Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) (national estimate) in Mexico

Mexico: Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) (national estimate) was 2.5% in 2025. ▼ Falling

Latest (2025)
2.5%
Change on year
down 4.5%
World rank
151st
of 181 countries
All-time high
9.6%
in 1994
All-time low
1.9%
in 1999
Years of data
37
1988–2025

Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in Mexico, 1988–2025

2468101988200620251988: 21990: 2.91991: 2.51992: 6.31993: 2.91994: 9.61995: 61996: 4.41997: 31998: 2.91999: 1.92000: 2.22001: 2.42002: 2.62003: 2.92004: 3.22005: 3.42006: 3.42007: 3.42008: 3.82009: 5.42010: 5.42011: 5.22012: 4.92013: 4.92014: 4.82015: 4.22016: 3.82017: 3.32018: 3.22019: 3.52020: 4.62021: 3.92022: 3.12023: 2.72024: 2.62025: 2.5

Source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).

Analysis

The most recent figure for unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in Mexico is 2.5%, measured in 2025.

That represents a change of down 4.5% on the previous year and down 41.2% over ten years.

Over the whole period, unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in Mexico peaked at 9.6% in 1994 and was at its lowest, 1.9%, in 1999.

That places Mexico 151st out of 181 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 37 years of available data.

Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) (national estimate) in Mexico, year by year

Annual values for Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) (national estimate) in Mexico, 1988 to 2025.
Year Value Change
1988 2.0% —
1990 2.9% +46.5%
1991 2.5% -13.4%
1992 6.3% +149.9%
1993 2.9% -54.4%
1994 9.6% +231.8%
1995 6.0% -36.8%
1996 4.4% -26.4%
1997 3.0% -33.2%
1998 2.9% -3.2%
1999 1.9% -32.2%
2000 2.2% +12.5%
2001 2.4% +7.3%
2002 2.6% +9.1%
2003 2.9% +13.6%
2004 3.2% +9.8%
2005 3.4% +4.9%
2006 3.4% +0.6%
2007 3.4% +0.9%
2008 3.8% +10.9%
2009 5.4% +41.8%
2010 5.4% +0.3%
2011 5.2% -3.2%
2012 4.9% -5.8%
2013 4.9% -0.0%
2014 4.8% -2.1%
2015 4.2% -12.0%
2016 3.8% -9.5%
2017 3.3% -13.4%
2018 3.2% -3.6%
2019 3.5% +8.2%
2020 4.6% +33.0%
2021 3.9% -15.3%
2022 3.1% -19.4%
2023 2.7% -14.6%
2024 2.6% -2.9%
2025 2.5% -4.5%

Mexico compared with similar countries

  • Mexico's 2.5% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 5.4%, 46% of the median. (52 countries reporting)
  • Mexico's 2.5% is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 5.2%, 48% of the median. (35 countries reporting)

Biggest year-on-year movements

Years where Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) (national estimate) in Mexico changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.

YearChange FromTo
1994 +231.8% 2.9% 9.6%
1992 +149.9% 2.5% 6.3%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 2.0% 2.0% 2.0% 1
1990s 4.2% 1.9% 9.6% 10
2000s 3.3% 2.2% 5.4% 10
2010s 4.3% 3.2% 5.4% 10
2020s 3.2% 2.5% 4.6% 6

Countries ranked near Mexico

  1. 148 Ecuador 2.6% compare
  2. 149 Bhutan 2.6% compare
  3. 150 Czechia 2.5% compare
  4. 152 Cameroon 2.5% compare
  5. 153 Jamaica 2.2% compare
  6. 154 Philippines 2.2% compare

See the full ranking of 205 places →

More work & labour data for Mexico

All data for Mexico →

Frequently asked questions

What is unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in Mexico?
Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in Mexico was 2.5% in 2025, according to Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
What is the highest unemployment, male (% of male labor force) recorded in Mexico?
The highest recorded value was 9.6% in 1994.
What is the lowest unemployment, male (% of male labor force) recorded in Mexico?
The lowest recorded value was 1.9% in 1999.
How does Mexico rank for unemployment, male (% of male labor force)?
Mexico ranks 151st out of 181 countries with data for 2025.
Is unemployment, male (% of male labor force) rising or falling in Mexico?
Over the last ten years it is down 41.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Mexico data come from?
The figures come from Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) (national estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in Mexico. Statizoid, drawing on Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO). Retrieved 10 November 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/unemployment-male-percent-of-male-labor-force-national-estimate/mexico/

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About this data

Indicator
Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) (national estimate)
Source
Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
205 places, 5,453 data points, 1960–2025
Last refreshed

Unemployment refers to the share of the labor force that is without work but available for and seeking employment. Definitions of labor force and unemployment differ by country.