European Union: Age dependency ratio, young was 22.4% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Age dependency ratio, young in European Union, 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 European Union is 22.4%, measured in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 66 years on record.
The figure is down 1.1% on the previous year and down 3.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, age dependency ratio, young in European Union peaked at 40.4% in 1961 and was at its lowest, 22.4%, in 2025.
European Union ranks 46th of 47 groups 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 European Union, year by year
| Year | % of working-age population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 40.2% | — |
| 1961 | 40.4% | +0.3% |
| 1962 | 40.2% | -0.4% |
| 1963 | 40.0% | -0.5% |
| 1964 | 39.8% | -0.4% |
| 1965 | 39.6% | -0.5% |
| 1966 | 39.5% | -0.4% |
| 1967 | 39.4% | -0.3% |
| 1968 | 39.3% | -0.3% |
| 1969 | 39.1% | -0.5% |
| 1970 | 38.8% | -0.7% |
| 1971 | 38.5% | -0.7% |
| 1972 | 38.2% | -0.8% |
| 1973 | 37.8% | -0.9% |
| 1974 | 37.5% | -0.9% |
| 1975 | 37.1% | -0.9% |
| 1976 | 36.7% | -1.0% |
| 1977 | 36.3% | -1.1% |
| 1978 | 35.8% | -1.3% |
| 1979 | 35.3% | -1.6% |
| 1980 | 34.6% | -1.7% |
| 1981 | 34.0% | -1.9% |
| 1982 | 33.2% | -2.2% |
| 1983 | 32.4% | -2.4% |
| 1984 | 31.7% | -2.3% |
| 1985 | 31.1% | -1.8% |
| 1986 | 30.6% | -1.6% |
| 1987 | 30.1% | -1.6% |
| 1988 | 29.7% | -1.4% |
| 1989 | 29.3% | -1.3% |
| 1990 | 28.9% | -1.4% |
| 1991 | 28.5% | -1.5% |
| 1992 | 28.0% | -1.5% |
| 1993 | 27.7% | -1.3% |
| 1994 | 27.3% | -1.4% |
| 1995 | 26.9% | -1.5% |
| 1996 | 26.5% | -1.6% |
| 1997 | 26.1% | -1.4% |
| 1998 | 25.7% | -1.4% |
| 1999 | 25.4% | -1.3% |
| 2000 | 25.1% | -1.2% |
| 2001 | 24.8% | -1.3% |
| 2002 | 24.5% | -1.3% |
| 2003 | 24.2% | -1.3% |
| 2004 | 23.8% | -1.3% |
| 2005 | 23.6% | -1.2% |
| 2006 | 23.3% | -1.0% |
| 2007 | 23.1% | -0.8% |
| 2008 | 23.0% | -0.4% |
| 2009 | 23.0% | -0.0% |
| 2010 | 23.1% | +0.1% |
| 2011 | 23.1% | +0.2% |
| 2012 | 23.1% | +0.1% |
| 2013 | 23.2% | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 23.2% | +0.1% |
| 2015 | 23.2% | +0.2% |
| 2016 | 23.3% | +0.2% |
| 2017 | 23.3% | +0.3% |
| 2018 | 23.4% | +0.2% |
| 2019 | 23.4% | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 23.4% | -0.1% |
| 2021 | 23.3% | -0.3% |
| 2022 | 23.2% | -0.6% |
| 2023 | 22.9% | -1.0% |
| 2024 | 22.7% | -1.1% |
| 2025 | 22.4% | -1.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 39.8% | 39.1% | 40.4% | 10 |
| 1970s | 37.2% | 35.3% | 38.8% | 10 |
| 1980s | 31.7% | 29.3% | 34.6% | 10 |
| 1990s | 27.1% | 25.4% | 28.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 23.8% | 23.0% | 25.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 23.2% | 23.1% | 23.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 23.0% | 22.4% | 23.4% | 6 |
Countries ranked near European Union
More health data for European Union
- Population ages 60-64, male, annual growth rate 1.6 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 55-59, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 55-59, female, per capita 0.0364 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 55-59, male, annual growth rate 0.0863 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 55-59, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 55-59, male, per capita 0.0355 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 60-64, female, annual growth rate 1.19 % 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 0.0353 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 65-69, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is age dependency ratio, young in European Union?
- Age dependency ratio, young in European Union was 22.4% in 2025, according to World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division.
- What is the highest age dependency ratio, young recorded in European Union?
- The highest recorded value was 40.4% in 1961.
- What is the lowest age dependency ratio, young recorded in European Union?
- The lowest recorded value was 22.4% in 2025.
- How does European Union rank for age dependency ratio, young?
- European Union ranks 46th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is age dependency ratio, young rising or falling in European Union?
- Over the last ten years it is down 3.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this European Union 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.