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.
North Carolina Ranking
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* Source: US Census Bureau
Region Comparison
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Population Dependency
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 |