Old-age dependency ratio in Singapore
Singapore: Old-age dependency ratio was 17.4% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
17.4%
Change on year
up 3.4%
World rank
93rd
of 236 countries
All-time high
17.4%
in 2023
All-time low
3.7%
in 1954
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Old-age dependency ratio in Singapore, 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 Singapore is 17.4%, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 74 years on record.
The figure is up 3.4% on the previous year and up 68.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, old-age dependency ratio in Singapore peaked at 17.4% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 3.7%, in 1954.
That places Singapore 93rd out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 74 years of available data.
Old-age dependency ratio in Singapore, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 4.1% | — |
| 1951 | 4.0% | -3.9% |
| 1952 | 3.8% | -3.2% |
| 1953 | 3.7% | -2.4% |
| 1954 | 3.7% | -1.2% |
| 1955 | 3.7% | +0.5% |
| 1956 | 3.8% | +2.5% |
| 1957 | 4.0% | +3.8% |
| 1958 | 4.1% | +4.0% |
| 1959 | 4.3% | +3.9% |
| 1960 | 4.4% | +3.8% |
| 1961 | 4.6% | +3.4% |
| 1962 | 4.7% | +3.0% |
| 1963 | 4.9% | +2.8% |
| 1964 | 5.0% | +2.8% |
| 1965 | 5.1% | +2.7% |
| 1966 | 5.3% | +2.6% |
| 1967 | 5.4% | +2.5% |
| 1968 | 5.5% | +2.4% |
| 1969 | 5.7% | +2.3% |
| 1970 | 5.8% | +2.0% |
| 1971 | 5.9% | +1.7% |
| 1972 | 6.0% | +1.7% |
| 1973 | 6.1% | +1.8% |
| 1974 | 6.2% | +1.9% |
| 1975 | 6.3% | +2.1% |
| 1976 | 6.5% | +2.2% |
| 1977 | 6.6% | +2.2% |
| 1978 | 6.7% | +1.9% |
| 1979 | 6.8% | +1.4% |
| 1980 | 6.9% | +0.4% |
| 1981 | 6.8% | -0.9% |
| 1982 | 6.8% | -0.4% |
| 1983 | 6.8% | +1.1% |
| 1984 | 7.0% | +2.1% |
| 1985 | 7.2% | +2.9% |
| 1986 | 7.4% | +2.9% |
| 1987 | 7.5% | +2.1% |
| 1988 | 7.6% | +1.2% |
| 1989 | 7.7% | +0.5% |
| 1990 | 7.7% | -0.1% |
| 1991 | 7.7% | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 7.7% | +0.8% |
| 1993 | 7.8% | +1.2% |
| 1994 | 7.9% | +0.9% |
| 1995 | 7.9% | +0.2% |
| 1996 | 7.9% | -0.5% |
| 1997 | 7.8% | -0.4% |
| 1998 | 7.9% | +1.0% |
| 1999 | 8.1% | +2.7% |
| 2000 | 8.3% | +2.5% |
| 2001 | 8.5% | +1.5% |
| 2002 | 8.6% | +1.4% |
| 2003 | 8.8% | +2.1% |
| 2004 | 9.0% | +3.1% |
| 2005 | 9.3% | +2.9% |
| 2006 | 9.4% | +1.3% |
| 2007 | 9.3% | -1.0% |
| 2008 | 9.2% | -1.2% |
| 2009 | 9.3% | +0.5% |
| 2010 | 9.3% | +0.8% |
| 2011 | 9.5% | +1.7% |
| 2012 | 9.9% | +3.9% |
| 2013 | 10.4% | +5.1% |
| 2014 | 10.9% | +5.3% |
| 2015 | 11.5% | +5.2% |
| 2016 | 12.1% | +5.4% |
| 2017 | 12.8% | +6.0% |
| 2018 | 13.6% | +5.8% |
| 2019 | 14.3% | +5.2% |
| 2020 | 15.2% | +6.3% |
| 2021 | 16.2% | +6.7% |
| 2022 | 16.8% | +3.9% |
| 2023 | 17.4% | +3.4% |
Singapore compared with similar countries
- Singapore's 17.4% is below the median for high income countries, which is 25.9%, 67% of the median. (85 countries reporting)
- Singapore's 17.4% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 10.6%, 1.6× the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 3.9% | 3.7% | 4.3% | 10 |
| 1960s | 5.1% | 4.4% | 5.7% | 10 |
| 1970s | 6.3% | 5.8% | 6.8% | 10 |
| 1980s | 7.2% | 6.8% | 7.7% | 10 |
| 1990s | 7.8% | 7.7% | 8.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 9.0% | 8.3% | 9.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 11.4% | 9.3% | 14.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 16.4% | 15.2% | 17.4% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Singapore
More reference data data for Singapore
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.008 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.0066 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 0.0618 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 0.0618 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.0269 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.0096 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.0378 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 0.2664 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Burning - Crop residues 0 (1992)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 0.2567 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is old-age dependency ratio in Singapore?
- Old-age dependency ratio in Singapore was 17.4% 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 Singapore?
- The highest recorded value was 17.4% in 2023.
- What is the lowest old-age dependency ratio recorded in Singapore?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.7% in 1954.
- How does Singapore rank for old-age dependency ratio?
- Singapore ranks 93rd out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is old-age dependency ratio rising or falling in Singapore?
- Over the last ten years it is up 68.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Singapore 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.
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About this data
Number of people aged 65 and over per 100 working-age people (aged 15 to 64).