Unemployment rate in Denmark

Denmark: Unemployment rate was 5.5% in 2025. ▼ Falling

Latest (2025)
5.5%
Change on year
up 3.2%
World rank
84th
of 186 countries
All-time high
10.7%
in 1993
All-time low
3.7%
in 2008
Years of data
35
1991–2025

Unemployment rate in Denmark, 1991–2025

468101991200820251991: 9.1 %1992: 9 %1993: 10.7 %1994: 8 %1995: 7 %1996: 6.8 %1997: 5.4 %1998: 5 %1999: 5.1 %2000: 4.5 %2001: 4.2 %2002: 4.3 %2003: 5.4 %2004: 5.2 %2005: 4.8 %2006: 3.9 %2007: 3.8 %2008: 3.7 %2009: 6.4 %2010: 7.7 %2011: 7.8 %2012: 7.8 %2013: 7.4 %2014: 6.9 %2015: 6.3 %2016: 6 %2017: 5.8 %2018: 5.1 %2019: 5 %2020: 5.6 %2021: 5.1 %2022: 4.4 %2023: 5.1 %2024: 5.4 %2025: 5.5 %

Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.

Analysis

The most recent figure for unemployment rate in Denmark is 5.5%, measured in 2025.

The figure is up 3.2% on the previous year and down 11.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, unemployment rate in Denmark peaked at 10.7% in 1993 and was at its lowest, 3.7%, in 2008.

That places Denmark 84th out of 186 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 7.4% 5.0% 10.7% 9
2000s 4.6% 3.7% 6.4% 10
2010s 6.6% 5.0% 7.8% 10
2020s 5.2% 4.4% 5.6% 6

Countries ranked near Denmark

  1. 81 Mauritius 5.6% compare
  2. 82 Austria 5.6% compare
  3. 83 Guam 5.6% compare
  4. 85 Azerbaijan 5.5% compare
  5. 86 Kenya 5.4% compare
  6. 87 Pakistan 5.4% compare

See the full ranking of 186 places →

More work & labour data for Denmark

All data for Denmark →

Frequently asked questions

What is unemployment rate in Denmark?
Unemployment rate in Denmark was 5.5% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest unemployment rate recorded in Denmark?
The highest recorded value was 10.7% in 1993.
What is the lowest unemployment rate recorded in Denmark?
The lowest recorded value was 3.7% in 2008.
How does Denmark rank for unemployment rate?
Denmark ranks 84th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
Is unemployment rate rising or falling in Denmark?
Over the last ten years it is down 11.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Denmark data come from?
The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Unemployment rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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About this data

Indicator
Unemployment rate
Unit
%
Source
ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
186 places, 6,496 data points, 1991–2025
Last refreshed

Share of the labor force without work, but actively looking for a job and available to start soon.