Labor force participation rate by age in Barbados
Barbados: Labor force participation rate by age was 48.2% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Labor force participation rate by age in Barbados, 1990–2024
Source: International Labour Organization (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Barbados recorded 48.2% for labor force participation rate by age in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.9% on the previous year and up 3.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate by age in Barbados peaked at 65.1% in 1990 and was at its lowest, 41.3%, in 2017.
That places Barbados 57th out of 188 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 62.8% | 60.4% | 65.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 56.7% | 54.2% | 59.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 46.4% | 41.3% | 53.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 45.7% | 42.6% | 48.2% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Barbados
- 54 Israel 48.5% compare
- 55 Bangladesh 48.3% compare
- 56 Zimbabwe 48.2% compare
- 58 Dominican Republic 48.0% compare
- 59 Turkey 47.0% compare
- 60 United Arab Emirates 47.0% compare
More work & labour data for Barbados
- Women can take the same jobs as men 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Legislation on sexual harassment in employment 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Criminal sanctions or compensation for workplace sexual harassment 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 88.8% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 68.7% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 64.7% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) 48.1% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) 48.6% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) 48.3% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 61.0% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force participation rate by age in Barbados?
- Labor force participation rate by age in Barbados was 48.2% in 2024, according to International Labour Organization (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest labor force participation rate by age recorded in Barbados?
- The highest recorded value was 65.1% in 1990.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate by age recorded in Barbados?
- The lowest recorded value was 41.3% in 2017.
- How does Barbados rank for labor force participation rate by age?
- Barbados ranks 57th out of 188 countries with data for 2024.
- Is labor force participation rate by age rising or falling in Barbados?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Barbados data come from?
- The figures come from International Labour Organization (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Labor force participation rate by age. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of the working-age population aged 15-24 who are economically active (employed or unemployed).