Islamabad: Nearly one-third of districts in Pakistan have a greater proportion of non-working-age individuals compared to the working-age population, according to findings from the District Vulnerability Index Pakistan (DVIP) 2025. This demographic measure, known as the age dependency ratio (ADR), highlights the number of dependents — those below 15 and above 64 years — per 100 working-age individuals.

According to Free and Fair Election Network, the DVIP data indicates that 45 out of 129 districts have recorded an age dependency ratio of 100 or more. This suggests that the dependent population in these districts exceeds the number of working-age individuals. All of these districts are predominantly rural. Overall, more than 60 percent of Pakistan's population falls within the 15-64 age bracket.

Balochistan has the highest number of districts with an age dependency ratio of 100 or above, with 26 districts. This is followed by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with 11 districts, Sindh with six, and Punjab with two districts. At the national level, Zhob district in Balochistan recorded the highest age dependency ratio at 157, while Karachi South in Sindh reported the lowest at 57.

In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Kohistan had the highest age dependency ratio at 147, whereas Abbottabad had the lowest at 67. In Punjab, Rajanpur recorded the highest ratio at 105, compared to Jhelum's lowest at 59. Tharparkar in Sindh noted a high dependency ratio of 123, while Karachi South again had the lowest at 57. Within Balochistan, Zhob had the highest ratio, and Kech recorded the lowest.

The elevated age dependency ratios in predominantly rural districts are attributed to factors such as high fertility rates, larger household sizes, out-migration of the working-age population due to limited local employment opportunities, low female labor force participation, and restricted access to education and family planning services.