Female employment vs. public spending on family benefits in Finland
Finland: Female employment vs. public spending on family benefits was 3.1% in 2021. ▲ Rising
Female employment vs. public spending on family benefits in Finland, 1980–2021
Source: OECD (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
The most recent figure for female employment vs. public spending on family benefits in Finland is 3.1%, measured in 2021.
The figure is up 2.4% on the previous year and up 0.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, female employment vs. public spending on family benefits in Finland peaked at 4.3% in 1994 and was at its lowest, 1.9%, in 1981.
That places Finland 6th out of 41 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 42 years of available data.
Female employment vs. public spending on family benefits in Finland, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 2.0% | — |
| 1981 | 1.9% | -6.2% |
| 1982 | 2.2% | +15.5% |
| 1983 | 2.4% | +8.1% |
| 1984 | 2.3% | -1.9% |
| 1985 | 2.5% | +7.4% |
| 1986 | 2.5% | +1.2% |
| 1987 | 2.6% | +4.0% |
| 1988 | 2.6% | -0.2% |
| 1989 | 2.8% | +5.3% |
| 1990 | 3.1% | +12.8% |
| 1991 | 3.7% | +17.9% |
| 1992 | 4.0% | +8.6% |
| 1993 | 3.9% | -2.9% |
| 1994 | 4.3% | +10.5% |
| 1995 | 4.0% | -8.4% |
| 1996 | 3.7% | -6.9% |
| 1997 | 3.4% | -6.5% |
| 1998 | 3.2% | -5.7% |
| 1999 | 3.1% | -3.6% |
| 2000 | 2.9% | -6.4% |
| 2001 | 2.8% | -3.8% |
| 2002 | 2.8% | -0.7% |
| 2003 | 2.8% | +0.4% |
| 2004 | 2.8% | +0.3% |
| 2005 | 2.8% | +0.5% |
| 2006 | 2.8% | -1.1% |
| 2007 | 2.7% | -3.1% |
| 2008 | 2.8% | +2.4% |
| 2009 | 3.1% | +12.3% |
| 2010 | 3.1% | -0.7% |
| 2011 | 3.1% | -0.7% |
| 2012 | 3.2% | +3.4% |
| 2013 | 3.2% | +0.8% |
| 2014 | 3.2% | -1.0% |
| 2015 | 3.1% | -2.4% |
| 2016 | 3.0% | -2.4% |
| 2017 | 2.9% | -4.7% |
| 2018 | 2.9% | +0.1% |
| 2019 | 2.9% | +0.6% |
| 2020 | 3.0% | +3.9% |
| 2021 | 3.1% | +2.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 2.4% | 1.9% | 2.8% | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.7% | 3.1% | 4.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.8% | 2.7% | 3.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.1% | 2.9% | 3.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.1% | 3.0% | 3.1% | 2 |
Countries ranked near Finland
More work & labour data for Finland
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.3571 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.35 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.3641 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.59 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.2994 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 5,282 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 583.99 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 2,261 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 2,341 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 4,601 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is female employment vs. public spending on family benefits in Finland?
- Female employment vs. public spending on family benefits in Finland was 3.1% in 2021, according to OECD (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest female employment vs. public spending on family benefits recorded in Finland?
- The highest recorded value was 4.3% in 1994.
- What is the lowest female employment vs. public spending on family benefits recorded in Finland?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.9% in 1981.
- How does Finland rank for female employment vs. public spending on family benefits?
- Finland ranks 6th out of 41 countries with data for 2021.
- Is female employment vs. public spending on family benefits rising or falling in Finland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Finland data come from?
- The figures come from OECD (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Female employment vs. public spending on family benefits. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 42 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Public social expenditure divided by gross domestic product, expressed as a percentage. Includes both in-cash and in-kind benefits in family programs.