Age dependency ratio in Canada
Canada: Age dependency ratio was 54.4% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Age dependency ratio in Canada, 1960–2025
Source: World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division. Measured in % of working-age population.
Analysis
Canada recorded 54.4% for age dependency ratio in 2025.
The figure is up 1.5% on the previous year and up 14.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, age dependency ratio in Canada peaked at 71.2% in 1962 and was at its lowest, 44.0%, in 2007.
Canada ranks 115th of 215 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 66 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 68.7% | 63.4% | 71.2% | 10 |
| 1970s | 54.2% | 48.2% | 61.5% | 10 |
| 1980s | 46.4% | 46.0% | 47.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | 47.5% | 46.9% | 47.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 44.9% | 44.0% | 46.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 47.2% | 44.2% | 50.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 52.8% | 51.2% | 54.4% | 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 in Canada?
- Age dependency ratio in Canada was 54.4% in 2025, according to World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division.
- What is the highest age dependency ratio recorded in Canada?
- The highest recorded value was 71.2% in 1962.
- What is the lowest age dependency ratio recorded in Canada?
- The lowest recorded value was 44.0% in 2007.
- How does Canada rank for age dependency ratio?
- Canada ranks 115th out of 215 countries with data for 2025.
- Is age dependency ratio rising or falling in Canada?
- Over the last ten years it is up 14.4%. 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 (% of working-age population). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Age dependency ratio is the ratio of dependents--people younger than 15 or 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.