Age dependency ratio in China
China: Age dependency ratio was 43.5% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Age dependency ratio in China, 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 in China is 43.5%, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of down 1.7% on the previous year and up 9.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, age dependency ratio in China peaked at 82.3% in 1966 and was at its lowest, 37.2%, in 2010.
China ranks 189th of 215 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 66 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 80.4% | 77.9% | 82.3% | 10 |
| 1970s | 77.9% | 71.0% | 80.2% | 10 |
| 1980s | 58.6% | 51.9% | 68.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | 50.1% | 47.0% | 51.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 40.7% | 37.3% | 46.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 39.7% | 37.2% | 43.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 44.3% | 43.5% | 44.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near China
- 186 Trinidad and Tobago 43.7% compare
- 187 French Polynesia 43.7% compare
- 188 Azerbaijan 43.6% compare
- 190 Colombia 43.3% compare
- 191 Saint Kitts and Nevis 43.0% compare
- 192 Antigua and Barbuda 42.5% compare
More health data for China
- Age population, age 08, male, interpolated 9.62 million (2025)
- Age population, age 11, male, interpolated 9.79 million (2025)
- Age population, age 11, female, interpolated 8.47 million (2025)
- Age population, age 10, male, interpolated 9.57 million (2025)
- Age population, age 09, male, interpolated 9.45 million (2025)
- Age population, age 09, female, interpolated 8.24 million (2025)
- Age population, age 07, female, interpolated 7.79 million (2025)
- Age population, age 06, female, interpolated 6.93 million (2025)
- Age population, age 06, male, interpolated 7.89 million (2025)
- Age population, age 12, female, interpolated 8.55 million (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is age dependency ratio in China?
- Age dependency ratio in China was 43.5% in 2025, according to World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division.
- What is the highest age dependency ratio recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 82.3% in 1966.
- What is the lowest age dependency ratio recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 37.2% in 2010.
- How does China rank for age dependency ratio?
- China ranks 189th out of 215 countries with data for 2025.
- Is age dependency ratio rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 9.8%. 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 (% 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.