Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico: Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) was 42.8% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Puerto Rico, 1990–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
In 2025, labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Puerto Rico stood at 42.8%.
That represents a change of up 0.4% on the previous year and up 12.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Puerto Rico peaked at 47.7% in 1997 and was at its lowest, 38.0%, in 2015.
Puerto Rico ranks 171st of 187 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 36 years of available data.
Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Puerto Rico, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 44.6% | — |
| 1991 | 45.6% | +2.4% |
| 1992 | 45.6% | -0.2% |
| 1993 | 47.1% | +3.4% |
| 1994 | 46.6% | -1.1% |
| 1995 | 46.1% | -1.1% |
| 1996 | 46.9% | +1.7% |
| 1997 | 47.7% | +1.7% |
| 1998 | 47.5% | -0.3% |
| 1999 | 47.3% | -0.5% |
| 2000 | 45.9% | -2.9% |
| 2001 | 46.1% | +0.3% |
| 2002 | 46.2% | +0.3% |
| 2003 | 46.7% | +1.1% |
| 2004 | 46.7% | -0.1% |
| 2005 | 47.7% | +2.2% |
| 2006 | 47.2% | -1.0% |
| 2007 | 46.1% | -2.3% |
| 2008 | 44.8% | -2.9% |
| 2009 | 43.2% | -3.6% |
| 2010 | 41.9% | -3.0% |
| 2011 | 40.5% | -3.3% |
| 2012 | 39.9% | -1.5% |
| 2013 | 39.3% | -1.5% |
| 2014 | 38.3% | -2.6% |
| 2015 | 38.0% | -0.7% |
| 2016 | 38.2% | +0.4% |
| 2017 | 38.2% | +0.2% |
| 2018 | 38.6% | +0.9% |
| 2019 | 38.6% | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 39.2% | +1.7% |
| 2021 | 41.3% | +5.2% |
| 2022 | 41.8% | +1.3% |
| 2023 | 42.1% | +0.7% |
| 2024 | 42.6% | +1.1% |
| 2025 | 42.8% | +0.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 46.5% | 44.6% | 47.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 46.1% | 43.2% | 47.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 39.1% | 38.0% | 41.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 41.6% | 39.2% | 42.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Puerto Rico
More work & labour data for Puerto Rico
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -2.24 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -2.19 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -2.28 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -2.36 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate -0.5786 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 3,139 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 142.52 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 521.69 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 473.93 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 995.62 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Puerto Rico?
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Puerto Rico was 42.8% 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 Puerto Rico?
- The highest recorded value was 47.7% in 1997.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) recorded in Puerto Rico?
- The lowest recorded value was 38.0% in 2015.
- How does Puerto Rico rank for labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+)?
- Puerto Rico ranks 171st out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) rising or falling in Puerto Rico?
- Over the last ten years it is up 12.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Puerto Rico 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.