Employment and unemployment by five-year age group and sex - levels in Ireland
Ireland: Employment and unemployment by five-year age group and sex - levels was 2,810 Persons in 2025. ▲ Rising
Employment and unemployment by five-year age group and sex - levels in Ireland, 1961–2025
Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Measured in Persons.
Analysis
In 2025, employment and unemployment by five-year age group and sex - levels in Ireland stood at 2,810 Persons. That is the highest value across all 50 years on record.
That represents a change of up 2.1% on the previous year and up 36.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, employment and unemployment by five-year age group and sex - levels in Ireland peaked at 2,810 Persons in 2025 and was at its lowest, 902.6 Persons, in 1961.
That places Ireland 36th out of 43 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 50 years of available data.
Employment and unemployment by five-year age group and sex - levels in Ireland, year by year
| Year | Persons | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 902.6 Persons | — |
| 1966 | 914.8 Persons | +1.4% |
| 1971 | 905.1 Persons | -1.1% |
| 1975 | 921.2 Persons | +1.8% |
| 1977 | 945.9 Persons | +2.7% |
| 1979 | 1,018 Persons | +7.6% |
| 1981 | 1,138 Persons | +11.8% |
| 1983 | 998.7 Persons | -12.2% |
| 1984 | 983 Persons | -1.6% |
| 1985 | 978 Persons | -0.5% |
| 1986 | 1,082 Persons | +10.7% |
| 1987 | 988.3 Persons | -8.7% |
| 1988 | 990.9 Persons | +0.3% |
| 1989 | 994.3 Persons | +0.3% |
| 1990 | 1,044 Persons | +5.0% |
| 1991 | 1,147 Persons | +9.8% |
| 1992 | 1,048 Persons | -8.6% |
| 1993 | 1,064 Persons | +1.5% |
| 1994 | 1,211 Persons | +13.8% |
| 1995 | 1,282 Persons | +5.9% |
| 1996 | 1,319 Persons | +2.9% |
| 1997 | 1,380 Persons | +4.6% |
| 1998 | 1,496 Persons | +8.4% |
| 1999 | 1,593 Persons | +6.5% |
| 2000 | 1,688 Persons | +6.0% |
| 2001 | 1,742 Persons | +3.2% |
| 2002 | 1,773 Persons | +1.8% |
| 2003 | 1,806 Persons | +1.9% |
| 2004 | 1,861 Persons | +3.0% |
| 2005 | 1,947 Persons | +4.7% |
| 2006 | 2,039 Persons | +4.7% |
| 2007 | 2,217 Persons | +8.7% |
| 2008 | 2,194 Persons | -1.0% |
| 2009 | 2,012 Persons | -8.3% |
| 2010 | 1,922 Persons | -4.5% |
| 2011 | 1,885 Persons | -1.9% |
| 2012 | 1,877 Persons | -0.4% |
| 2013 | 1,934 Persons | +3.0% |
| 2014 | 1,986 Persons | +2.7% |
| 2015 | 2,055 Persons | +3.5% |
| 2016 | 2,130 Persons | +3.6% |
| 2017 | 2,189 Persons | +2.8% |
| 2018 | 2,250 Persons | +2.8% |
| 2019 | 2,316 Persons | +2.9% |
| 2020 | 2,286 Persons | -1.3% |
| 2021 | 2,421 Persons | +5.9% |
| 2022 | 2,588 Persons | +6.9% |
| 2023 | 2,678 Persons | +3.5% |
| 2024 | 2,752 Persons | +2.7% |
| 2025 | 2,810 Persons | +2.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 908.7 Persons | 902.6 Persons | 914.8 Persons | 2 |
| 1970s | 947.5 Persons | 905.1 Persons | 1,018 Persons | 4 |
| 1980s | 1,019 Persons | 978 Persons | 1,138 Persons | 8 |
| 1990s | 1,258 Persons | 1,044 Persons | 1,593 Persons | 10 |
| 2000s | 1,928 Persons | 1,688 Persons | 2,217 Persons | 10 |
| 2010s | 2,054 Persons | 1,877 Persons | 2,316 Persons | 10 |
| 2020s | 2,589 Persons | 2,286 Persons | 2,810 Persons | 6 |
Countries ranked near Ireland
- 33 Bulgaria 2,930 Persons compare
- 34 Norway 2,923 Persons compare
- 35 New Zealand 2,876 Persons compare
- 37 Finland 2,613 Persons compare
- 38 Costa Rica 2,189 Persons compare
- 39 North Macedonia 704.49 Persons compare
More work & labour data for Ireland
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.4488 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.4574 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.4405 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.23 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.9335 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 4,354 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 1,447 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 2,638 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 2,649 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 5,286 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is employment and unemployment by five-year age group and sex - levels in Ireland?
- Employment and unemployment by five-year age group and sex - levels in Ireland was 2,810 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 Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 2,810 Persons in 2025.
- What is the lowest employment and unemployment by five-year age group and sex - levels recorded in Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 902.6 Persons in 1961.
- How does Ireland rank for employment and unemployment by five-year age group and sex - levels?
- Ireland ranks 36th out of 43 countries with data for 2025.
- Is employment and unemployment by five-year age group and sex - levels rising or falling in Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 36.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Ireland 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.
Download this data
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About this data
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.