Year

Rank

Trending

Employed population as a share of total population

U.S. Average

North Carolina

Population Dependency

Employed population as a share of total population

What does this mean?

One frequently used index for summarizing international age distributions is the dependency ratio, or the ratio of the dependent-age population (young or old) to the working age population. The higher this ratio, the greater the burden of support on working people in specific geographic areas.

Why does this matter?

In general, researchers have used dependency ratios to consider whether a population has too many “non-productive” persons (i.e., young and old) relative to the working-age population, and the estimates are typically viewed as consolidated functions of mortality, fertility, and net migration.

NC Life Index

North Carolina Ranking

18 / 51

* Source: US Census Bureau

Population Dependency

State	1999-01	2000-01	2001-01	2002-01	2003-01	2004-01	2005-01	2006-01	2007-01	2008-01	2009-01	2010-01	2011-01	2012-01	2013-01	2014-01	2015-01	2016-01	2017-01	2018-01	2019-01
Alabama	46.00	45.70	44.90	44.20	44.20	44.50	44.90	44.90	44.70	43.50	40.50	41.10	41.50	41.60	41.80	41.60	41.80	42.10	42.70	43.60	44.30
Alaska	47.60	47.60	47.50	47.10	47.10	47.30	48.10	48.40	48.30	48.30	47.50	46.70	46.80	46.50	46.10	46.20	46.10	45.50	45.40	44.90	44.60
Arizona	47.00	46.70	46.70	46.60	46.80	47.00	47.10	47.50	47.30	46.40	44.40	43.20	42.50	42.40	42.10	42.90	43.60	44.20	44.90	45.60	46.50
Arkansas	45.20	45.00	44.30	44.40	43.90	44.60	45.90	45.90	45.50	45.20	43.20	42.50	42.50	42.00	41.50	41.70	42.50	43.00	43.20	43.30	43.60
California	46.40	47.20	47.00	46.20	45.70	45.80	46.30	46.60	46.70	46.00	43.80	43.10	43.20	43.80	44.30	44.90	45.40	46.00	46.50	46.80	47.10
Colorado	53.80	53.00	52.00	51.40	51.60	52.30	52.60	53.20	53.40	52.90	50.80	49.30	49.00	48.90	48.90	49.80	49.90	50.60	51.90	52.40	53.20
Connecticut	50.30	50.50	49.70	49.10	48.40	48.20	48.70	49.70	50.30	50.10	48.90	48.50	48.70	48.10	47.80	49.00	49.60	50.10	50.60	51.00	51.70
Delaware	49.70	50.60	51.20	49.60	48.60	48.60	49.00	49.50	49.10	48.10	45.00	44.20	45.20	45.20	44.70	45.70	47.10	47.50	47.60	48.00	48.10
District of Columbia	50.30	51.20	50.60	50.00	50.20	50.70	52.10	52.20	53.00	53.30	51.40	51.80	50.90	52.30	52.60	52.80	53.70	54.10	54.30	54.40	54.90
Florida	46.70	47.10	46.90	45.90	45.80	46.20	47.10	47.90	47.90	46.60	43.70	43.50	43.90	44.50	44.90	45.20	45.00	45.40	46.10	46.20	46.60
Georgia	49.60	49.50	48.80	48.30	48.50	48.30	48.60	49.00	49.20	48.10	44.80	43.30	43.50	43.90	43.80	43.70	44.10	45.20	46.30	46.40	46.50
Hawaii	47.10	47.80	47.60	46.40	46.20	46.30	47.10	47.50	47.20	45.90	43.60	44.20	44.60	43.60	44.00	45.00	45.70	46.40	46.80	46.30	45.70
Idaho	48.50	48.40	48.70	48.20	47.80	48.00	49.20	49.10	48.60	46.70	44.40	44.10	44.30	44.70	44.90	45.50	46.20	46.60	47.00	47.50	47.90
Illinois	50.10	50.00	49.00	47.40	46.80	47.10	47.90	49.30	49.90	48.90	46.40	46.20	46.20	46.50	46.20	47.00	47.60	48.10	48.30	48.60	48.90
Indiana	50.10	49.70	49.10	48.80	48.60	48.10	48.30	48.50	48.00	47.30	44.40	43.80	44.40	44.40	44.80	46.00	47.00	48.00	48.30	48.70	48.60
Iowa	53.30	52.90	53.20	53.60	52.20	51.80	52.60	53.50	53.30	53.30	52.10	51.70	51.20	51.00	51.60	52.40	52.50	52.20	51.80	52.30	53.60
Kansas	51.50	50.30	49.30	49.40	49.90	50.60	50.70	50.80	51.00	50.90	49.90	48.80	48.60	48.50	48.60	49.10	49.10	49.00	49.00	49.10	49.40
Kentucky	46.60	46.50	45.70	44.80	44.70	44.80	45.00	45.40	45.20	44.30	42.80	42.40	42.60	43.10	42.90	42.50	42.40	43.10	43.90	44.10	44.40
Louisiana	43.40	43.10	42.70	41.80	41.80	42.10	42.00	44.20	44.40	44.70	42.80	42.20	41.80	42.00	42.40	43.40	43.40	42.60	42.70	43.00	42.90
Maine	50.70	51.30	50.40	49.80	49.70	49.80	50.30	50.60	50.30	49.80	48.10	48.10	48.50	49.00	49.60	49.40	49.20	50.00	50.60	50.30	50.00
Maryland	50.80	50.90	50.70	50.40	50.10	49.90	50.10	50.60	50.70	50.60	49.20	49.00	49.20	49.30	49.40	49.40	49.80	50.30	50.80	51.30	52.00
Massachusetts	51.40	50.90	50.90	50.60	50.20	50.20	50.30	50.60	50.80	50.40	48.90	48.60	48.70	48.80	48.80	49.70	50.30	51.00	51.90	53.20	53.80
Michigan	49.80	50.00	48.60	47.00	46.50	46.80	47.10	47.00	46.60	45.50	42.80	42.50	42.50	42.90	43.50	44.50	45.30	46.30	46.70	47.10	47.40
Minnesota	55.00	55.20	54.90	54.40	54.10	54.00	54.00	53.70	53.30	52.70	51.40	51.20	51.50	51.70	51.90	52.30	52.70	52.80	53.10	53.20	53.40
Mississippi	43.20	43.80	42.80	42.00	42.50	42.70	41.90	41.50	41.80	41.40	38.80	39.40	40.60	40.20	38.90	38.70	39.60	40.30	40.70	40.50	40.60
Missouri	50.50	50.90	50.70	50.00	49.90	49.40	49.20	49.30	48.90	48.00	46.40	46.10	46.40	46.70	46.60	47.20	48.10	48.30	48.20	48.30	48.60
Montana	49.00	49.10	49.10	49.00	48.90	49.20	49.50	50.00	50.20	49.50	47.40	46.80	46.80	47.40	47.70	47.80	48.10	48.10	47.90	48.00	48.20
Nebraska	53.50	53.60	53.60	53.20	53.30	53.30	53.10	53.00	53.20	53.30	52.20	51.80	52.10	52.60	52.50	52.00	51.70	51.30	51.30	51.60	51.90
Nevada	50.60	50.60	50.20	49.00	48.40	48.00	48.30	48.90	48.80	47.90	44.60	43.50	44.00	44.60	45.00	45.40	45.80	46.00	46.60	47.50	48.10
New Hampshire	53.80	54.00	53.70	52.90	52.90	53.40	53.90	54.00	54.20	54.30	53.00	52.80	52.80	52.90	53.00	53.40	53.90	54.40	54.40	54.90	55.50
New Jersey	49.00	48.90	48.40	47.90	47.60	47.90	48.50	48.90	49.00	48.90	47.30	46.80	46.90	47.00	47.10	47.20	47.70	47.90	47.80	47.80	48.80
New Mexico	43.70	44.20	44.50	44.50	44.60	44.80	45.10	45.30	45.20	44.90	42.70	41.70	41.40	41.30	41.10	41.60	41.80	41.80	42.10	42.60	43.30
New York	45.80	45.90	45.60	45.50	45.20	46.00	47.00	47.50	47.50	47.60	45.80	45.20	44.80	44.90	45.40	45.40	46.10	46.30	46.50	46.70	47.00
North Carolina	49.40	49.30	48.30	46.90	47.30	47.00	47.00	47.50	47.20	46.00	43.30	43.00	43.00	43.50	43.90	44.30	44.80	45.40	45.90	46.10	46.60
North Dakota	51.60	51.80	51.90	51.40	51.90	52.80	53.20	53.90	54.50	54.60	53.20	54.00	54.70	55.00	54.60	54.60	53.20	53.00	52.90	51.90	51.70
Ohio	48.60	48.90	48.90	48.40	48.20	48.00	48.30	49.00	49.20	48.50	45.90	45.50	45.60	45.80	45.70	46.30	46.60	46.80	47.00	47.30	47.60
Oklahoma	46.50	46.60	46.60	46.10	45.50	45.60	45.90	45.80	45.60	45.80	44.40	43.80	44.00	44.80	44.30	44.30	44.80	44.40	44.70	45.10	45.00
Oregon	49.90	50.30	49.20	48.30	47.80	47.70	47.90	48.60	49.00	48.50	46.00	46.20	46.60	45.70	44.90	45.60	46.50	47.70	48.40	48.10	48.00
Pennsylvania	47.40	47.70	47.80	47.60	47.00	47.40	47.70	48.00	48.30	48.40	46.50	46.00	46.20	46.70	46.70	47.10	47.50	47.70	47.80	48.00	48.50
Rhode Island	49.60	49.60	49.10	49.00	49.50	49.30	50.30	51.20	51.40	49.90	47.90	47.70	47.30	47.50	47.90	48.70	49.40	49.70	50.10	50.30	50.60
South Carolina	47.70	47.70	45.50	44.70	44.80	45.00	45.20	45.30	45.10	44.10	41.60	41.30	41.70	42.10	42.50	43.10	43.60	43.90	44.00	44.40	44.80
South Dakota	52.60	52.70	52.80	53.20	53.40	53.40	53.40	53.80	54.30	54.20	52.50	51.40	51.00	50.80	50.60	50.80	51.00	50.90	50.60	50.70	50.70
Tennessee	48.60	47.90	47.50	47.60	47.00	46.10	45.80	47.30	47.30	45.70	43.30	43.90	44.50	44.30	43.60	43.20	43.80	44.90	45.80	46.40	47.30
Texas	47.50	47.40	47.00	46.40	46.20	46.20	46.20	46.10	45.90	45.70	44.40	44.50	45.00	45.30	45.50	45.90	45.60	45.60	46.00	46.40	46.70
Utah	49.10	49.20	48.70	48.00	48.00	48.70	49.70	50.70	51.00	49.60	46.50	45.00	44.70	45.50	46.30	46.70	47.20	47.80	48.30	48.30	48.80
Vermont	54.10	52.80	53.20	53.50	53.60	54.00	54.50	55.20	54.50	54.20	53.80	53.90	54.00	53.90	53.50	53.30	53.20	53.50	53.80	53.90	53.50
Virginia	49.20	49.60	49.30	49.00	48.90	48.80	49.60	50.20	50.50	50.70	48.50	48.10	48.60	48.50	48.40	48.40	48.20	48.40	49.00	49.50	50.30
Washington	50.20	49.10	47.60	47.20	47.40	48.50	49.30	49.50	50.20	50.20	48.20	46.90	46.00	46.20	46.20	46.50	46.80	47.30	47.70	48.30	49.20
West Virginia	41.50	42.30	42.70	41.70	40.80	40.80	41.20	41.90	42.20	42.30	40.70	40.00	40.00	40.20	40.20	39.80	39.60	40.20	40.70	41.30	42.30
Wisconsin	53.50	53.40	53.20	52.60	52.60	52.30	51.90	52.20	52.30	52.10	50.00	49.50	49.80	50.00	50.10	50.70	51.20	52.00	52.50	52.10	51.50
Wyoming	51.00	51.90	52.40	51.70	52.00	51.90	51.90	52.10	52.10	52.10	50.20	50.30	50.90	50.50	50.20	50.30	49.70	48.70	48.50	48.50	48.70
U.S. Average	49.18	49.22	48.84	48.29	48.13	48.26	48.64	49.06	49.10	48.59	46.59	46.18	46.30	46.44	46.46	46.82	47.17	47.50	47.84	48.07	48.41