Age dependency ratio, old in Canada
Canada: Age dependency ratio, old was 31.3% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Age dependency ratio, old 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, old in Canada is 31.3%, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 66 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.8% on the previous year and up 32.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, age dependency ratio, old in Canada peaked at 31.3% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 12.7%, in 1971.
That places Canada 36th out of 215 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 66 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 13.0% | 12.8% | 13.1% | 10 |
| 1970s | 13.0% | 12.7% | 13.6% | 10 |
| 1980s | 14.9% | 13.8% | 16.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 17.5% | 16.5% | 18.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 18.9% | 18.4% | 20.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 23.3% | 20.4% | 26.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 29.3% | 27.2% | 31.3% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Canada
More health data for Canada
- Age population, age 13, male, interpolated 216,465 (2025)
- Age population, age 15, female, interpolated 211,687 (2025)
- Age population, age 14, male, interpolated 217,399 (2025)
- Population ages 65 and above 20.3% (2025)
- Population ages 65 and above, total 8.44 million (2025)
- Population ages 65 and above, male 18.9% (2025)
- Age population, age 12, female, interpolated 206,439 (2025)
- Population ages 65 and above, male 3.90 million (2025)
- Age population, age 11, male, interpolated 214,769 (2025)
- Age population, age 15, male, interpolated 220,012 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is age dependency ratio, old in Canada?
- Age dependency ratio, old in Canada was 31.3% in 2025, according to World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division.
- What is the highest age dependency ratio, old recorded in Canada?
- The highest recorded value was 31.3% in 2025.
- What is the lowest age dependency ratio, old recorded in Canada?
- The lowest recorded value was 12.7% in 1971.
- How does Canada rank for age dependency ratio, old?
- Canada ranks 36th out of 215 countries with data for 2025.
- Is age dependency ratio, old rising or falling in Canada?
- Over the last ten years it is up 32.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- 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, old (% of working-age population). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Age dependency ratio, old, is the ratio of older dependents--people 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.