Female employment vs. public spending on family benefits in Sweden
Sweden: Female employment vs. public spending on family benefits was 3.3% in 2021. ▼ Falling
Female employment vs. public spending on family benefits in Sweden, 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 Sweden is 3.3%, measured in 2021.
That represents a change of down 6.2% on the previous year and down 2.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, female employment vs. public spending on family benefits in Sweden peaked at 4.4% in 1992 and was at its lowest, 2.8%, in 2000.
That places Sweden 3rd out of 41 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 42 years of available data.
Female employment vs. public spending on family benefits in Sweden, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 3.5% | — |
| 1981 | 3.6% | +3.5% |
| 1982 | 3.4% | -5.3% |
| 1983 | 3.5% | +4.3% |
| 1984 | 3.4% | -2.7% |
| 1985 | 3.7% | +6.1% |
| 1986 | 3.7% | +0.5% |
| 1987 | 3.7% | +1.8% |
| 1988 | 3.8% | +0.3% |
| 1989 | 3.6% | -3.0% |
| 1990 | 4.0% | +9.4% |
| 1991 | 4.3% | +9.1% |
| 1992 | 4.4% | +1.3% |
| 1993 | 4.2% | -5.2% |
| 1994 | 4.1% | -1.8% |
| 1995 | 3.6% | -12.5% |
| 1996 | 3.3% | -7.8% |
| 1997 | 3.1% | -6.7% |
| 1998 | 3.1% | -0.3% |
| 1999 | 3.0% | -2.3% |
| 2000 | 2.8% | -7.6% |
| 2001 | 2.9% | +4.8% |
| 2002 | 3.1% | +4.9% |
| 2003 | 3.1% | +2.1% |
| 2004 | 3.1% | -0.3% |
| 2005 | 3.1% | +0.9% |
| 2006 | 3.2% | +2.8% |
| 2007 | 3.2% | -1.2% |
| 2008 | 3.3% | +4.4% |
| 2009 | 3.5% | +5.3% |
| 2010 | 3.4% | -3.0% |
| 2011 | 3.4% | -0.1% |
| 2012 | 3.5% | +3.4% |
| 2013 | 3.6% | +1.5% |
| 2014 | 3.6% | +0.1% |
| 2015 | 3.5% | -2.4% |
| 2016 | 3.5% | +0.7% |
| 2017 | 3.5% | -0.3% |
| 2018 | 3.6% | +2.1% |
| 2019 | 3.5% | -1.6% |
| 2020 | 3.5% | +0.8% |
| 2021 | 3.3% | -6.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 3.6% | 3.4% | 3.8% | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.7% | 3.0% | 4.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.1% | 2.8% | 3.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.5% | 3.4% | 3.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.4% | 3.3% | 3.5% | 2 |
Countries ranked near Sweden
More work & labour data for Sweden
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.0422 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.0602 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.0243 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.29 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.5427 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 10,837 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 788.88 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 5,587 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 5,780 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 11,367 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is female employment vs. public spending on family benefits in Sweden?
- Female employment vs. public spending on family benefits in Sweden was 3.3% 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 Sweden?
- The highest recorded value was 4.4% in 1992.
- What is the lowest female employment vs. public spending on family benefits recorded in Sweden?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.8% in 2000.
- How does Sweden rank for female employment vs. public spending on family benefits?
- Sweden ranks 3rd out of 41 countries with data for 2021.
- Is female employment vs. public spending on family benefits rising or falling in Sweden?
- Over the last ten years it is down 2.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Sweden 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.