Age dependency breakdown in Denmark

Denmark: Age dependency breakdown was 32.4% in 2023. ▲ Rising

Latest (2023)
32.4%
Change on year
up 1.0%
World rank
26th
of 236 countries
All-time high
32.4%
in 2023
All-time low
14.0%
in 1950
Years of data
74
1950–2023

Age dependency breakdown in Denmark, 1950–2023

0102030195019862023

Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.

Analysis

Denmark recorded 32.4% for age dependency breakdown in 2023. That is the highest value across all 74 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.0% on the previous year and up 16.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, age dependency breakdown in Denmark peaked at 32.4% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 14.0%, in 1950.

That places Denmark 26th 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.

Age dependency breakdown in Denmark, year by year

Annual values for Age dependency breakdown in Denmark, 1950 to 2023.
Year % Change
1950 14.0%
1951 14.3% +2.2%
1952 14.5% +2.0%
1953 14.8% +1.8%
1954 15.1% +1.7%
1955 15.3% +1.8%
1956 15.6% +2.0%
1957 15.9% +1.7%
1958 16.1% +1.3%
1959 16.3% +1.2%
1960 16.5% +1.2%
1961 16.7% +1.3%
1962 16.9% +1.1%
1963 17.1% +1.2%
1964 17.3% +1.4%
1965 17.6% +1.4%
1966 17.8% +1.4%
1967 18.1% +1.6%
1968 18.4% +1.8%
1969 18.8% +1.8%
1970 19.0% +1.5%
1971 19.4% +1.7%
1972 19.7% +1.8%
1973 20.1% +1.8%
1974 20.5% +2.0%
1975 20.9% +2.2%
1976 21.3% +1.8%
1977 21.6% +1.6%
1978 21.9% +1.4%
1979 22.1% +1.0%
1980 22.3% +0.5%
1981 22.3% +0.2%
1982 22.4% +0.3%
1983 22.5% +0.5%
1984 22.5% +0.4%
1985 22.7% +0.7%
1986 22.9% +0.9%
1987 23.0% +0.4%
1988 23.1% +0.3%
1989 23.1% +0.3%
1990 23.1% -0.0%
1991 23.1% -0.2%
1992 23.0% -0.3%
1993 22.9% -0.5%
1994 22.8% -0.6%
1995 22.6% -0.8%
1996 22.4% -0.8%
1997 22.3% -0.5%
1998 22.2% -0.3%
1999 22.2% -0.2%
2000 22.2% -0.0%
2001 22.2% +0.1%
2002 22.3% +0.3%
2003 22.4% +0.5%
2004 22.6% +0.8%
2005 22.8% +1.0%
2006 23.1% +1.1%
2007 23.4% +1.5%
2008 23.9% +2.0%
2009 24.5% +2.6%
2010 25.3% +3.2%
2011 26.2% +3.6%
2012 27.1% +3.6%
2013 27.9% +2.9%
2014 28.5% +2.2%
2015 29.0% +1.7%
2016 29.4% +1.4%
2017 29.9% +1.5%
2018 30.3% +1.6%
2019 30.8% +1.6%
2020 31.4% +1.7%
2021 31.8% +1.4%
2022 32.1% +0.8%
2023 32.4% +1.0%

Denmark compared with similar countries

  • Denmark's 32.4% is above the median for high income countries, which is 25.9%, 1.3× the median. (85 countries reporting)
  • Denmark's 32.4% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 30.1%, 1.1× the median. (56 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1950s 15.2% 14.0% 16.3% 10
1960s 17.5% 16.5% 18.8% 10
1970s 20.7% 19.0% 22.1% 10
1980s 22.7% 22.3% 23.1% 10
1990s 22.7% 22.2% 23.1% 10
2000s 22.9% 22.2% 24.5% 10
2010s 28.5% 25.3% 30.8% 10
2020s 31.9% 31.4% 32.4% 4

Countries ranked near Denmark

  1. 23 San Marino 33.1% compare
  2. 24 Sweden 33.0% compare
  3. 25 Guernsey 33.0% compare
  4. 27 Czechia 32.2% compare
  5. 28 Hungary 32.2% compare
  6. 29 Bermuda 32.0% compare

See the full ranking of 236 places →

More reference data data for Denmark

All data for Denmark →

Frequently asked questions

What is age dependency breakdown in Denmark?
Age dependency breakdown in Denmark was 32.4% in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest age dependency breakdown recorded in Denmark?
The highest recorded value was 32.4% in 2023.
What is the lowest age dependency breakdown recorded in Denmark?
The lowest recorded value was 14.0% in 1950.
How does Denmark rank for age dependency breakdown?
Denmark ranks 26th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
Is age dependency breakdown rising or falling in Denmark?
Over the last ten years it is up 16.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Denmark 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.

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Age dependency breakdown in Denmark. Statizoid, drawing on UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 22 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/age-dependency-breakdown/denmark/

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About this data

Indicator
Age dependency breakdown
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

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