Old-age dependency ratio in Bulgaria
Bulgaria: Old-age dependency ratio was 34.3% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Old-age dependency ratio in Bulgaria, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2023, old-age dependency ratio in Bulgaria stood at 34.3%. That is the highest value across all 74 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.8% on the previous year and up 18.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, old-age dependency ratio in Bulgaria peaked at 34.3% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 9.5%, in 1950.
That places Bulgaria 18th out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 74 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 10.4% | 9.5% | 11.0% | 10 |
| 1960s | 12.4% | 11.2% | 13.8% | 10 |
| 1970s | 16.0% | 14.2% | 17.5% | 10 |
| 1980s | 17.7% | 16.6% | 19.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 22.2% | 19.8% | 24.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 25.2% | 24.5% | 26.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 30.1% | 26.5% | 33.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 34.1% | 33.9% | 34.3% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Bulgaria
More reference data data for Bulgaria
- Spring temperature anomalies 0.2116 °C (2026)
- Summer temperature anomalies 1.08 °C (2026)
- Temperature anomalies by month 1.39 °C (2026)
- Universal right to vote in practice 2 (2025)
- Autumn temperature anomalies 1.44 °C (2025)
- Winter temperature anomalies 1.98 °C (2025)
- Consumer price index 162.5 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 old-age dependency ratio in Bulgaria?
- Old-age dependency ratio in Bulgaria was 34.3% in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest old-age dependency ratio recorded in Bulgaria?
- The highest recorded value was 34.3% in 2023.
- What is the lowest old-age dependency ratio recorded in Bulgaria?
- The lowest recorded value was 9.5% in 1950.
- How does Bulgaria rank for old-age dependency ratio?
- Bulgaria ranks 18th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is old-age dependency ratio rising or falling in Bulgaria?
- Over the last ten years it is up 18.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Bulgaria data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Old-age dependency ratio. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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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).