Which has higher old-age dependency ratio, Switzerland or United Kingdom?

United Kingdom, at 30.3% against 30.0% in Switzerland as of 2023.

What is the difference in old-age dependency ratio between Switzerland and United Kingdom?

0.3%, with United Kingdom ahead.

How many years of comparable data are there for Switzerland and United Kingdom?

74 years are reported by both, from 1950 to 2023.

Where does this data come from?

UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as Old-age dependency ratio. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

Switzerland vs United Kingdom: Old-age dependency ratio

Switzerland

30.0%

in 2023

United Kingdom

30.3%

in 2023

Switzerland rank

41st

United Kingdom rank

38th

Old-age dependency ratio over time

Switzerland
United Kingdom

How they compare

United Kingdom currently reports 30.3% against 30.0% in Switzerland, a difference of 0.3%.

Across all 74 years both countries report, United Kingdom has been ahead every year.

Switzerland ranks 41st and United Kingdom ranks 38th of 236 countries.

United Kingdom has averaged higher in every one of the 8 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade	Switzerland	United Kingdom	Difference	Ahead
1950s	14.8%	17.1%	2.3%	United Kingdom
1960s	16.2%	19.0%	2.8%	United Kingdom
1970s	19.2%	22.3%	3.1%	United Kingdom
1980s	20.8%	23.4%	2.6%	United Kingdom
1990s	21.8%	24.6%	2.8%	United Kingdom
2000s	23.4%	24.3%	0.9%	United Kingdom
2010s	26.4%	27.1%	0.8%	United Kingdom
2020s	29.0%	29.7%	0.7%	United Kingdom

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher old-age dependency ratio, Switzerland or United Kingdom?: United Kingdom, at 30.3% against 30.0% in Switzerland as of 2023.
What is the difference in old-age dependency ratio between Switzerland and United Kingdom?: 0.3%, with United Kingdom ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Switzerland and United Kingdom?: 74 years are reported by both, from 1950 to 2023.
How do Switzerland and United Kingdom rank globally for old-age dependency ratio?: Switzerland ranks 41st and United Kingdom ranks 38th of 236 countries.
Where does this data come from?: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as Old-age dependency ratio. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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Switzerland vs United Kingdom: Old-age dependency ratio. Statizoid, drawing on UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 23 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/compare/age-dependency-ratio-old/switzerland/united-kingdom/

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About this data

Indicator: Old-age dependency ratio
Unit: %
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage: 236 places, 17,464 data points, 1950–2023
Last refreshed: 18 September 2026

Number of people aged 65 and over per 100 working-age people (aged 15 to 64).