Monthly unemployment rates in OECD
OECD: Monthly unemployment rates was 4.92 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup in 2024. ▼ Falling
Monthly unemployment rates in OECD, 2005–2024
Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Measured in Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup.
Analysis
In 2024, monthly unemployment rates in OECD stood at 4.92 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup.
The figure is up 1.5% on the previous year and down 34.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, monthly unemployment rates in OECD peaked at 8.53 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup in 2010 and was at its lowest, 4.85 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup, in 2023.
That places OECD 18th out of 32 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 20 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 6.72 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | 5.86 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | 8.32 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | 5 |
| 2010s | 7.04 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | 5.42 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | 8.53 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.63 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | 4.85 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | 7.16 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | 5 |
Countries ranked near OECD
- 15 Portugal 6.04 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup compare
- 16 Austria 5.68 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup compare
- 17 New Zealand 5.28 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup compare
- 19 Switzerland 4.84 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup compare
- 20 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 4.83 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup compare
- 21 Ireland 4.68 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup compare
More work & labour data for OECD
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 32 - Employment by 37,610 Persons (2022)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 32 - Employment by 36,963 Persons (2022)
- Employment and unemployment by five-year age group and sex - levels 666,682 Persons (2025)
- Unemployed population — Unemployment 34,262 Persons (2024)
- Average annual hours actually worked per worker — Hours worked 1,736 Hours per year per person (2025)
- Incidence of unemployment by duration 27.97 Percentage of population in the same subgroup (2025)
- Monthly unemployment levels 34,246 Persons (2024)
- Gender share of part-time employment 65.83 Percentage of population in the same subgroup (2025)
- Incidence of full-time and part-time employment based on national 79.66 Percentage of population in the same subgroup (2025)
- Full-time and part-time employment 504,527 Persons (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is monthly unemployment rates in OECD?
- Monthly unemployment rates in OECD was 4.92 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup in 2024, according to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
- What is the highest monthly unemployment rates recorded in OECD?
- The highest recorded value was 8.53 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup in 2010.
- What is the lowest monthly unemployment rates recorded in OECD?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.85 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup in 2023.
- How does OECD rank for monthly unemployment rates?
- OECD ranks 18th out of 32 countries with data for 2024.
- Is monthly unemployment rates rising or falling in OECD?
- Over the last ten years it is down 34.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this OECD data come from?
- The figures come from Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, published as part of Monthly unemployment rates. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 20 observations, free to reuse under OECD Terms and Conditions (attribution required).
About this data
The infra-annual dataflow on the monthly unemployment rate is a subset of the infra-annual labour statistics database, which contains predominantly monthly and quarterly statistics on the unemployed population by age groups (15+, 15-24, 25-54, 55-64, 15-64 and 15-74 where available) and sex and associated statistical methodological information and associated statistical methodological information, for the OECD member countries and for selected other economies. The unemployment rate is calculated as the number of unemployed persons as a percentage of the labour force (i.e., the unemployed plus those in employment). The unemployed are persons in their working age who, in the reference period, do not have a job; are available for work; and, have taken specific steps to find a job. Chile, Costa Rica, and the United Kingdom publish Labour Force Survey (LFS) data using a rolling quarter methodology. The OECD treats the middle month of the rolling quarter as the reference month. As a result, the publication of monthly LFS data for these countries may be delayed by one month or more relative to the OECD reference month. The infra-annual labour statistics compiled for all OECD member countries, are drawn from Labour Force Surveys based on definition provided by the 19th Conference of Labour Statisticians in 2013. The uniform application of these definitions across all OECD member countries results in estimates that are internationally comparable.