Demographic economics or population economics is the application of
economic
An economy is an area of the Production (economics), production, Distribution (economics), distribution and trade, as well as Consumption (economics), consumption of Goods (economics), goods and Service (economics), services. In general, it is ...
analysis to
demography
Demography () is the statistical study of human populations: their size, composition (e.g., ethnic group, age), and how they change through the interplay of fertility (births), mortality (deaths), and migration.
Demographic analysis examine ...
, the study of human
population
Population is a set of humans or other organisms in a given region or area. Governments conduct a census to quantify the resident population size within a given jurisdiction. The term is also applied to non-human animals, microorganisms, and pl ...
s, including
size
Size in general is the Magnitude (mathematics), magnitude or dimensions of a thing. More specifically, ''geometrical size'' (or ''spatial size'') can refer to three geometrical measures: length, area, or volume. Length can be generalized ...
,
growth,
density
Density (volumetric mass density or specific mass) is the ratio of a substance's mass to its volume. The symbol most often used for density is ''ρ'' (the lower case Greek letter rho), although the Latin letter ''D'' (or ''d'') can also be u ...
,
distribution, and
vital statistics.
Aspects
Aspects of the subject include:
* marriage and
fertility
Fertility in colloquial terms refers the ability to have offspring. In demographic contexts, fertility refers to the actual production of offspring, rather than the physical capability to reproduce, which is termed fecundity. The fertility rate ...
* the
family
Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...
* divorce
*
morbidity
A disease is a particular abnormal condition that adversely affects the structure or function of all or part of an organism and is not immediately due to any external injury. Diseases are often known to be medical conditions that are asso ...
and
life expectancy
Human life expectancy is a statistical measure of the estimate of the average remaining years of life at a given age. The most commonly used measure is ''life expectancy at birth'' (LEB, or in demographic notation ''e''0, where '' ...
/mortality
*
dependency ratios
* migration
*
population growth
Population growth is the increase in the number of people in a population or dispersed group. The World population, global population has grown from 1 billion in 1800 to 8.2 billion in 2025. Actual global human population growth amounts to aroun ...
* population size
*
public policy
Public policy is an institutionalized proposal or a Group decision-making, decided set of elements like laws, regulations, guidelines, and actions to Problem solving, solve or address relevant and problematic social issues, guided by a conceptio ...
* the
demographic transition from "
population explosion" to (dynamic) stability or
decline.
Other subfields include measuring
value of life and the economics of the elderly and the handicapped and of gender, race, minorities, and non-labor discrimination. In coverage and subfields, it complements
labor economics and implicates a variety of other economics subjects.
Subareas
The ''
Journal of Economic Literature'' classification codes are a way of categorizing subjects in economics. There, demographic economics is paired with
labour economics
Labour economics seeks to understand the functioning and dynamics of the Market (economics), markets for wage labour. Labour (human activity), Labour is a commodity that is supplied by labourers, usually in exchange for a wage paid by demanding ...
as one of
19 primary classifications at JEL: J.
[Of which a complete list for JEL: J with corresponding Wikipedia links is at JEL classification codes#Labor and demographic economics JEL: J Subcategories.] It has eight subareas:
: General
: Demographic Trends and Forecasts
:
Marriage; Marital Dissolution; Family Structure
:
Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth
: Economics of the Elderly; Economics of the Handicapped
: Economics of Minorities and Races; Non-labor Discrimination
: Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
:
Value of life; Foregone Income
: Public Policy
See also
*
Cost of raising a child
The cost of raising a child varies widely from country to country. It is usually determined according to a formula that accounts for major areas of expenditure, such as food, housing, and clothing. However, any given family's actual expenses may di ...
*
Family economics
Family economics applies economic concepts such as production, division of labor, distribution of wealth, distribution, and decision making to the family. It is used to explain outcomes unique to family—such as marriage, the decision to hav ...
*
Generational accounting
*
Growth economics
*
Retirement age
This article lists the statutory retirement age in different countries. In some contexts, the retirement age is the age at which a person is expected or required to cease work. It is usually the age at which such a person may be entitled to recei ...
, international comparison
Related:
*
Income and fertility
*
Demographic dividend
*
Demographic transition
*
Demographic gift
Demographic dividend, as defined by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), is "the economic growth potential that can result from shifts in a population’s age structure, mainly when the share of the working-age population (15 to 64) is large ...
*
Demographic window
*
Demographic trap
*
Preston curve
*
Development economics
Notes
References
* John Eatwell, Murray Milgate, and Peter Newman, ed. (
9871989. ''Social Economics: The New Palgrave'', pp
vvi.
Arrow-page searchable links to entries for:
: "Ageing Populations," pp
1
3, by Robert L. Clark
: "Declining Population," pp
10
15, by Robin Barlow
: "Demographic Transition," pp
16
23, by Ansley J. Coale
: "Extended Family," pp
58
63, by Oliva Harris
: "Family," pp
65
76, by Gary S. Becker
: "Fertility," p
77
89, by Richard A. Easterlin
: "Gender," pp
95
108, by Francine D. Blau
: "Race and Economics," pp
215
218, by H. Stanback
: "Value of Life," p
289
76, by Thomas C. Schelling
* Nathan Keyfitz, 1987. "demography," ''The New Palgrave: A Dictionary of Economics'', v. 1, pp. 796–802.
* T. Paul Schultz, 1981. ''Economics of Population''. Addison-Wesley. Boo
review.
* John B. Shoven, ed., 2011. ''Demography and the Economy'', University of Chicago Press. Scroll-dow
description
an
* Julian L. Simon, 1977. ''The Economics of Population Growth''. Princeton,
* _____, 9811996. '' The Ultimate Resource 2'', rev. and expanded. Princeton. Description and previe
links.
**Dennis A. Ahlburg, 1998. "Julian Simon and the Population Growth Debate," ''Population and Development Review'', 24(2), pp
317-327.
** M. Perlman, 1982. ntitled review of Simon, 1977 & 1981 ''Population Studies'', 36(3), pp
490
494.
* Julian L. Simon, ed., 1997. ''The Economics Of Population: Key Modern Writings''
Description.
* _____, ed., 1998. ''The Economics of Population: Classic Writings''.
Description
and scroll to chapter-previe
links.
* Joseph J. Spengler 1951. "The Population Obstacle to Economic Betterment," ''American Economic Review'', 41(2), pp
343
354.
* _____, 1966. "The Economist and the Population Question," ''American Economic Review'', 56(1/2), pp. 1–24.
Journals
* ''Demography'' �
Scope and links to issue contents & abstracts.
* ''Journal of Population Economics'' �
Aims and scope
an
20th Anniversary statement
2006.
* ''Population and Development Review'' –
* ''Population Bulletin'' – Each issue on a
current population topic.
* ''Population Studies'' �
Aims and scope.
* '' Review of Economics of the Household''
{{DEFAULTSORT:Demographic Economics