Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in North America
North America: Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) was 62.7% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Labor force participation rate, total (% of total 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, total (% of total population ages 15+) in North America is 62.7%, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.3% on the previous year and down 0.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in North America peaked at 67.0% in 1997 and was at its lowest, 58.7%, in 1963.
That places North America 9th out of 33 groups with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 66 years of available data.
Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in North America, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 59.4% | — |
| 1961 | 58.8% | -0.9% |
| 1962 | 58.8% | -0.1% |
| 1963 | 58.7% | -0.2% |
| 1964 | 58.7% | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 58.9% | +0.3% |
| 1966 | 59.2% | +0.5% |
| 1967 | 59.6% | +0.7% |
| 1968 | 59.6% | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 60.1% | +0.8% |
| 1970 | 60.4% | +0.5% |
| 1971 | 60.0% | -0.7% |
| 1972 | 60.4% | +0.7% |
| 1973 | 60.8% | +0.7% |
| 1974 | 61.3% | +0.8% |
| 1975 | 61.2% | -0.2% |
| 1976 | 61.6% | +0.6% |
| 1977 | 62.3% | +1.1% |
| 1978 | 63.2% | +1.4% |
| 1979 | 63.7% | +0.9% |
| 1980 | 63.8% | +0.2% |
| 1981 | 64.0% | +0.3% |
| 1982 | 64.0% | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 64.1% | +0.1% |
| 1984 | 64.5% | +0.6% |
| 1985 | 64.9% | +0.7% |
| 1986 | 65.4% | +0.8% |
| 1987 | 65.7% | +0.5% |
| 1988 | 66.0% | +0.5% |
| 1989 | 66.6% | +0.9% |
| 1990 | 66.6% | -0.0% |
| 1991 | 66.2% | -0.5% |
| 1992 | 66.3% | +0.1% |
| 1993 | 66.2% | -0.2% |
| 1994 | 66.5% | +0.5% |
| 1995 | 66.5% | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 66.6% | +0.2% |
| 1997 | 67.0% | +0.5% |
| 1998 | 66.9% | -0.1% |
| 1999 | 66.9% | +0.1% |
| 2000 | 66.9% | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 66.7% | -0.3% |
| 2002 | 66.6% | -0.2% |
| 2003 | 66.4% | -0.4% |
| 2004 | 66.1% | -0.3% |
| 2005 | 66.2% | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 66.3% | +0.2% |
| 2007 | 66.2% | -0.1% |
| 2008 | 66.2% | -0.0% |
| 2009 | 65.6% | -0.9% |
| 2010 | 65.0% | -0.9% |
| 2011 | 64.4% | -0.9% |
| 2012 | 64.0% | -0.6% |
| 2013 | 63.6% | -0.6% |
| 2014 | 63.2% | -0.6% |
| 2015 | 63.0% | -0.4% |
| 2016 | 63.1% | +0.2% |
| 2017 | 63.2% | +0.1% |
| 2018 | 63.2% | -0.0% |
| 2019 | 63.4% | +0.4% |
| 2020 | 62.0% | -2.2% |
| 2021 | 62.1% | +0.1% |
| 2022 | 62.6% | +0.8% |
| 2023 | 63.0% | +0.6% |
| 2024 | 62.9% | -0.1% |
| 2025 | 62.7% | -0.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 59.2% | 58.7% | 60.1% | 10 |
| 1970s | 61.5% | 60.0% | 63.7% | 10 |
| 1980s | 64.9% | 63.8% | 66.6% | 10 |
| 1990s | 66.6% | 66.2% | 67.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 66.3% | 65.6% | 66.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 63.6% | 63.0% | 65.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 62.5% | 62.0% | 63.0% | 6 |
Countries ranked near North America
- 6 Cayman Islands 82.8% compare
- 7 Nigeria 81.5% compare
- 8 United Arab Emirates 81.4% compare
- 9 Cambodia 80.0% compare
- 10 Niger 79.6% compare
- 11 Bolivia, Plurinational State of 79.6% compare
- 12 Uganda 79.4% compare
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, male (% of male population ages 15+) 67.3% (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, 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, female (% of female population ages) 69.8% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) 74.4% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in North America?
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in North America was 62.7% in 2025, according to Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) recorded in North America?
- The highest recorded value was 67.0% in 1997.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) recorded in North America?
- The lowest recorded value was 58.7% in 1963.
- How does North America rank for labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+)?
- North America ranks 9th out of 33 groups with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) rising or falling in North America?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- 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, total (% of total 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.