Age dependency breakdown in Australia
Australia: Age dependency breakdown was 26.9% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Age dependency breakdown in Australia, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2023, age dependency breakdown in Australia stood at 26.9%. That is the highest value across all 74 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.0% on the previous year and up 24.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, age dependency breakdown in Australia peaked at 26.9% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 12.5%, in 1950.
Australia ranks 54th of 236 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 74 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 13.2% | 12.5% | 13.9% | 10 |
| 1960s | 13.7% | 13.4% | 13.9% | 10 |
| 1970s | 13.7% | 13.2% | 14.5% | 10 |
| 1980s | 15.4% | 14.7% | 16.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | 17.6% | 16.5% | 18.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 19.0% | 18.4% | 19.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 22.2% | 20.1% | 24.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 26.0% | 25.1% | 26.9% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Australia
- 51 Slovakia 27.3% compare
- 52 Montenegro 27.2% compare
- 53 Gibraltar 27.0% compare
- 55 United States 26.8% compare
- 56 North Macedonia 26.7% compare
- 57 Niue 26.6% compare
More reference data data for Australia
- Spring temperature anomalies -0.4864 °C (2026)
- Summer temperature anomalies 0.8615 °C (2026)
- Temperature anomalies by month 1.13 °C (2026)
- Universal right to vote in practice 2 (2025)
- Autumn temperature anomalies 0.0026 °C (2025)
- Winter temperature anomalies 0.4713 °C (2025)
- Consumer price index 148.46 2010 = 100 (2025)
- Universal right to vote 2 (2025)
- Competitive elections 1 (2025)
- Men's universal right to vote 1 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is age dependency breakdown in Australia?
- Age dependency breakdown in Australia was 26.9% in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest age dependency breakdown recorded in Australia?
- The highest recorded value was 26.9% in 2023.
- What is the lowest age dependency breakdown recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was 12.5% in 1950.
- How does Australia rank for age dependency breakdown?
- Australia ranks 54th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is age dependency breakdown rising or falling in Australia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 24.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Australia data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Age dependency breakdown. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 74 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
The number of people aged 65 and over per 100 working-age people (aged 15 to 64).