Total dependency ratio in Australia
Australia: Total dependency ratio was 54.8% in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
54.8%
Change on year
up 0.5%
World rank
119th
of 236 countries
All-time high
63.2%
in 1961
All-time low
48.1%
in 2008
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Total dependency ratio in Australia, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for total dependency ratio in Australia is 54.8%, measured in 2023.
The figure is up 0.5% on the previous year and up 9.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, total dependency ratio in Australia peaked at 63.2% in 1961 and was at its lowest, 48.1%, in 2008.
That places Australia 119th out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 74 years of available data.
Total dependency ratio in Australia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 53.3% | — |
| 1951 | 54.5% | +2.3% |
| 1952 | 55.8% | +2.3% |
| 1953 | 57.1% | +2.5% |
| 1954 | 58.5% | +2.4% |
| 1955 | 59.8% | +2.1% |
| 1956 | 60.8% | +1.7% |
| 1957 | 61.7% | +1.5% |
| 1958 | 62.5% | +1.3% |
| 1959 | 63.0% | +0.8% |
| 1960 | 63.2% | +0.4% |
| 1961 | 63.2% | +0.0% |
| 1962 | 62.9% | -0.5% |
| 1963 | 62.5% | -0.6% |
| 1964 | 62.1% | -0.6% |
| 1965 | 61.7% | -0.7% |
| 1966 | 61.2% | -0.8% |
| 1967 | 60.6% | -1.0% |
| 1968 | 60.0% | -1.0% |
| 1969 | 59.5% | -0.8% |
| 1970 | 59.1% | -0.6% |
| 1971 | 58.8% | -0.6% |
| 1972 | 58.4% | -0.6% |
| 1973 | 58.0% | -0.8% |
| 1974 | 57.4% | -1.1% |
| 1975 | 56.7% | -1.2% |
| 1976 | 56.0% | -1.3% |
| 1977 | 55.2% | -1.3% |
| 1978 | 54.5% | -1.2% |
| 1979 | 54.0% | -1.1% |
| 1980 | 53.5% | -0.8% |
| 1981 | 53.1% | -0.7% |
| 1982 | 52.7% | -0.8% |
| 1983 | 52.2% | -0.9% |
| 1984 | 51.6% | -1.1% |
| 1985 | 51.1% | -1.1% |
| 1986 | 50.5% | -1.1% |
| 1987 | 50.0% | -1.0% |
| 1988 | 49.7% | -0.7% |
| 1989 | 49.5% | -0.4% |
| 1990 | 49.5% | -0.0% |
| 1991 | 49.6% | +0.3% |
| 1992 | 49.8% | +0.4% |
| 1993 | 50.0% | +0.3% |
| 1994 | 50.1% | +0.2% |
| 1995 | 50.1% | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 50.0% | -0.1% |
| 1997 | 49.9% | -0.2% |
| 1998 | 49.8% | -0.3% |
| 1999 | 49.6% | -0.3% |
| 2000 | 49.4% | -0.4% |
| 2001 | 49.3% | -0.4% |
| 2002 | 49.1% | -0.4% |
| 2003 | 48.8% | -0.5% |
| 2004 | 48.6% | -0.4% |
| 2005 | 48.5% | -0.4% |
| 2006 | 48.3% | -0.3% |
| 2007 | 48.2% | -0.2% |
| 2008 | 48.1% | -0.2% |
| 2009 | 48.1% | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 48.3% | +0.4% |
| 2011 | 48.8% | +0.8% |
| 2012 | 49.3% | +1.1% |
| 2013 | 49.9% | +1.2% |
| 2014 | 50.5% | +1.1% |
| 2015 | 51.0% | +1.1% |
| 2016 | 51.6% | +1.1% |
| 2017 | 52.0% | +0.8% |
| 2018 | 52.4% | +0.8% |
| 2019 | 52.9% | +0.9% |
| 2020 | 53.6% | +1.3% |
| 2021 | 54.2% | +1.2% |
| 2022 | 54.6% | +0.6% |
| 2023 | 54.8% | +0.5% |
Australia compared with similar countries
- Australia's 54.8% is above the median for high income countries, which is 52.7%, 1.0× the median. (85 countries reporting)
- Australia's 54.8% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 54.0%, 1.0× the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 58.7% | 53.3% | 63.0% | 10 |
| 1960s | 61.7% | 59.5% | 63.2% | 10 |
| 1970s | 56.8% | 54.0% | 59.1% | 10 |
| 1980s | 51.4% | 49.5% | 53.5% | 10 |
| 1990s | 49.8% | 49.5% | 50.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 48.6% | 48.1% | 49.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 50.7% | 48.3% | 52.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 54.3% | 53.6% | 54.8% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Australia
More reference data data for Australia
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.21 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 28.02 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 38.41 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 2.55 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 38.41 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 4.07 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 6.14 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 118.71 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 170.29 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 13.9 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is total dependency ratio in Australia?
- Total dependency ratio in Australia was 54.8% in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest total dependency ratio recorded in Australia?
- The highest recorded value was 63.2% in 1961.
- What is the lowest total dependency ratio recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was 48.1% in 2008.
- How does Australia rank for total dependency ratio?
- Australia ranks 119th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is total dependency ratio rising or falling in Australia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 9.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Australia data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Total dependency ratio. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Number of children (under 15) and people aged 65 and over per 100 working-age people (aged 15 to 64).