Persons outside the labour force - % of total population in private in Netherlands
Netherlands: Persons outside the labour force - % of total population in private was 23.8% in 2026. ▼ Falling
Latest (2026)
23.8%
Change on year
up 0.4%
World rank
43rd
of 45 countries
All-time high
34.3%
in 1998
All-time low
23.7%
in 2025
Years of data
29
1998–2026
Persons outside the labour force - % of total population in private in Netherlands, 1998–2026
Source: Eurostat. Measured in Percentage.
Analysis
The most recent figure for persons outside the labour force - % of total population in private in Netherlands is 23.8%, measured in 2026.
The figure is up 0.4% on the previous year and down 20.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, persons outside the labour force - % of total population in private in Netherlands peaked at 34.3% in 1998 and was at its lowest, 23.7%, in 2025.
Netherlands ranks 43rd of 45 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 29 years of available data.
Persons outside the labour force - % of total population in private in Netherlands, year by year
| Year | Percentage | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 34.3% | — |
| 1999 | 33.3% | -2.9% |
| 2000 | 31.2% | -6.3% |
| 2001 | 31.0% | -0.6% |
| 2002 | 30.3% | -2.3% |
| 2003 | 30.7% | +1.3% |
| 2004 | 30.4% | -1.0% |
| 2005 | 31.7% | +4.3% |
| 2006 | 31.2% | -1.6% |
| 2007 | 30.2% | -3.2% |
| 2008 | 29.4% | -2.6% |
| 2009 | 29.7% | +1.0% |
| 2010 | 29.8% | +0.3% |
| 2011 | 29.5% | -1.0% |
| 2012 | 29.4% | -0.3% |
| 2013 | 29.5% | +0.3% |
| 2014 | 29.7% | +0.7% |
| 2015 | 29.9% | +0.7% |
| 2016 | 30.0% | +0.3% |
| 2017 | 29.9% | -0.3% |
| 2018 | 29.1% | -2.7% |
| 2019 | 28.6% | -1.7% |
| 2020 | 28.7% | +0.3% |
| 2021 | 26.1% | -9.1% |
| 2022 | 24.7% | -5.4% |
| 2023 | 24.1% | -2.4% |
| 2024 | 24.2% | +0.4% |
| 2025 | 23.7% | -2.1% |
| 2026 | 23.8% | +0.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 33.8% | 33.3% | 34.3% | 2 |
| 2000s | 30.6% | 29.4% | 31.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 29.5% | 28.6% | 30.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 25.0% | 23.7% | 28.7% | 7 |
Countries ranked near Netherlands
- 40 Malta 25.7% compare
- 41 Sweden 24.8% compare
- 42 Switzerland 24.7% compare
- 43 Netherlands 23.8% compare
- 45 Iceland 19.7% compare
More work & labour data for Netherlands
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 32 - Employment by 655.76 Persons (2022)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 32 - Employment by 433.18 Persons (2022)
- Employed persons by professional status and NUTS 2 region 9,833 Thousand persons (2025)
- Labour force participation rates by NUTS 2 region 76.2% (2025)
- Average actual weekly hours worked in the main job of persons who 30.4 Hour (2025)
- Labour force participation rates by educational attainment level 85.6% (2025)
- Labour force by NUTS 2 region 10,229 Thousand persons (2025)
- Employed persons by NUTS 2 region 9,833 Thousand persons (2025)
- Employment rates by NUTS 2 region 73.2% (2025)
- Labour force by educational attainment level and NUTS 2 region 10,229 Thousand persons (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is persons outside the labour force - % of total population in private in Netherlands?
- Persons outside the labour force - % of total population in private in Netherlands was 23.8% in 2026, according to Eurostat.
- What is the highest persons outside the labour force - % of total population in private recorded in Netherlands?
- The highest recorded value was 34.3% in 1998.
- What is the lowest persons outside the labour force - % of total population in private recorded in Netherlands?
- The lowest recorded value was 23.7% in 2025.
- How does Netherlands rank for persons outside the labour force - % of total population in private?
- Netherlands ranks 43rd out of 45 countries with data for 2026.
- Is persons outside the labour force - % of total population in private rising or falling in Netherlands?
- Over the last ten years it is down 20.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Netherlands data come from?
- The figures come from Eurostat, published as part of Persons outside the labour force - % of total population in private households - quarterly data. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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