Female employment rate in New Zealand
New Zealand: Female employment rate was 62.9% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Female employment rate in New Zealand, 1986–2025
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 in New Zealand is 62.9%, measured in 2025.
The figure is down 1.3% on the previous year and up 5.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, female employment rate in New Zealand peaked at 64.9% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 48.7%, in 1992.
That places New Zealand 26th out of 172 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 40 years of available data.
Female employment rate in New Zealand, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1986 | 52.0% | — |
| 1987 | 52.4% | +0.9% |
| 1988 | 51.1% | -2.5% |
| 1989 | 49.2% | -3.7% |
| 1990 | 50.0% | +1.5% |
| 1991 | 49.0% | -1.9% |
| 1992 | 48.7% | -0.5% |
| 1993 | 49.1% | +0.7% |
| 1994 | 50.7% | +3.4% |
| 1995 | 52.2% | +2.9% |
| 1996 | 53.6% | +2.6% |
| 1997 | 53.2% | -0.8% |
| 1998 | 52.6% | -1.0% |
| 1999 | 53.4% | +1.5% |
| 2000 | 54.0% | +1.0% |
| 2001 | 55.1% | +2.1% |
| 2002 | 55.8% | +1.2% |
| 2003 | 56.3% | +0.9% |
| 2004 | 57.1% | +1.4% |
| 2005 | 58.3% | +2.1% |
| 2006 | 58.7% | +0.8% |
| 2007 | 59.3% | +0.9% |
| 2008 | 59.4% | +0.2% |
| 2009 | 58.2% | -1.9% |
| 2010 | 57.6% | -1.1% |
| 2011 | 58.2% | +1.0% |
| 2012 | 57.9% | -0.5% |
| 2013 | 58.4% | +1.0% |
| 2014 | 59.5% | +1.8% |
| 2015 | 59.7% | +0.3% |
| 2016 | 61.1% | +2.3% |
| 2017 | 62.1% | +1.7% |
| 2018 | 62.8% | +1.1% |
| 2019 | 62.9% | +0.2% |
| 2020 | 61.9% | -1.5% |
| 2021 | 63.5% | +2.6% |
| 2022 | 64.5% | +1.6% |
| 2023 | 64.9% | +0.5% |
| 2024 | 63.7% | -1.8% |
| 2025 | 62.9% | -1.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 51.2% | 49.2% | 52.4% | 4 |
| 1990s | 51.3% | 48.7% | 53.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 57.2% | 54.0% | 59.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 60.0% | 57.6% | 62.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 63.6% | 61.9% | 64.9% | 6 |
Countries ranked near New Zealand
More work & labour data for New Zealand
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.0748 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.0721 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.0776 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.39 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.4877 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 5,200 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 511.04 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 2,819 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 2,994 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 5,812 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is female employment rate in New Zealand?
- Female employment rate in New Zealand was 62.9% in 2025, according to Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest female employment rate recorded in New Zealand?
- The highest recorded value was 64.9% in 2023.
- What is the lowest female employment rate recorded in New Zealand?
- The lowest recorded value was 48.7% in 1992.
- How does New Zealand rank for female employment rate?
- New Zealand ranks 26th out of 172 countries with data for 2025.
- Is female employment rate rising or falling in New Zealand?
- Over the last ten years it is up 5.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this New Zealand 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. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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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.