Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in North America
North America: Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) was 68.0% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in North America, 1960–2025
Source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in North America is 68.0%, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.2% on the previous year and down 1.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in North America peaked at 83.3% in 1960 and was at its lowest, 67.8%, in 2020.
North America ranks 19th of 24 groups on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 66 years of available data.
Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in North America, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 83.3% | — |
| 1961 | 82.5% | -1.0% |
| 1962 | 82.0% | -0.6% |
| 1963 | 81.4% | -0.7% |
| 1964 | 81.0% | -0.5% |
| 1965 | 80.7% | -0.4% |
| 1966 | 80.4% | -0.4% |
| 1967 | 80.4% | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 80.1% | -0.4% |
| 1969 | 79.8% | -0.4% |
| 1970 | 79.7% | -0.1% |
| 1971 | 78.8% | -1.1% |
| 1972 | 78.9% | +0.1% |
| 1973 | 78.8% | -0.1% |
| 1974 | 78.7% | -0.1% |
| 1975 | 77.9% | -1.0% |
| 1976 | 77.5% | -0.5% |
| 1977 | 77.7% | +0.2% |
| 1978 | 77.9% | +0.3% |
| 1979 | 77.9% | -0.1% |
| 1980 | 77.5% | -0.5% |
| 1981 | 77.1% | -0.5% |
| 1982 | 76.6% | -0.6% |
| 1983 | 76.4% | -0.3% |
| 1984 | 76.4% | -0.0% |
| 1985 | 76.3% | -0.1% |
| 1986 | 76.4% | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 76.3% | -0.1% |
| 1988 | 76.2% | -0.0% |
| 1989 | 76.4% | +0.3% |
| 1990 | 76.4% | -0.1% |
| 1991 | 75.7% | -0.8% |
| 1992 | 75.6% | -0.2% |
| 1993 | 75.2% | -0.5% |
| 1994 | 74.9% | -0.4% |
| 1995 | 74.8% | -0.2% |
| 1996 | 74.7% | -0.1% |
| 1997 | 74.8% | +0.1% |
| 1998 | 74.6% | -0.3% |
| 1999 | 74.5% | -0.2% |
| 2000 | 74.6% | +0.1% |
| 2001 | 74.2% | -0.5% |
| 2002 | 74.0% | -0.3% |
| 2003 | 73.5% | -0.7% |
| 2004 | 73.3% | -0.3% |
| 2005 | 73.3% | -0.1% |
| 2006 | 73.4% | +0.2% |
| 2007 | 73.2% | -0.3% |
| 2008 | 72.9% | -0.3% |
| 2009 | 72.0% | -1.3% |
| 2010 | 71.3% | -1.0% |
| 2011 | 70.6% | -0.9% |
| 2012 | 70.3% | -0.4% |
| 2013 | 69.9% | -0.6% |
| 2014 | 69.4% | -0.7% |
| 2015 | 69.2% | -0.2% |
| 2016 | 69.3% | +0.1% |
| 2017 | 69.2% | -0.1% |
| 2018 | 69.2% | -0.1% |
| 2019 | 69.3% | +0.2% |
| 2020 | 67.8% | -2.1% |
| 2021 | 67.8% | +0.1% |
| 2022 | 68.1% | +0.4% |
| 2023 | 68.3% | +0.3% |
| 2024 | 68.1% | -0.3% |
| 2025 | 68.0% | -0.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 81.2% | 79.8% | 83.3% | 10 |
| 1970s | 78.4% | 77.5% | 79.7% | 10 |
| 1980s | 76.6% | 76.2% | 77.5% | 10 |
| 1990s | 75.1% | 74.5% | 76.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 73.4% | 72.0% | 74.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 69.8% | 69.2% | 71.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 68.0% | 67.8% | 68.3% | 6 |
Countries ranked near North America
More work & labour data for North America
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 56.8% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 62.0% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) 51.6% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) 52.4% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) 52.0% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 69.8% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) 74.4% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 78.8% (2025)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 84.4% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 67.3% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in North America?
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in North America was 68.0% in 2025, according to Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) recorded in North America?
- The highest recorded value was 83.3% in 1960.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) recorded in North America?
- The lowest recorded value was 67.8% in 2020.
- How does North America rank for labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+)?
- North America ranks 19th out of 24 groups with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) rising or falling in North America?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this North America data come from?
- The figures come from Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) (national estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Labor force participation rate is the proportion of the population ages 15 and older that is economically active: all people who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period.