Old-age dependency ratio in Norway
Norway: Old-age dependency ratio was 28.5% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Old-age dependency ratio in Norway, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Norway recorded 28.5% for old-age dependency ratio in 2023. That is the highest value across all 74 years on record.
That represents a change of up 1.0% on the previous year and up 19.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, old-age dependency ratio in Norway peaked at 28.5% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 14.4%, in 1950.
Norway ranks 46th of 236 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 74 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 15.8% | 14.4% | 17.2% | 10 |
| 1960s | 18.8% | 17.5% | 20.3% | 10 |
| 1970s | 21.8% | 20.5% | 23.2% | 10 |
| 1980s | 24.3% | 23.4% | 25.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 24.7% | 23.7% | 25.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 22.5% | 22.1% | 23.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 24.6% | 22.6% | 26.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 27.9% | 27.2% | 28.5% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Norway
- 43 Canada 29.6% compare
- 45 Faroe Islands 28.5% compare
- 47 Saint Martin (French part) 27.9% compare
- 48 Jersey 27.9% compare
- 49 Saint Barthelemy 27.6% compare
More reference data data for Norway
- Spring temperature anomalies 4.27 °C (2026)
- Summer temperature anomalies 1.74 °C (2026)
- Temperature anomalies by month -2.84 °C (2026)
- Universal right to vote in practice 2 (2025)
- Autumn temperature anomalies 2.11 °C (2025)
- Winter temperature anomalies 3.43 °C (2025)
- Consumer price index 149.54 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 Norway?
- Old-age dependency ratio in Norway was 28.5% 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 Norway?
- The highest recorded value was 28.5% in 2023.
- What is the lowest old-age dependency ratio recorded in Norway?
- The lowest recorded value was 14.4% in 1950.
- How does Norway rank for old-age dependency ratio?
- Norway ranks 46th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is old-age dependency ratio rising or falling in Norway?
- Over the last ten years it is up 19.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Norway 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).