Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in North America
North America: Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) was 4.6% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in North America, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in North America is 4.6%, measured in 2025.
The figure is up 3.5% on the previous year and down 18.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in North America peaked at 10.3% in 2010 and was at its lowest, 3.9%, in 2022.
That places North America 30th out of 47 groups with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in North America, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 7.5% | — |
| 1992 | 8.3% | +10.4% |
| 1993 | 7.6% | -8.0% |
| 1994 | 6.6% | -13.1% |
| 1995 | 6.0% | -9.0% |
| 1996 | 5.9% | -2.8% |
| 1997 | 5.4% | -8.7% |
| 1998 | 4.8% | -10.1% |
| 1999 | 4.5% | -7.0% |
| 2000 | 4.2% | -6.3% |
| 2001 | 5.1% | +20.6% |
| 2002 | 6.1% | +21.4% |
| 2003 | 6.4% | +4.7% |
| 2004 | 5.8% | -9.4% |
| 2005 | 5.3% | -9.5% |
| 2006 | 4.8% | -8.3% |
| 2007 | 4.9% | +1.4% |
| 2008 | 6.2% | +25.6% |
| 2009 | 10.2% | +65.6% |
| 2010 | 10.3% | +1.3% |
| 2011 | 9.2% | -10.7% |
| 2012 | 8.2% | -11.4% |
| 2013 | 7.6% | -6.8% |
| 2014 | 6.4% | -16.2% |
| 2015 | 5.6% | -12.5% |
| 2016 | 5.2% | -6.5% |
| 2017 | 4.7% | -11.0% |
| 2018 | 4.2% | -10.3% |
| 2019 | 4.0% | -4.9% |
| 2020 | 8.0% | +102.0% |
| 2021 | 5.7% | -28.8% |
| 2022 | 3.9% | -32.2% |
| 2023 | 4.0% | +3.2% |
| 2024 | 4.4% | +10.2% |
| 2025 | 4.6% | +3.5% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in North America changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +102.0% | 4.0% | 8.0% |
| 2009 | +65.6% | 6.2% | 10.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 6.3% | 4.5% | 8.3% | 9 |
| 2000s | 5.9% | 4.2% | 10.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 6.5% | 4.0% | 10.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.1% | 3.9% | 8.0% | 6 |
Countries ranked near North America
- 27 Syrian Arab Republic 10.9% compare
- 28 Guyana 10.8% compare
- 29 Albania 10.7% compare
- 30 United States Virgin Islands 10.6% compare
- 31 New Caledonia 10.4% compare
- 32 Rwanda 10.1% compare
- 33 Finland 10.0% compare
More education data for North America
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 26.20 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -0.2703 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0687 units per person (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 28.14 million (2024)
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 2.04 million (2024)
- Population ages 0-14 16.9% (2025)
- Population ages 15-64 64.5% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in North America?
- Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in North America was 4.6% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment, male (% of male labor force) recorded in North America?
- The highest recorded value was 10.3% in 2010.
- What is the lowest unemployment, male (% of male labor force) recorded in North America?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.9% in 2022.
- How does North America rank for unemployment, male (% of male labor force)?
- North America ranks 30th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, male (% of male labor force) rising or falling in North America?
- Over the last ten years it is down 18.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this North America data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Unemployment refers to the share of the labor force that is without work but available for and seeking employment.