Total dependency ratio in New Zealand
New Zealand: Total dependency ratio was 54.2% in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
54.2%
Change on year
up 0.4%
World rank
125th
of 236 countries
All-time high
71.1%
in 1961
All-time low
50.4%
in 2006
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Total dependency ratio in New Zealand, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
New Zealand recorded 54.2% for total dependency ratio in 2023.
The figure is up 0.4% on the previous year and up 2.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, total dependency ratio in New Zealand peaked at 71.1% in 1961 and was at its lowest, 50.4%, in 2006.
New Zealand ranks 125th of 236 countries on this measure, 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 New Zealand, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 61.6% | — |
| 1951 | 63.1% | +2.5% |
| 1952 | 64.5% | +2.1% |
| 1953 | 65.6% | +1.8% |
| 1954 | 66.7% | +1.6% |
| 1955 | 67.5% | +1.2% |
| 1956 | 68.1% | +0.9% |
| 1957 | 68.7% | +0.9% |
| 1958 | 69.4% | +1.1% |
| 1959 | 70.2% | +1.2% |
| 1960 | 70.9% | +1.0% |
| 1961 | 71.1% | +0.3% |
| 1962 | 70.9% | -0.3% |
| 1963 | 70.5% | -0.6% |
| 1964 | 70.1% | -0.6% |
| 1965 | 69.7% | -0.6% |
| 1966 | 69.3% | -0.6% |
| 1967 | 69.0% | -0.5% |
| 1968 | 68.7% | -0.3% |
| 1969 | 68.4% | -0.5% |
| 1970 | 67.8% | -0.8% |
| 1971 | 67.2% | -0.9% |
| 1972 | 66.6% | -1.0% |
| 1973 | 65.7% | -1.4% |
| 1974 | 64.6% | -1.7% |
| 1975 | 63.5% | -1.6% |
| 1976 | 62.6% | -1.5% |
| 1977 | 61.5% | -1.7% |
| 1978 | 60.5% | -1.7% |
| 1979 | 59.5% | -1.6% |
| 1980 | 58.5% | -1.6% |
| 1981 | 57.7% | -1.5% |
| 1982 | 56.7% | -1.7% |
| 1983 | 55.5% | -2.0% |
| 1984 | 54.5% | -1.9% |
| 1985 | 53.7% | -1.4% |
| 1986 | 53.0% | -1.2% |
| 1987 | 52.5% | -1.1% |
| 1988 | 52.1% | -0.7% |
| 1989 | 52.0% | -0.1% |
| 1990 | 52.2% | +0.4% |
| 1991 | 52.3% | +0.2% |
| 1992 | 52.4% | +0.1% |
| 1993 | 52.6% | +0.4% |
| 1994 | 52.8% | +0.3% |
| 1995 | 52.8% | +0.1% |
| 1996 | 52.8% | -0.1% |
| 1997 | 52.7% | -0.1% |
| 1998 | 52.8% | +0.1% |
| 1999 | 52.8% | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 52.7% | -0.1% |
| 2001 | 52.5% | -0.4% |
| 2002 | 52.0% | -1.0% |
| 2003 | 51.3% | -1.2% |
| 2004 | 50.8% | -1.0% |
| 2005 | 50.5% | -0.7% |
| 2006 | 50.4% | -0.3% |
| 2007 | 50.4% | +0.1% |
| 2008 | 50.6% | +0.3% |
| 2009 | 50.8% | +0.4% |
| 2010 | 51.1% | +0.7% |
| 2011 | 51.6% | +0.9% |
| 2012 | 52.2% | +1.2% |
| 2013 | 52.7% | +0.9% |
| 2014 | 52.7% | +0.1% |
| 2015 | 52.5% | -0.4% |
| 2016 | 52.3% | -0.4% |
| 2017 | 52.2% | -0.1% |
| 2018 | 52.4% | +0.2% |
| 2019 | 52.6% | +0.4% |
| 2020 | 53.0% | +0.8% |
| 2021 | 53.6% | +1.2% |
| 2022 | 54.0% | +0.8% |
| 2023 | 54.2% | +0.4% |
New Zealand compared with similar countries
- New Zealand's 54.2% is above the median for high income countries, which is 52.7%, 1.0× the median. (85 countries reporting)
- New Zealand's 54.2% 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 | 66.5% | 61.6% | 70.2% | 10 |
| 1960s | 69.9% | 68.4% | 71.1% | 10 |
| 1970s | 64.0% | 59.5% | 67.8% | 10 |
| 1980s | 54.6% | 52.0% | 58.5% | 10 |
| 1990s | 52.6% | 52.2% | 52.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 51.2% | 50.4% | 52.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 52.2% | 51.1% | 52.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 53.7% | 53.0% | 54.2% | 4 |
Countries ranked near New Zealand
More reference data data for New Zealand
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.4532 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 9.92 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 10.93 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0459 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 10.93 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.52 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 1.53 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 42.17 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 47.53 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.2499 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is total dependency ratio in New Zealand?
- Total dependency ratio in New Zealand was 54.2% in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest total dependency ratio recorded in New Zealand?
- The highest recorded value was 71.1% in 1961.
- What is the lowest total dependency ratio recorded in New Zealand?
- The lowest recorded value was 50.4% in 2006.
- How does New Zealand rank for total dependency ratio?
- New Zealand ranks 125th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is total dependency ratio rising or falling in New Zealand?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this New Zealand 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).