Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate) in North America
North America: Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate) was 4.5% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in North America, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
In 2025, unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in North America stood at 4.5%.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 5.1% on the previous year and down 17.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in North America peaked at 9.5% in 2010 and was at its lowest, 3.8%, in 2022.
North America ranks 32nd of 47 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate) in North America, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 7.2% | — |
| 1992 | 7.9% | +9.9% |
| 1993 | 7.3% | -6.6% |
| 1994 | 6.5% | -10.9% |
| 1995 | 6.0% | -7.9% |
| 1996 | 5.9% | -2.8% |
| 1997 | 5.4% | -7.8% |
| 1998 | 4.9% | -9.6% |
| 1999 | 4.6% | -6.8% |
| 2000 | 4.3% | -6.1% |
| 2001 | 5.0% | +16.5% |
| 2002 | 6.0% | +20.0% |
| 2003 | 6.2% | +3.0% |
| 2004 | 5.7% | -7.3% |
| 2005 | 5.3% | -7.8% |
| 2006 | 4.8% | -8.4% |
| 2007 | 4.8% | -0.7% |
| 2008 | 5.8% | +22.0% |
| 2009 | 9.2% | +57.1% |
| 2010 | 9.5% | +3.4% |
| 2011 | 8.8% | -7.1% |
| 2012 | 8.0% | -9.2% |
| 2013 | 7.3% | -8.1% |
| 2014 | 6.3% | -14.8% |
| 2015 | 5.5% | -12.8% |
| 2016 | 5.1% | -6.5% |
| 2017 | 4.6% | -10.3% |
| 2018 | 4.1% | -10.3% |
| 2019 | 3.9% | -5.3% |
| 2020 | 8.2% | +111.6% |
| 2021 | 5.6% | -32.1% |
| 2022 | 3.8% | -31.5% |
| 2023 | 3.8% | +0.2% |
| 2024 | 4.3% | +11.7% |
| 2025 | 4.5% | +5.1% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate) 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 | +111.6% | 3.9% | 8.2% |
| 2009 | +57.1% | 5.8% | 9.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 6.2% | 4.6% | 7.9% | 9 |
| 2000s | 5.7% | 4.3% | 9.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 6.3% | 3.9% | 9.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.0% | 3.8% | 8.2% | 6 |
Countries ranked near North America
- 29 Algeria 11.6% compare
- 30 United States Virgin Islands 11.4% compare
- 31 Rwanda 11.4% compare
- 32 New Caledonia 11.2% compare
- 33 Bosnia and Herzegovina 11.0% compare
- 34 Lebanon 11.0% compare
- 35 Albania 10.9% compare
More education data for North America
- Population ages 15-64 64.5% (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -0.2703 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 2.04 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 26.20 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0687 units per person (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 28.14 million (2024)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 0-14 16.9% (2025)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in North America?
- Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in North America was 4.5% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment, total (% of total labor force) recorded in North America?
- The highest recorded value was 9.5% in 2010.
- What is the lowest unemployment, total (% of total labor force) recorded in North America?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.8% in 2022.
- How does North America rank for unemployment, total (% of total labor force)?
- North America ranks 32nd out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) rising or falling in North America?
- Over the last ten years it is down 17.4%. 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, total (% of total 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.