Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Costa Rica
Costa Rica: Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) was 57.7% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Costa Rica, 1990–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Costa Rica is 57.7%, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 8.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Costa Rica peaked at 64.3% in 2012 and was at its lowest, 55.7%, in 1992.
That places Costa Rica 122nd out of 187 countries with data for 2025, putting it 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 15+) in Costa Rica, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 57.4% | — |
| 1991 | 56.5% | -1.5% |
| 1992 | 55.7% | -1.5% |
| 1993 | 56.5% | +1.6% |
| 1994 | 57.0% | +0.8% |
| 1995 | 58.0% | +1.8% |
| 1996 | 56.0% | -3.5% |
| 1997 | 58.1% | +3.9% |
| 1998 | 59.7% | +2.7% |
| 1999 | 59.7% | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 58.9% | -1.4% |
| 2001 | 60.2% | +2.3% |
| 2002 | 59.8% | -0.8% |
| 2003 | 60.0% | +0.5% |
| 2004 | 58.9% | -2.0% |
| 2005 | 61.3% | +4.1% |
| 2006 | 60.6% | -1.1% |
| 2007 | 61.4% | +1.3% |
| 2008 | 60.9% | -0.8% |
| 2009 | 60.5% | -0.7% |
| 2010 | 59.2% | -2.1% |
| 2011 | 60.6% | +2.4% |
| 2012 | 64.3% | +6.1% |
| 2013 | 63.7% | -1.0% |
| 2014 | 64.2% | +0.8% |
| 2015 | 62.8% | -2.2% |
| 2016 | 59.7% | -5.0% |
| 2017 | 59.8% | +0.3% |
| 2018 | 62.2% | +3.9% |
| 2019 | 64.3% | +3.3% |
| 2020 | 60.6% | -5.7% |
| 2021 | 61.8% | +1.9% |
| 2022 | 61.5% | -0.4% |
| 2023 | 56.8% | -7.6% |
| 2024 | 57.7% | +1.5% |
| 2025 | 57.7% | -0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 57.5% | 55.7% | 59.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 60.3% | 58.9% | 61.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 62.1% | 59.2% | 64.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 59.3% | 56.8% | 61.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Costa Rica
- 119 Montenegro 58.0% compare
- 120 Togo 57.8% compare
- 121 Trinidad and Tobago 57.8% compare
- 123 Slovenia 57.6% compare
- 124 Uzbekistan 57.5% compare
- 125 Spain 57.4% 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 15+) in Costa Rica?
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Costa Rica was 57.7% 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 15+) recorded in Costa Rica?
- The highest recorded value was 64.3% in 2012.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) recorded in Costa Rica?
- The lowest recorded value was 55.7% in 1992.
- How does Costa Rica rank for labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+)?
- Costa Rica ranks 122nd out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) rising or falling in Costa Rica?
- Over the last ten years it is down 8.2%. 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+) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 36 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
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.