Old-age dependency ratio in Ireland
Ireland: Old-age dependency ratio was 23.7% in 2023. ▬ Flat
Old-age dependency ratio in Ireland, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2023, old-age dependency ratio in Ireland stood at 23.7%. That is the highest value across all 74 years on record.
That represents a change of up 2.4% on the previous year and up 26.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, old-age dependency ratio in Ireland peaked at 23.7% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 15.6%, in 2007.
Ireland ranks 70th of 236 regions on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 18.4% | 17.8% | 19.1% | 10 |
| 1960s | 19.4% | 19.3% | 19.5% | 10 |
| 1970s | 18.7% | 18.3% | 19.3% | 10 |
| 1980s | 18.2% | 18.0% | 18.6% | 10 |
| 1990s | 17.8% | 16.9% | 18.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 16.2% | 15.6% | 16.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 19.5% | 16.8% | 21.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 23.0% | 22.3% | 23.7% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Ireland
More reference data data for Ireland
- Spring temperature anomalies 1.01 °C (2026)
- Summer temperature anomalies 1.31 °C (2026)
- Temperature anomalies by month -0.6528 °C (2026)
- Universal right to vote in practice 2 (2025)
- Autumn temperature anomalies -0.5528 °C (2025)
- Winter temperature anomalies 0.8957 °C (2025)
- Consumer price index 130.04 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 Ireland?
- Old-age dependency ratio in Ireland was 23.7% 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 Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 23.7% in 2023.
- What is the lowest old-age dependency ratio recorded in Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 15.6% in 2007.
- How does Ireland rank for old-age dependency ratio?
- Ireland ranks 70th out of 236 regions with data for 2023.
- Is old-age dependency ratio rising or falling in Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 26.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Ireland 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).