🗳️ap comparative government review

Dependency ratio

Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated August 2025
Verified for the 2027 exam
Verified for the 2027 examWritten by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated August 2025

Definition

The proportion of a population that is economically dependent (young children or elderly) relative to the working-age population, affecting economic burden on families and the state.

AP course connection

Topic 5.8: 5.8 Causes and Effects of Demographic Change

Unit 5