Age dependency ratio, old in North America
North America: Age dependency ratio, old was 28.8% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Age dependency ratio, old in North America, 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 North America is 28.8%, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 66 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.9% on the previous year and up 32.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, age dependency ratio, old in North America peaked at 28.8% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 14.6%, in 1960.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 66 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 15.1% | 14.6% | 15.4% | 10 |
| 1970s | 15.7% | 15.5% | 16.2% | 10 |
| 1980s | 17.2% | 16.4% | 18.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 18.6% | 18.4% | 18.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 18.3% | 18.1% | 18.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 21.5% | 19.2% | 24.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 26.7% | 24.8% | 28.8% | 6 |
More health data for North America
- Population ages 0-14, male 17.2% (2025)
- Population ages 65 and above, male 17.0% (2025)
- Population ages 65 and above, male 32.78 million (2025)
- Population ages 15-64, female 63.3% (2025)
- Population ages 15-64, female 121.01 million (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, total 64.69 million (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, female 31.52 million (2025)
- Population ages 65 and above, female 38.52 million (2025)
- Population ages 65 and above, female 20.2% (2025)
- Population ages 15-64, total 247.51 million (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is age dependency ratio, old in North America?
- Age dependency ratio, old in North America was 28.8% in 2025, according to World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division.
- What is the highest age dependency ratio, old recorded in North America?
- The highest recorded value was 28.8% in 2025.
- What is the lowest age dependency ratio, old recorded in North America?
- The lowest recorded value was 14.6% in 1960.
- Is age dependency ratio, old rising or falling in North America?
- Over the last ten years it is up 32.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this North America 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.