Old-age dependency ratio in Switzerland
Switzerland: Old-age dependency ratio was 30.0% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Old-age dependency ratio in Switzerland, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2023, old-age dependency ratio in Switzerland stood at 30.0%. That is the highest value across all 74 years on record.
That represents a change of up 2.6% on the previous year and up 15.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, old-age dependency ratio in Switzerland peaked at 30.0% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 14.2%, in 1950.
Switzerland ranks 41st 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 | 14.8% | 14.2% | 15.4% | 10 |
| 1960s | 16.2% | 15.6% | 17.1% | 10 |
| 1970s | 19.2% | 17.5% | 20.8% | 10 |
| 1980s | 20.8% | 20.5% | 21.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | 21.8% | 21.3% | 22.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 23.4% | 22.8% | 24.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 26.4% | 24.7% | 28.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 29.0% | 28.3% | 30.0% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Switzerland
- 38 United Kingdom 30.3% compare
- 39 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 30.1% compare
- 40 Montserrat 30.0% compare
- 42 Poland 29.9% compare
- 43 Canada 29.6% compare
More reference data data for Switzerland
- Spring temperature anomalies 0.468 °C (2026)
- Summer temperature anomalies 3.26 °C (2026)
- Temperature anomalies by month -0.0171 °C (2026)
- Universal right to vote in practice 2 (2025)
- Autumn temperature anomalies 0.4612 °C (2025)
- Winter temperature anomalies 2.37 °C (2025)
- Consumer price index 105.67 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 Switzerland?
- Old-age dependency ratio in Switzerland was 30.0% 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 Switzerland?
- The highest recorded value was 30.0% in 2023.
- What is the lowest old-age dependency ratio recorded in Switzerland?
- The lowest recorded value was 14.2% in 1950.
- How does Switzerland rank for old-age dependency ratio?
- Switzerland ranks 41st out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is old-age dependency ratio rising or falling in Switzerland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 15.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Switzerland 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).