China vs Middle income: Labor force, total
Labor force, total over time
- China
- Middle income
How they compare
Middle income currently reports 2.74 billion against 768.07 million in China, a difference of 1.97 billion.
That makes Middle income's figure about 3.6 times China's.
Across all 36 years both countries report, Middle income has been ahead every year.
China ranks 1st and Middle income ranks 4th of 187 countries.
Middle income has averaged higher in every one of the 4 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | China | Middle income | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 669.21 million | 1.80 billion | 1.13 billion | Middle income |
| 2000s | 745.42 million | 2.16 billion | 1.41 billion | Middle income |
| 2010s | 778.48 million | 2.44 billion | 1.66 billion | Middle income |
| 2020s | 770.50 million | 2.65 billion | 1.87 billion | Middle income |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher labor force, total, China or Middle income?
- Middle income, at 2.74 billion against 768.07 million in China as of 2025.
- What is the difference in labor force, total between China and Middle income?
- 1.97 billion, with Middle income ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for China and Middle income?
- 36 years are reported by both, from 1990 to 2025.
- How do China and Middle income rank globally for labor force, total?
- China ranks 1st and Middle income ranks 4th of 187 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- International Labour Organization (ILO), type: estimates based on external database, published as Labor force, total. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Labor force comprises people ages 15 and older who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period. It includes people who are currently employed and people who are unemployed but seeking work as well as first-time job-seekers. Not everyone who works is included, however. Unpaid workers, family workers, and students are often omitted, and some countries do not count members of the armed forces. Labor force size tends to vary during the year as seasonal workers enter and leave.