Which has higher employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%), United Kingdom or United States?

United Kingdom, at 59.8% against 59.7% in United States as of 2025.

What is the difference in employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) between United Kingdom and United States?

0.1%, with United Kingdom ahead.

How many years of comparable data are there for United Kingdom and United States?

46 years are reported by both, from 1978 to 2025.

United Kingdom vs United States: Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) (national estimate)

United Kingdom

59.8%

in 2025

United States

59.7%

in 2025

United Kingdom rank

79th

United States rank

80th

Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) (national estimate) over time

United Kingdom
United States

How they compare

United Kingdom currently reports 59.8% against 59.7% in United States, a difference of 0.1%.

The two have swapped places 3 times across 46 shared years of data; in 1978 it was United States ahead.

United Kingdom ranks 79th and United States ranks 80th of 178 countries.

Across the 6 decades both report, United Kingdom averaged higher in 1 and United States in 5.

Head to head by decade

Decade	United Kingdom	United States	Difference	Ahead
1970s	45.1%	59.6%	14.5%	United States
1980s	53.5%	60.5%	7.0%	United States
1990s	56.2%	62.9%	6.7%	United States
2000s	56.5%	62.6%	6.1%	United States
2010s	58.7%	59.3%	0.7%	United States
2020s	59.6%	59.2%	0.4%	United Kingdom

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%), United Kingdom or United States?: United Kingdom, at 59.8% against 59.7% in United States as of 2025.
What is the difference in employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) between United Kingdom and United States?: 0.1%, with United Kingdom ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for United Kingdom and United States?: 46 years are reported by both, from 1978 to 2025.
How do United Kingdom and United States rank globally for employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%)?: United Kingdom ranks 79th and United States ranks 80th of 178 countries.
Where does this data come from?: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) (national estimate). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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United Kingdom vs United States: Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%). Statizoid, drawing on Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO). Retrieved 12 November 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/compare/employment-to-population-ratio-15-total-percent-national-estimate/united-kingdom/united-states/

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About this data

Indicator: Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) (national estimate)
Source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO)
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage: 210 places, 5,036 data points, 1960–2025
Last refreshed: 12 November 2026

Employment to population ratio is the proportion of a country's population that is employed.