Old-age dependency ratio in Hong Kong

Hong Kong: Old-age dependency ratio was 31.8% in 2023. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2023)
31.8%
Change on year
up 5.8%
World rank
30th
of 236 countries
All-time high
31.8%
in 2023
All-time low
3.5%
in 1953
Years of data
74
1950–2023

Old-age dependency ratio in Hong Kong, 1950–2023

0102030195019862023

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

Analysis

The most recent figure for old-age dependency ratio in Hong Kong is 31.8%, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 74 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 5.8% on the previous year and up 65.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, old-age dependency ratio in Hong Kong peaked at 31.8% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 3.5%, in 1953.

That places Hong Kong 30th out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1950s 3.8% 3.5% 4.5% 10
1960s 5.2% 4.2% 6.9% 10
1970s 8.2% 7.3% 9.1% 10
1980s 10.6% 9.4% 12.0% 10
1990s 13.8% 12.3% 15.2% 10
2000s 16.6% 15.4% 17.4% 10
2010s 20.9% 17.7% 25.3% 10
2020s 29.3% 26.8% 31.8% 4

Countries ranked near Hong Kong

  1. 27 Czechia 32.2% compare
  2. 28 Hungary 32.2% compare
  3. 29 Bermuda 32.0% compare
  4. 31 Belgium 31.7% compare
  5. 32 Spain 31.2% compare
  6. 33 Netherlands 31.1% compare

See the full ranking of 236 places →

More reference data data for Hong Kong

All data for Hong Kong →

Frequently asked questions

What is old-age dependency ratio in Hong Kong?
Old-age dependency ratio in Hong Kong was 31.8% 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 Hong Kong?
The highest recorded value was 31.8% in 2023.
What is the lowest old-age dependency ratio recorded in Hong Kong?
The lowest recorded value was 3.5% in 1953.
How does Hong Kong rank for old-age dependency ratio?
Hong Kong ranks 30th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
Is old-age dependency ratio rising or falling in Hong Kong?
Over the last ten years it is up 65.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Hong Kong 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

Indicator
Old-age dependency ratio
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

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