Unemployed population — Unemployment in Costa Rica
Costa Rica: Unemployed population — Unemployment was 158.25 Persons in 2025. ▲ Rising
Unemployed population — Unemployment in Costa Rica, 2011–2025
Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Measured in Persons.
Analysis
In 2025, unemployed population — unemployment in Costa Rica stood at 158.25 Persons. That is the lowest value across all 15 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 10.6% on the previous year and down 27.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployed population — unemployment in Costa Rica peaked at 468.36 Persons in 2020 and was at its lowest, 158.25 Persons, in 2025.
That places Costa Rica 28th out of 35 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 15 years of available data.
Unemployed population — Unemployment in Costa Rica, year by year
| Year | Persons | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 210.38 Persons | — |
| 2012 | 225.22 Persons | +7.1% |
| 2013 | 209.74 Persons | -6.9% |
| 2014 | 219.74 Persons | +4.8% |
| 2015 | 218.8 Persons | -0.4% |
| 2016 | 210.43 Persons | -3.8% |
| 2017 | 204.61 Persons | -2.8% |
| 2018 | 242.59 Persons | +18.6% |
| 2019 | 289.86 Persons | +19.5% |
| 2020 | 468.36 Persons | +61.6% |
| 2021 | 400.94 Persons | -14.4% |
| 2022 | 299.77 Persons | -25.2% |
| 2023 | 205.06 Persons | -31.6% |
| 2024 | 176.99 Persons | -13.7% |
| 2025 | 158.25 Persons | -10.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 225.71 Persons | 204.61 Persons | 289.86 Persons | 9 |
| 2020s | 284.89 Persons | 158.25 Persons | 468.36 Persons | 6 |
Countries ranked near Costa Rica
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 unemployed population — unemployment in Costa Rica?
- Unemployed population — unemployment in Costa Rica was 158.25 Persons in 2025, according to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
- What is the highest unemployed population — unemployment recorded in Costa Rica?
- The highest recorded value was 468.36 Persons in 2020.
- What is the lowest unemployed population — unemployment recorded in Costa Rica?
- The lowest recorded value was 158.25 Persons in 2025.
- How does Costa Rica rank for unemployed population — unemployment?
- Costa Rica ranks 28th out of 35 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployed population — unemployment rising or falling in Costa Rica?
- Over the last ten years it is down 27.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Costa Rica data come from?
- The figures come from Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, published as part of Unemployed population — Unemployment. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 15 observations, free to reuse under OECD Terms and Conditions (attribution required).
About this data
The infra-annual dataflow on the unemployed population 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. 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 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. 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.