Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) in Costa Rica
Costa Rica: Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) was 65.3% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) in Costa Rica, 1990–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
Costa Rica recorded 65.3% for labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.4% on the previous year and down 3.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) in Costa Rica peaked at 70.2% in 2019 and was at its lowest, 58.7%, in 1992.
Costa Rica ranks 121st of 187 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) in Costa Rica, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 60.1% | — |
| 1991 | 59.3% | -1.4% |
| 1992 | 58.7% | -0.9% |
| 1993 | 59.7% | +1.6% |
| 1994 | 60.2% | +0.9% |
| 1995 | 61.3% | +1.7% |
| 1996 | 59.2% | -3.3% |
| 1997 | 61.4% | +3.6% |
| 1998 | 63.2% | +2.9% |
| 1999 | 63.1% | -0.2% |
| 2000 | 62.6% | -0.8% |
| 2001 | 64.0% | +2.3% |
| 2002 | 63.7% | -0.5% |
| 2003 | 64.1% | +0.7% |
| 2004 | 62.9% | -1.9% |
| 2005 | 65.6% | +4.3% |
| 2006 | 65.0% | -0.9% |
| 2007 | 66.0% | +1.5% |
| 2008 | 65.4% | -0.9% |
| 2009 | 65.3% | -0.1% |
| 2010 | 64.1% | -2.0% |
| 2011 | 65.2% | +1.8% |
| 2012 | 68.8% | +5.5% |
| 2013 | 68.4% | -0.6% |
| 2014 | 69.2% | +1.2% |
| 2015 | 67.9% | -1.9% |
| 2016 | 65.0% | -4.2% |
| 2017 | 65.4% | +0.5% |
| 2018 | 67.9% | +3.8% |
| 2019 | 70.2% | +3.4% |
| 2020 | 66.9% | -4.7% |
| 2021 | 68.4% | +2.3% |
| 2022 | 68.6% | +0.3% |
| 2023 | 63.9% | -6.8% |
| 2024 | 65.0% | +1.7% |
| 2025 | 65.3% | +0.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 60.6% | 58.7% | 63.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 64.4% | 62.6% | 66.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 67.2% | 64.1% | 70.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 66.4% | 63.9% | 68.6% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Costa Rica
- 118 North Macedonia 65.8% compare
- 119 Guinea-Bissau 65.8% compare
- 120 Cameroon 65.8% compare
- 122 Haiti 65.3% compare
- 123 New Caledonia 65.1% compare
- 124 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 64.6% compare
More work & labour data for Costa Rica
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.9965 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.9952 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.9977 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.61 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.29 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 5,205 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 569.35 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 1,908 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 1,868 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 3,776 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) in Costa Rica?
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) in Costa Rica was 65.3% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) recorded in Costa Rica?
- The highest recorded value was 70.2% in 2019.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) recorded in Costa Rica?
- The lowest recorded value was 58.7% in 1992.
- How does Costa Rica rank for labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages)?
- Costa Rica ranks 121st out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) rising or falling in Costa Rica?
- Over the last ten years it is down 3.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Costa Rica data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15-64) (modeled ILO 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 15-64 that is economically active: all people who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period.