Age dependency breakdown in Canada
Canada: Age dependency breakdown was 29.6% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Age dependency breakdown in Canada, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for age dependency breakdown in Canada is 29.6%, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 74 years on record.
The figure is up 2.5% on the previous year and up 33.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, age dependency breakdown in Canada peaked at 29.6% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 12.3%, in 1950.
That places Canada 43rd out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it 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 | 12.8% | 12.3% | 12.9% | 10 |
| 1960s | 13.0% | 12.8% | 13.1% | 10 |
| 1970s | 13.0% | 12.7% | 13.6% | 10 |
| 1980s | 14.9% | 13.8% | 16.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 17.5% | 16.5% | 18.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 18.9% | 18.4% | 19.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 23.3% | 20.3% | 26.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 28.4% | 27.2% | 29.6% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Canada
- 40 Montserrat 30.0% compare
- 41 Switzerland 30.0% compare
- 42 Poland 29.9% compare
- 45 Faroe Islands 28.5% compare
- 46 Norway 28.5% compare
More reference data data for Canada
- Spring temperature anomalies -4.58 °C (2026)
- Summer temperature anomalies 1.7 °C (2026)
- Temperature anomalies by month 2.12 °C (2026)
- Universal right to vote in practice 2 (2025)
- Autumn temperature anomalies 2.47 °C (2025)
- Winter temperature anomalies -2.57 °C (2025)
- Consumer price index 140.97 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 Canada?
- Age dependency breakdown in Canada was 29.6% in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest age dependency breakdown recorded in Canada?
- The highest recorded value was 29.6% in 2023.
- What is the lowest age dependency breakdown recorded in Canada?
- The lowest recorded value was 12.3% in 1950.
- How does Canada rank for age dependency breakdown?
- Canada ranks 43rd out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is age dependency breakdown rising or falling in Canada?
- Over the last ten years it is up 33.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Canada 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).