NEWS for North Dakotans
Agriculture Communication, North Dakota State University
7 Morrill Hall, Fargo, ND 58105-5665
September 21, 2000
In 1970, North Dakota’s dependency ratio was nearly 1 to 1, with 90 dependents for every 100 working-age persons, according to the recent Economic Brief released from the North Dakota State Data Center at North Dakota State University. For the last three decades, the number of children, the largest age dependent group, has declined. This has resulted in a current ratio of 66 dependents per 100 workers, the 10th highest ratio in the nation in 1999.
Utah, Florida, and South Dakota had the highest ratios (72.2, 71.7, and 70.6, respectively). Virginia and Vermont had the lowest ratios, each at 55. "Dependency ratios are important barometers because they offer an estimate of the relationship between workers and these who are supported by workers. Although this ratio does not accurately capture those who are economically inactive, it does show the effect of the age structure on support services," said Richard Rathge, Director of the Center.
Along with the decline of children in North Dakota, there has been a gradual increase in elderly. The child dependency ratio has dropped from nearly 70 in 1970 to 42 in 1999 shifting our national ranking from sixth to 20th while the elderly ratio has risen from 20 in 1970 to 24 in 1999 moving our national ranking from 10th to sixth. Projections indicate that these trends will continue through 2015 when the child ratio will be relatively equal to the elderly ratio at 35, yet the overall dependency ratio will have changed little from the 1999 level.
"This redistribution of dependents has important implications. There will be increasing demand for elderly services such as care facilities and health services while the demand for schools declines," said Rathge.
The total dependency ratio is the number of persons in non-working age groups (persons less than 18 years old and persons 65 years and older) per 100 persons of working-age (ages 18 through 64). The elderly or retirement-age dependency ratio is the number of persons 65 and older per 100 persons 18 to 64. The child or preschool and school age dependency ratio is the number of persons less than 18 years old per 100 persons 18 to 64.
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Source: Richard Rathge (701) 231-8621
Editor: Tom Jirik (701) 231-9629
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