Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico: Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) was 15.0% in 2020. ▼ Falling

Latest (2020)
15.0%
World rank
9th
of 181 countries
All-time high
26.7%
in 1983
All-time low
11.5%
in 2006
Years of data
44
1971–2020

Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in Puerto Rico, 1971–2020

01020301971199520201971: 11.91972: 12.31973: 12.11974: 13.81975: 20.71976: 21.81977: 21.21978: 18.61979: 17.71980: 19.51981: 20.71982: 23.31983: 26.71984: 23.91985: 24.91986: 22.61987: 20.51988: 18.41989: 16.91990: 17.61991: 19.11992: 19.21993: 19.41994: 16.61995: 161996: 151997: 14.91998: 14.41999: 13.52000: 11.92001: 132002: 13.42003: 12.82004: 11.52005: 12.22006: 11.52007: 12.12008: 12.82009: 172010: 18.72011: 18.22012: 16.42015: 13.62020: 15

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

Analysis

The most recent figure for unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in Puerto Rico is 15.0%, measured in 2020.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 19.8% over ten years.

Over the whole period, unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in Puerto Rico peaked at 26.7% in 1983 and was at its lowest, 11.5%, in 2006.

That places Puerto Rico 9th out of 181 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the top 10%.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 44 years of available data.

Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in Puerto Rico, year by year

Annual values for Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) (national estimate) in Puerto Rico, 1971 to 2020.
Year Value Change
1971 11.9%
1972 12.3% +3.7%
1973 12.1% -1.4%
1974 13.8% +14.0%
1975 20.7% +49.4%
1976 21.8% +5.5%
1977 21.2% -2.8%
1978 18.6% -12.1%
1979 17.7% -4.9%
1980 19.5% +10.1%
1981 20.7% +6.2%
1982 23.3% +12.7%
1983 26.7% +14.4%
1984 23.9% -10.2%
1985 24.9% +4.0%
1986 22.6% -9.3%
1987 20.5% -9.4%
1988 18.4% -10.1%
1989 16.9% -8.0%
1990 17.6% +3.7%
1991 19.1% +8.8%
1992 19.2% +0.7%
1993 19.4% +0.8%
1994 16.6% -14.2%
1995 16.0% -3.5%
1996 15.0% -6.7%
1997 14.9% -0.3%
1998 14.4% -3.3%
1999 13.5% -6.2%
2000 11.9% -11.8%
2001 13.0% +8.6%
2002 13.4% +3.2%
2003 12.8% -4.5%
2004 11.5% -10.2%
2005 12.2% +6.5%
2006 11.5% -6.2%
2007 12.1% +5.5%
2008 12.8% +6.1%
2009 17.0% +32.5%
2010 18.7% +10.2%
2011 18.2% -2.8%
2012 16.4% -10.1%
2015 13.6% -16.8%
2020 15.0% +10.3%

Puerto Rico compared with similar countries

  • Puerto Rico's 15.0% is above the median for high income countries, which is 4.9%, 3.1× the median. (75 countries reporting)
  • Puerto Rico's 15.0% is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 5.8%, 2.6× the median. (35 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 16.7% 11.9% 21.8% 9
1980s 21.7% 16.9% 26.7% 10
1990s 16.6% 13.5% 19.4% 10
2000s 12.8% 11.5% 17.0% 10
2010s 16.7% 13.6% 18.7% 4
2020s 15.0% 15.0% 15.0% 1

Countries ranked near Puerto Rico

  1. 6 French Polynesia 21.1% compare
  2. 7 Curaçao 17.6% compare
  3. 8 Lesotho 16.2% compare
  4. 10 Jordan 14.7% compare
  5. 11 Iraq 14.3% compare
  6. 12 Malawi 12.9% compare

See the full ranking of 205 places →

More work & labour data for Puerto Rico

All data for Puerto Rico →

Frequently asked questions

What is unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in Puerto Rico?
Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in Puerto Rico was 15.0% in 2020, according to Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
What is the highest unemployment, male (% of male labor force) recorded in Puerto Rico?
The highest recorded value was 26.7% in 1983.
What is the lowest unemployment, male (% of male labor force) recorded in Puerto Rico?
The lowest recorded value was 11.5% in 2006.
How does Puerto Rico rank for unemployment, male (% of male labor force)?
Puerto Rico ranks 9th out of 181 countries with data for 2020.
Is unemployment, male (% of male labor force) rising or falling in Puerto Rico?
Over the last ten years it is down 19.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Puerto Rico 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 Puerto Rico. Statizoid, drawing on Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO). Retrieved 16 September 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/unemployment-male-percent-of-male-labor-force-national-estimate/puerto-rico-us/

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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, 5,415 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.