Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate) in OECD members
OECD members: Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate) was 4.9% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in OECD members, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in OECD members is 4.9%, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.4% on the previous year and down 28.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in OECD members peaked at 8.5% in 2010 and was at its lowest, 4.8%, in 2023.
That places OECD members 22nd 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, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate) in OECD members, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 6.8% | — |
| 1992 | 7.3% | +7.1% |
| 1993 | 7.8% | +6.8% |
| 1994 | 7.8% | +0.9% |
| 1995 | 7.6% | -3.0% |
| 1996 | 7.5% | -0.7% |
| 1997 | 7.3% | -3.9% |
| 1998 | 7.2% | -0.4% |
| 1999 | 7.2% | -0.8% |
| 2000 | 6.7% | -6.3% |
| 2001 | 6.6% | -1.4% |
| 2002 | 7.1% | +7.9% |
| 2003 | 7.3% | +1.9% |
| 2004 | 7.2% | -1.4% |
| 2005 | 6.8% | -4.8% |
| 2006 | 6.3% | -7.1% |
| 2007 | 5.9% | -7.2% |
| 2008 | 6.2% | +5.4% |
| 2009 | 8.4% | +35.1% |
| 2010 | 8.5% | +1.7% |
| 2011 | 8.1% | -4.7% |
| 2012 | 8.1% | -0.2% |
| 2013 | 8.0% | -1.2% |
| 2014 | 7.4% | -7.4% |
| 2015 | 6.9% | -7.5% |
| 2016 | 6.4% | -6.2% |
| 2017 | 5.9% | -8.1% |
| 2018 | 5.5% | -7.5% |
| 2019 | 5.4% | -1.6% |
| 2020 | 7.2% | +32.7% |
| 2021 | 6.2% | -13.3% |
| 2022 | 5.0% | -19.4% |
| 2023 | 4.8% | -3.4% |
| 2024 | 4.9% | +1.7% |
| 2025 | 4.9% | +0.4% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate) in OECD members 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | +35.1% | 6.2% | 8.4% |
| 2020 | +32.7% | 5.4% | 7.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 7.4% | 6.8% | 7.8% | 9 |
| 2000s | 6.9% | 5.9% | 8.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 7.0% | 5.4% | 8.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.5% | 4.8% | 7.2% | 6 |
Countries ranked near OECD members
- 19 Montenegro 13.6% compare
- 20 Syria 13.6% compare
- 21 Afghanistan 13.4% compare
- 22 Armenia 12.9% compare
- 23 South Sudan 12.4% compare
- 24 North Macedonia 12.3% compare
- 25 Georgia 12.1% compare
More education data for OECD members
- Population ages 0-14 16.4% (2025)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0654 units per person (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 6.28 million (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 116.41 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 91.38 million (2024)
- Population ages 15-64 64.5% (2025)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -0.2049 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in OECD members?
- Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in OECD members was 4.9% 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 OECD members?
- The highest recorded value was 8.5% in 2010.
- What is the lowest unemployment, total (% of total labor force) recorded in OECD members?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.8% in 2023.
- How does OECD members rank for unemployment, total (% of total labor force)?
- OECD members ranks 22nd out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) rising or falling in OECD members?
- Over the last ten years it is down 28.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this OECD members 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.