Countries in North America Ranked by Age dependency ratio (young) (2025)
Age dependency ratio (young): each country's latest value (2020–2025), ranked from highest to lowest. Source: The World Bank (CC BY 4.0).
Summary
Guatemala ranks #1 with 48.5 children under 15 per 100 working-age people. Haiti is second with 47.8 children under 15 per 100 working-age people, 1.4% behind. The top five are Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Nicaragua and Dominican Republic. The median across all 34 is 26.1 children under 15 per 100 working-age people; Puerto Rico (US) is last at 17.7 children under 15 per 100 working-age people. Guatemala's figure has fallen 42% since 2001 (82.9 children under 15 per 100 working-age people to 48.5 children under 15 per 100 working-age people in 2025).
- #1
- Guatemala · 48.5 children under 15 per 100 working-age people
- Median
- 26.1 children under 15 per 100 working-age people
- Coverage
- 34 countries in North America
- Data year
- 2025
- Last updated
- 2026-11-14
Full ranking
| Rank | Country | Age dependency ratio (young) (children under 15 per 100 working-age people) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Guatemala | 48.5 |
| 2 | Haiti | 47.8 |
| 3 | Honduras | 46.4 |
| 4 | Nicaragua | 42.9 |
| 5 | Dominican Republic | 39.9 |
| 6 | Belize | 38.3 |
| 7 | Panama | 37.3 |
| 8 | El Salvador | 36.2 |
| 9 | Mexico | 35.8 |
| 10 | St. Martin (French part) | 35.5 |
| 11 | St. Vincent and the Grenadines | 31.2 |
| 12 | Greenland | 30.6 |
| 13 | Grenada | 27.8 |
| 14 | Virgin Islands (US) | 27.2 |
| 15 | Costa Rica | 26.6 |
| 16 | United States | 26.5 |
| 17 | St. Kitts and Nevis | 26.2 |
| 18 | Barbados | 25.9 |
| 19 | Dominica | 25.5 |
| 20 | Trinidad and Tobago | 25.1 |
| 21 | Aruba | 25.1 |
| 22 | Jamaica | 25 |
| 23 | Bahamas, The | 24.9 |
| 24 | Antigua and Barbuda | 24.9 |
| 25 | St. Lucia | 23.7 |
| 26 | Canada | 23.1 |
| 27 | Cuba | 22.1 |
| 28 | Turks and Caicos Islands | 22.1 |
| 29 | Cayman Islands | 21.6 |
| 30 | Curaçao | 21.4 |
| 31 | Sint Maarten (Dutch part) | 20.9 |
| 32 | Bermuda | 20.9 |
| 33 | British Virgin Islands | 18.6 |
| 34 | Puerto Rico (US) | 17.7 |
About the top 10
#1 Guatemala
Guatemala ranks #1 on this list with 48.5 children under 15 per 100 working-age people.
- Capital
- Guatemala City
- Continent
- North America
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 18.69 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$123.31 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$6,598 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 72.7 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 56.3% of population (2025)
Also ranks #5 in prevalence of stunting (under-5) · #9 in remittances received · #12 in gini index.
#2 Haiti
Haiti ranks #2 on this list with 47.8 children under 15 per 100 working-age people.
- Capital
- Port-au-Prince
- Continent
- North America
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 11.91 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$32.08 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$2,694 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 65.1 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 55.6% of population (2025)
Also ranks #2 in prevalence of undernourishment · #4 in time to start a business (days) · #7 in homicide rate.
#3 Honduras
Honduras ranks #3 on this list with 46.4 children under 15 per 100 working-age people.
- Capital
- Tegucigalpa
- Continent
- North America
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 11.01 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$39.6 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$3,598 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 73 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 59.3% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Tegucigalpa.
Also ranks #6 in deposit interest rate · #10 in gini index · #11 in homicide rate.
#4 Nicaragua
Nicaragua ranks #4 on this list with 42.9 children under 15 per 100 working-age people.
- Capital
- Managua
- Continent
- North America
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 7.01 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$22.24 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$3,173 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 75.1 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 59.4% of population (2025)
Also ranks #3 in women in parliament share · #3 in women in ministerial positions share · #28 in homicide rate.
#5 Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic ranks #5 on this list with 39.9 children under 15 per 100 working-age people.
- Capital
- Santo Domingo
- Continent
- North America
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 11.52 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$127.41 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$11,059 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 73.9 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 72.5% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Santo Domingo.
Also ranks #4 in crop production index · #14 in deposit interest rate · #19 in remittances received.
#6 Belize
Belize ranks #6 on this list with 38.3 children under 15 per 100 working-age people.
- Capital
- Belmopan
- Continent
- North America
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 422,920 people (2025)
- GDP
- US$3.33 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$7,866 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 73.7 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 41.6% of population (2025)
Also ranks #2 in secure internet servers per million · #12 in homicide rate · #14 in time to start a business (days).
#7 Panama
Panama ranks #7 on this list with 37.3 children under 15 per 100 working-age people.
- Capital
- Panama City
- Continent
- North America
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 4.57 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$90.46 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$19,790 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 79.8 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 66.2% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Panama City.
Also ranks #7 in gini index · #8 in income share of richest 10% · #15 in gross capital formation rate.
#8 El Salvador
El Salvador ranks #8 on this list with 36.2 children under 15 per 100 working-age people.
- Capital
- San Salvador
- Continent
- North America
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 6.37 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$36.71 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$5,767 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 72.3 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 75.5% of population (2025)
Also ranks #1 in debt service share of exports · #6 in government debt share of gdp · #14 in mobile subscriptions per 100.
#9 Mexico
Mexico ranks #9 on this list with 35.8 children under 15 per 100 working-age people.
- Capital
- Mexico City
- Continent
- North America
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 131.95 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$1.83 trillion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$13,889 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 75.3 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 80% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Greater Mexico City, Mexico City, Tijuana.
Also ranks #2 in remittances received · #3 in tourism arrivals · #4 in external debt stocks.
#10 St. Martin (French part)
St. Martin (French part) ranks #10 on this list with 35.5 children under 15 per 100 working-age people.
- Capital
- Marigot
- Continent
- North America
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 24,941 people (2025)
- GDP
- US$649.21 million (2021)
- GDP per person
- US$21,668 (2021)
- Life expectancy
- 80.4 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 100% of population (2025)
Also ranks #3 in protected marine area share · #4 in female population share · #8 in urban population share.
Profile facts: World Bank (CC BY 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0); weather links go to Purr Weather, another ChowChow Labs site.
Source and method
Age dependency ratio (young): each country's latest value (2020–2025), ranked from highest to lowest.
Source: The World Bank, indicator SP.POP.DPND.YG. Licence: CC BY 4.0. Retrieved: 2026-11-14.
The World Bank: Age dependency ratio, young (% of working-age population): World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division (via World Development Indicators)
Original data provider, as recorded by the World Bank: World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division; Staff estimates, World Bank (WB).
Values are shown as published. Provider terms: The World Bank. All licences: Sources & licences.