Old-age dependency ratio in Germany
Germany: Old-age dependency ratio was 36.0% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Old-age dependency ratio in Germany, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2023, old-age dependency ratio in Germany stood at 36.0%. 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 14.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, old-age dependency ratio in Germany peaked at 36.0% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 13.4%, in 1950.
That places Germany 15th 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 | 15.0% | 13.4% | 16.7% | 10 |
| 1960s | 19.2% | 17.1% | 21.2% | 10 |
| 1970s | 23.0% | 21.6% | 23.9% | 10 |
| 1980s | 21.7% | 20.9% | 23.6% | 10 |
| 1990s | 22.4% | 21.5% | 23.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 27.8% | 24.2% | 31.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 32.0% | 31.1% | 33.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 34.9% | 33.9% | 36.0% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Germany
More reference data data for Germany
- Spring temperature anomalies 1.53 °C (2026)
- Summer temperature anomalies 3.04 °C (2026)
- Temperature anomalies by month -1.82 °C (2026)
- Universal right to vote in practice 2 (2025)
- Autumn temperature anomalies 0.6168 °C (2025)
- Winter temperature anomalies 1.25 °C (2025)
- Consumer price index 137.8 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 Germany?
- Old-age dependency ratio in Germany was 36.0% 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 Germany?
- The highest recorded value was 36.0% in 2023.
- What is the lowest old-age dependency ratio recorded in Germany?
- The lowest recorded value was 13.4% in 1950.
- How does Germany rank for old-age dependency ratio?
- Germany ranks 15th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is old-age dependency ratio rising or falling in Germany?
- Over the last ten years it is up 14.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Germany 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.
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).