What demographic measure indicates the proportion of a population that is of working age?

The workforce participation rate is a demographic measure that indicates the proportion of the population that is of working age and actively engaged in the labor force. This measure helps to understand how many individuals in a specified age range (usually defined as ages 15-64) are either employed or actively seeking employment.

This metric is significant because it provides insights into the economic activity of a population, illustrating how effectively the working-age segment is engaged in contributing to the economy. A high workforce participation rate often correlates with a robust economy, while a low rate may indicate issues such as economic downturns, shifts in demographics, or social factors that impact people's ability or desire to work.

Other options, while related to demographics and labor, do not specifically measure the working-age proportion of the population. For instance, the dependency ratio focuses on the ratio of dependents (people not typically in the labor force, like the elderly and children) to the working-age population, highlighting the burden on the productive segment of society. Age distribution refers to the breakdown of the population across different age groups but does not directly indicate how many of those are working-age. The labor force ratio sometimes refers to different aspects of employment data and doesn't specifically address the proportion of the working-age population.