Employment and unemployment by five-year age group and sex - levels in Australia

Australia: Employment and unemployment by five-year age group and sex - levels was 14,598 Persons in 2025. ▲ Rising

Latest (2025)
14,598 Persons
Change on year
up 1.7%
World rank
19th
of 43 countries
All-time high
14,598 Persons
in 2025
All-time low
4,824 Persons
in 1966
Years of data
60
1966–2025

Employment and unemployment by five-year age group and sex - levels in Australia, 1966–2025

4.0k6.0k8.0k10.0k12.0k14.0k196619952025

Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Measured in Persons.

Analysis

Australia recorded 14,598 Persons for employment and unemployment by five-year age group and sex - levels in 2025. That is the highest value across all 60 years on record.

The figure is up 1.7% on the previous year and up 24.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, employment and unemployment by five-year age group and sex - levels in Australia peaked at 14,598 Persons in 2025 and was at its lowest, 4,824 Persons, in 1966.

Australia ranks 19th of 43 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 60 years of available data.

Employment and unemployment by five-year age group and sex - levels in Australia, year by year

Annual values for Employment and unemployment by five-year age group and sex - levels — Population in Australia, 1966 to 2025.
Year Persons Change
1966 4,824 Persons
1967 4,933 Persons +2.3%
1968 5,056 Persons +2.5%
1969 5,183 Persons +2.5%
1970 5,396 Persons +4.1%
1971 5,516 Persons +2.2%
1972 5,610 Persons +1.7%
1973 5,783 Persons +3.1%
1974 5,855 Persons +1.3%
1975 5,841 Persons -0.2%
1976 5,898 Persons +1.0%
1977 5,996 Persons +1.7%
1978 6,016 Persons +0.3%
1979 6,111 Persons +1.6%
1980 6,284 Persons +2.8%
1981 6,416 Persons +2.1%
1982 6,415 Persons -0.0%
1983 6,300 Persons -1.8%
1984 6,494 Persons +3.1%
1985 6,697 Persons +3.1%
1986 6,974 Persons +4.1%
1987 7,129 Persons +2.2%
1988 7,398 Persons +3.8%
1989 7,720 Persons +4.3%
1990 7,859 Persons +1.8%
1991 7,671 Persons -2.4%
1992 7,634 Persons -0.5%
1993 7,653 Persons +0.2%
1994 7,899 Persons +3.2%
1995 8,189 Persons +3.7%
1996 8,299 Persons +1.3%
1997 8,367 Persons +0.8%
1998 8,517 Persons +1.8%
1999 8,673 Persons +1.8%
2000 8,902 Persons +2.6%
2001 9,015 Persons +1.3%
2002 9,190 Persons +1.9%
2003 9,397 Persons +2.2%
2004 9,558 Persons +1.7%
2005 9,881 Persons +3.4%
2006 10,124 Persons +2.5%
2007 10,434 Persons +3.1%
2008 10,731 Persons +2.8%
2009 10,805 Persons +0.7%
2010 11,022 Persons +2.0%
2011 11,214 Persons +1.7%
2012 11,351 Persons +1.2%
2013 11,457 Persons +0.9%
2014 11,540 Persons +0.7%
2015 11,766 Persons +2.0%
2016 11,966 Persons +1.7%
2017 12,219 Persons +2.1%
2018 12,538 Persons +2.6%
2019 12,830 Persons +2.3%
2020 12,604 Persons -1.8%
2021 12,987 Persons +3.0%
2022 13,572 Persons +4.5%
2023 14,029 Persons +3.4%
2024 14,353 Persons +2.3%
2025 14,598 Persons +1.7%

Australia compared with similar countries

  • Australia's 14,598 Persons is above the median for high income countries, which is 5,016 Persons, 2.9× the median. (32 countries reporting)
  • Australia's 14,598 Persons is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 39,807 Persons, 37% of the median. (5 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1960s 4,999 Persons 4,824 Persons 5,183 Persons 4
1970s 5,802 Persons 5,396 Persons 6,111 Persons 10
1980s 6,783 Persons 6,284 Persons 7,720 Persons 10
1990s 8,076 Persons 7,634 Persons 8,673 Persons 10
2000s 9,804 Persons 8,902 Persons 10,805 Persons 10
2010s 11,790 Persons 11,022 Persons 12,830 Persons 10
2020s 13,691 Persons 12,604 Persons 14,598 Persons 6

Countries ranked near Australia

  1. 16 Canada 21,029 Persons compare
  2. 17 Peru 17,205 Persons compare
  3. 18 South Africa 17,179 Persons compare
  4. 20 Argentina 13,509 Persons compare
  5. 21 Chile 9,391 Persons compare
  6. 22 Romania 7,694 Persons compare

See the full ranking of 58 places →

More work & labour data for Australia

All data for Australia →

Frequently asked questions

What is employment and unemployment by five-year age group and sex - levels in Australia?
Employment and unemployment by five-year age group and sex - levels in Australia was 14,598 Persons in 2025, according to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
What is the highest employment and unemployment by five-year age group and sex - levels recorded in Australia?
The highest recorded value was 14,598 Persons in 2025.
What is the lowest employment and unemployment by five-year age group and sex - levels recorded in Australia?
The lowest recorded value was 4,824 Persons in 1966.
How does Australia rank for employment and unemployment by five-year age group and sex - levels?
Australia ranks 19th out of 43 countries with data for 2025.
Is employment and unemployment by five-year age group and sex - levels rising or falling in Australia?
Over the last ten years it is up 24.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Australia data come from?
The figures come from Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, published as part of Employment and unemployment by five-year age group and sex - levels — Population. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Employment and unemployment by five-year age group and sex - levels in Australia. Statizoid, drawing on Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Retrieved 14 September 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/employment-and-unemployment-by-five-year-age-group-and-sex-levels-population/australia/

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About this data

Indicator
Employment and unemployment by five-year age group and sex - levels — Population
Unit
Persons
Source
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
Licence
OECD Terms and Conditions (attribution required)
Coverage
58 places, 2,219 data points, 1960–2025
Last refreshed

This dataset contains labour force data on labour market status - population, labour force, unemployment and employment - by sex and by detailed age groups and standard age groups (15-24, 25-54, 55-64, 65+, total). Information for all countries and all LFS subjects may be found in the attached file LFS_NOTES_SOURCES. In order to facilitate analysis and comparisons over time, historical data for OECD members have been provided over as long a period as possible, often even before a country became a member of the Organisation. Information on the membership dates of all OECD countries can be found at OECD Ratification Dates.