Unemployment rate for young people in New Zealand
New Zealand: Unemployment rate for young people was 14.36 in 2025. ▼ Falling
Latest (2025)
14.36
Change on year
up 2.3%
World rank
82nd
of 186 countries
All-time high
19.32
in 1991
All-time low
9.36
in 2022
Years of data
35
1991–2025
Unemployment rate for young people in New Zealand, 1991–2025
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2025, unemployment rate for young people in New Zealand stood at 14.36.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.3% on the previous year and up 3.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment rate for young people in New Zealand peaked at 19.32 in 1991 and was at its lowest, 9.36, in 2022.
New Zealand ranks 82nd of 186 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Unemployment rate for young people in New Zealand, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 19.32 | — |
| 1992 | 19.14 | -0.9% |
| 1993 | 17.86 | -6.7% |
| 1994 | 15.46 | -13.5% |
| 1995 | 12.27 | -20.6% |
| 1996 | 12.25 | -0.2% |
| 1997 | 13.61 | +11.1% |
| 1998 | 15.01 | +10.3% |
| 1999 | 14.15 | -5.7% |
| 2000 | 13.5 | -4.6% |
| 2001 | 12.09 | -10.4% |
| 2002 | 11.73 | -3.0% |
| 2003 | 10.49 | -10.6% |
| 2004 | 9.66 | -7.9% |
| 2005 | 9.75 | +1.0% |
| 2006 | 9.95 | +2.0% |
| 2007 | 10.1 | +1.6% |
| 2008 | 11.41 | +13.0% |
| 2009 | 16.76 | +46.9% |
| 2010 | 17.42 | +4.0% |
| 2011 | 17.51 | +0.5% |
| 2012 | 18 | +2.8% |
| 2013 | 15.3 | -15.0% |
| 2014 | 14.11 | -7.8% |
| 2015 | 13.87 | -1.7% |
| 2016 | 13.47 | -2.9% |
| 2017 | 12.97 | -3.8% |
| 2018 | 11.83 | -8.8% |
| 2019 | 11.29 | -4.5% |
| 2020 | 12.44 | +10.2% |
| 2021 | 10.49 | -15.7% |
| 2022 | 9.36 | -10.8% |
| 2023 | 10.71 | +14.4% |
| 2024 | 14.04 | +31.0% |
| 2025 | 14.36 | +2.3% |
New Zealand compared with similar countries
- New Zealand's 14.36 is above the median for high income countries, which is 13.81, 1.0× the median. (62 countries reporting)
- New Zealand's 14.36 is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 8.96, 1.6× the median. (29 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 15.45 | 12.25 | 19.32 | 9 |
| 2000s | 11.54 | 9.66 | 16.76 | 10 |
| 2010s | 14.58 | 11.29 | 18 | 10 |
| 2020s | 11.9 | 9.36 | 14.36 | 6 |
Countries ranked near New Zealand
- 79 Kuwait 15.06 compare
- 80 United Kingdom 14.65 compare
- 81 Tajikistan 14.59 compare
- 83 Hungary 14.21 compare
- 84 Puerto Rico 13.98 compare
- 85 Brazil 13.98 compare
More work & labour data for New Zealand
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.0748 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.0721 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.0776 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.39 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.4877 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 5,200 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 511.04 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 2,819 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 2,994 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 5,812 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment rate for young people in New Zealand?
- Unemployment rate for young people in New Zealand was 14.36 in 2025, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest unemployment rate for young people recorded in New Zealand?
- The highest recorded value was 19.32 in 1991.
- What is the lowest unemployment rate for young people recorded in New Zealand?
- The lowest recorded value was 9.36 in 2022.
- How does New Zealand rank for unemployment rate for young people?
- New Zealand ranks 82nd out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment rate for young people rising or falling in New Zealand?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this New Zealand data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Unemployment rate for young people. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 35 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).