The article compares economic dependency ratios for European countries, considering both population demographics and age-specific economic behaviors like work and spending. The study shows that as populations age, dependency ratios will rise unless economic behaviors change. Differences in dependency ratios between countries are influenced by both economic behaviors and population age distributions. The choice of which ratio to use depends on the policy question being addressed. By comparing different ratios, the study suggests strategies to lessen the impact of increasing economic dependency due to aging populations.