Female employment rate, 1980 vs. 2024 in Ireland
Ireland: Female employment rate, 1980 vs. 2024 was 58.5% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Female employment rate, 1980 vs. 2024 in Ireland, 1983–2025
Source: Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for female employment rate, 1980 vs. 2024 in Ireland is 58.5%, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 43 years on record.
The figure is up 0.5% on the previous year and up 17.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, female employment rate, 1980 vs. 2024 in Ireland peaked at 58.5% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 26.9%, in 1985.
That places Ireland 40th out of 172 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 43 years of available data.
Female employment rate, 1980 vs. 2024 in Ireland, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1983 | 28.8% | — |
| 1984 | 27.7% | -3.9% |
| 1985 | 26.9% | -2.8% |
| 1986 | 27.2% | +1.3% |
| 1987 | 28.3% | +3.7% |
| 1988 | 28.0% | -0.8% |
| 1989 | 28.9% | +2.9% |
| 1990 | 30.1% | +4.2% |
| 1991 | 30.1% | -0.1% |
| 1992 | 31.2% | +3.7% |
| 1993 | 32.5% | +4.1% |
| 1994 | 33.7% | +3.8% |
| 1995 | 35.1% | +4.2% |
| 1996 | 36.7% | +4.4% |
| 1997 | 38.3% | +4.6% |
| 1998 | 40.7% | +6.2% |
| 1999 | 43.3% | +6.5% |
| 2000 | 45.1% | +4.2% |
| 2001 | 45.9% | +1.6% |
| 2002 | 47.0% | +2.4% |
| 2003 | 47.2% | +0.5% |
| 2004 | 47.5% | +0.8% |
| 2005 | 49.4% | +4.0% |
| 2006 | 50.4% | +2.0% |
| 2007 | 54.2% | +7.4% |
| 2008 | 53.6% | -1.1% |
| 2009 | 50.8% | -5.2% |
| 2010 | 48.9% | -3.6% |
| 2011 | 48.1% | -1.7% |
| 2012 | 47.8% | -0.7% |
| 2013 | 48.4% | +1.3% |
| 2014 | 49.0% | +1.1% |
| 2015 | 50.0% | +2.1% |
| 2016 | 51.4% | +2.8% |
| 2017 | 52.1% | +1.5% |
| 2018 | 52.8% | +1.3% |
| 2019 | 53.6% | +1.4% |
| 2020 | 52.0% | -3.0% |
| 2021 | 54.3% | +4.5% |
| 2022 | 56.6% | +4.3% |
| 2023 | 58.0% | +2.5% |
| 2024 | 58.2% | +0.3% |
| 2025 | 58.5% | +0.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 28.0% | 26.9% | 28.9% | 7 |
| 1990s | 35.2% | 30.1% | 43.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 49.1% | 45.1% | 54.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 50.2% | 47.8% | 53.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 56.3% | 52.0% | 58.5% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Ireland
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 female employment rate, 1980 vs. 2024 in Ireland?
- Female employment rate, 1980 vs. 2024 in Ireland was 58.5% in 2025, according to Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest female employment rate, 1980 vs. 2024 recorded in Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 58.5% in 2025.
- What is the lowest female employment rate, 1980 vs. 2024 recorded in Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 26.9% in 1985.
- How does Ireland rank for female employment rate, 1980 vs. 2024?
- Ireland ranks 40th out of 172 countries with data for 2025.
- Is female employment rate, 1980 vs. 2024 rising or falling in Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 17.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Ireland data come from?
- The figures come from Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Female employment rate, 1980 vs. 2024. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 43 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Share of the female working-age population who are employed. Figures refer to national estimates and may not be fully comparable across countries.