Editing Dependency ratio (section)

{{Short description|Age-population ratio of those in the labor force to those not in the labor force}}
[[File:Age dependency ratio, OWID.svg|thumb|upright=1.6|Age dependency ratio as of 2017<ref>{{cite web |title=Age dependency ratio |url=https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/age-dependency-ratio-of-working-age-population |website=Our World in Data |access-date=15 February 2020}}</ref>]]
The '''dependency ratio''' is an age-population ratio of those typically not in the [[labor force]] (the ''dependent'' part ages 0 to 14 and 65+) and those typically in the labor force (the ''productive'' part ages 15 to 64). It is used to measure the pressure on the productive population.

Consideration of the dependency ratio is essential for governments, economists, bankers, business, industry, universities and all other major economic segments which can benefit from understanding the impacts of changes in population structure.  A low dependency ratio means that there are sufficient people working who can support the dependent population.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Simon C, Belyakov AO, Feichtinger G | title = Minimizing the dependency ratio in a population with below-replacement fertility through immigration | journal = Theoretical Population Biology | volume = 82 | issue = 3 | pages = 158–169 | date = November 2012 | pmid = 22781918 | pmc = 3458215 | doi = 10.1016/j.tpb.2012.06.009 | bibcode = 2012TPBio..82..158S }}</ref> 

A lower ratio could allow for better pensions and better health care for citizens.  A higher ratio indicates more financial stress on working people and possible political instability.{{cn|date=December 2022}} While the strategies of increasing fertility and of allowing immigration especially of younger working age people have been formulas for lowering dependency ratios, future job reductions through automation may impact the effectiveness of those strategies.