Old-age dependency ratio in Iceland
Iceland: Old-age dependency ratio was 23.0% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Old-age dependency ratio in Iceland, 1950–2023
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 Iceland is 23.0%, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 74 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.4% on the previous year and up 17.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, old-age dependency ratio in Iceland peaked at 23.0% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 12.2%, in 1950.
Iceland ranks 73rd of 236 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 74 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 12.9% | 12.2% | 13.9% | 10 |
| 1960s | 14.6% | 14.1% | 14.9% | 10 |
| 1970s | 15.2% | 15.0% | 15.7% | 10 |
| 1980s | 16.0% | 15.7% | 16.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | 17.3% | 16.5% | 17.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 17.6% | 17.1% | 17.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 20.1% | 18.1% | 21.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 22.5% | 21.8% | 23.0% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Iceland
More reference data data for Iceland
- Spring temperature anomalies -0.5453 °C (2026)
- Summer temperature anomalies 0.1076 °C (2026)
- Temperature anomalies by month -0.09 °C (2026)
- Universal right to vote in practice 2 (2025)
- Autumn temperature anomalies 0.653 °C (2025)
- Winter temperature anomalies 3.5 °C (2025)
- Consumer price index 179.82 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 Iceland?
- Old-age dependency ratio in Iceland was 23.0% 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 Iceland?
- The highest recorded value was 23.0% in 2023.
- What is the lowest old-age dependency ratio recorded in Iceland?
- The lowest recorded value was 12.2% in 1950.
- How does Iceland rank for old-age dependency ratio?
- Iceland ranks 73rd out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is old-age dependency ratio rising or falling in Iceland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 17.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Iceland 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).