Unemployment rate: young vs. older adults in South Africa
South Africa: Unemployment rate: young vs. older adults was 60.2% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Unemployment rate: young vs. older adults in South Africa, 1991–2024
Source: International Labour Organization (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 60.2% for unemployment rate: young vs. older adults in 2024.
That represents a change of up 17.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment rate: young vs. older adults in South Africa peaked at 65.5% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 42.1%, in 1997.
That places South Africa 2nd out of 188 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 34 years of available data.
Unemployment rate: young vs. older adults in South Africa, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 43.5% | — |
| 1992 | 44.1% | +1.3% |
| 1993 | 44.3% | +0.6% |
| 1994 | 43.9% | -1.0% |
| 1995 | 42.8% | -2.5% |
| 1996 | 42.1% | -1.6% |
| 1997 | 42.1% | -0.1% |
| 1998 | 42.6% | +1.3% |
| 1999 | 43.1% | +1.1% |
| 2000 | 43.2% | +0.2% |
| 2001 | 43.2% | +0.1% |
| 2002 | 43.4% | +0.3% |
| 2003 | 43.8% | +1.0% |
| 2004 | 43.9% | +0.2% |
| 2005 | 43.9% | +0.2% |
| 2006 | 43.9% | -0.1% |
| 2007 | 44.0% | +0.4% |
| 2008 | 44.6% | +1.2% |
| 2009 | 47.5% | +6.5% |
| 2010 | 50.5% | +6.3% |
| 2011 | 49.7% | -1.4% |
| 2012 | 51.3% | +3.2% |
| 2013 | 51.2% | -0.2% |
| 2014 | 51.2% | -0.0% |
| 2015 | 50.1% | -2.1% |
| 2016 | 53.5% | +6.7% |
| 2017 | 53.4% | -0.1% |
| 2018 | 53.6% | +0.4% |
| 2019 | 57.3% | +6.9% |
| 2020 | 59.6% | +4.0% |
| 2021 | 65.5% | +9.8% |
| 2022 | 61.7% | -5.8% |
| 2023 | 60.3% | -2.3% |
| 2024 | 60.2% | -0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 43.2% | 42.1% | 44.3% | 9 |
| 2000s | 44.1% | 43.2% | 47.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 52.2% | 49.7% | 57.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 61.4% | 59.6% | 65.5% | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More work & labour data for South Africa
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.2264 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.242 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.2122 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.23 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.8748 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 58,057 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 14,698 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 49,126 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 45,189 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 94,314 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment rate: young vs. older adults in South Africa?
- Unemployment rate: young vs. older adults in South Africa was 60.2% in 2024, according to International Labour Organization (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest unemployment rate: young vs. older adults recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 65.5% in 2021.
- What is the lowest unemployment rate: young vs. older adults recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 42.1% in 1997.
- How does South Africa rank for unemployment rate: young vs. older adults?
- South Africa ranks 2nd out of 188 countries with data for 2024.
- Is unemployment rate: young vs. older adults rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 17.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from International Labour Organization (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Unemployment rate: young vs. older adults. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 34 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Share of the labor force aged 15-24 without work, but actively looking for a job and available to start soon.