Female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 in Australia
Australia: Female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 was 63.2% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 in Australia, 1961–2025
Source: Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2025, female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 in Australia stood at 63.2%. That is the highest value across all 51 years on record.
The figure is up 0.1% on the previous year and up 6.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 in Australia peaked at 63.2% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 28.9%, in 1961.
That places Australia 41st out of 194 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 51 years of available data.
Female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 in Australia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 28.9% | — |
| 1966 | 35.2% | +21.9% |
| 1971 | 37.1% | +5.6% |
| 1976 | 43.8% | +18.0% |
| 1979 | 43.6% | -0.5% |
| 1980 | 44.8% | +2.7% |
| 1981 | 44.7% | -0.0% |
| 1982 | 44.6% | -0.2% |
| 1983 | 44.7% | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 45.3% | +1.4% |
| 1985 | 46.3% | +2.2% |
| 1986 | 48.3% | +4.4% |
| 1987 | 48.9% | +1.3% |
| 1988 | 49.9% | +1.9% |
| 1989 | 51.2% | +2.7% |
| 1990 | 52.2% | +2.0% |
| 1991 | 52.0% | -0.5% |
| 1992 | 51.9% | -0.1% |
| 1993 | 51.7% | -0.5% |
| 1994 | 52.6% | +1.7% |
| 1995 | 53.6% | +1.9% |
| 1996 | 53.8% | +0.4% |
| 1997 | 53.6% | -0.4% |
| 1998 | 53.6% | +0.1% |
| 1999 | 53.6% | -0.0% |
| 2000 | 54.5% | +1.6% |
| 2001 | 55.0% | +1.0% |
| 2002 | 55.2% | +0.3% |
| 2003 | 55.9% | +1.2% |
| 2004 | 55.7% | -0.4% |
| 2005 | 57.0% | +2.3% |
| 2006 | 57.5% | +1.0% |
| 2007 | 58.1% | +1.0% |
| 2008 | 58.5% | +0.8% |
| 2009 | 58.7% | +0.3% |
| 2010 | 58.6% | -0.2% |
| 2011 | 58.9% | +0.4% |
| 2012 | 58.8% | -0.2% |
| 2013 | 58.7% | -0.1% |
| 2014 | 58.7% | -0.0% |
| 2015 | 59.1% | +0.8% |
| 2016 | 59.3% | +0.4% |
| 2017 | 59.9% | +0.9% |
| 2018 | 60.6% | +1.2% |
| 2019 | 61.0% | +0.7% |
| 2020 | 60.1% | -1.5% |
| 2021 | 61.5% | +2.2% |
| 2022 | 62.5% | +1.8% |
| 2023 | 62.8% | +0.4% |
| 2024 | 63.1% | +0.4% |
| 2025 | 63.2% | +0.1% |
Australia compared with similar countries
- Australia's 63.2% is above the median for high income countries, which is 57.2%, 1.1× the median. (79 countries reporting)
- Australia's 63.2% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 54.1%, 1.2× the median. (33 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 32.0% | 28.9% | 35.2% | 2 |
| 1970s | 41.5% | 37.1% | 43.8% | 3 |
| 1980s | 46.9% | 44.6% | 51.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 52.9% | 51.7% | 53.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 56.6% | 54.5% | 58.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 59.4% | 58.6% | 61.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 62.2% | 60.1% | 63.2% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Australia
- 38 Qatar 63.5% compare
- 39 Kazakhstan 63.3% compare
- 40 Seychelles 63.3% compare
- 42 Saint Lucia 62.9% compare
- 43 Switzerland 62.8% compare
- 44 Singapore 62.5% compare
More work & labour data for Australia
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.5057 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.4907 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.5202 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -0.9895 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.8931 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 30,186 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 3,001 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 21,642 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 21,502 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 43,144 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 in Australia?
- Female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 in Australia was 63.2% in 2025, according to Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 recorded in Australia?
- The highest recorded value was 63.2% in 2025.
- What is the lowest female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was 28.9% in 1961.
- How does Australia rank for female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025?
- Australia ranks 41st out of 194 countries with data for 2025.
- Is female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 rising or falling in Australia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 6.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Australia 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 labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 51 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 economically active (employed or unemployed). Figures refer to national estimates and may not be fully comparable across countries.