Unemployment rate in Spain
Spain: Unemployment rate was 10.4% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Unemployment rate in Spain, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Spain recorded 10.4% for unemployment rate in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 9.0% on the previous year and down 53.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment rate in Spain peaked at 26.1% in 2013 and was at its lowest, 8.2%, in 2007.
That places Spain 37th out of 186 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Unemployment rate in Spain, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 15.9% | — |
| 1992 | 17.7% | +11.1% |
| 1993 | 22.2% | +25.2% |
| 1994 | 24.2% | +9.3% |
| 1995 | 22.7% | -6.3% |
| 1996 | 22.1% | -2.4% |
| 1997 | 20.7% | -6.5% |
| 1998 | 18.7% | -9.8% |
| 1999 | 15.5% | -17.1% |
| 2000 | 13.8% | -10.9% |
| 2001 | 10.3% | -24.9% |
| 2002 | 11.1% | +7.7% |
| 2003 | 11.3% | +1.2% |
| 2004 | 11.1% | -1.7% |
| 2005 | 9.1% | -17.5% |
| 2006 | 8.5% | -7.6% |
| 2007 | 8.2% | -2.6% |
| 2008 | 11.3% | +36.7% |
| 2009 | 17.9% | +58.7% |
| 2010 | 19.9% | +11.2% |
| 2011 | 21.4% | +7.7% |
| 2012 | 24.8% | +15.9% |
| 2013 | 26.1% | +5.3% |
| 2014 | 24.4% | -6.3% |
| 2015 | 22.1% | -9.8% |
| 2016 | 19.6% | -11.0% |
| 2017 | 17.2% | -12.3% |
| 2018 | 15.3% | -11.4% |
| 2019 | 14.1% | -7.5% |
| 2020 | 15.5% | +10.1% |
| 2021 | 14.9% | -4.0% |
| 2022 | 13.0% | -12.6% |
| 2023 | 12.2% | -6.6% |
| 2024 | 11.4% | -6.4% |
| 2025 | 10.4% | -9.0% |
Spain compared with similar countries
- Spain's 10.4% is above the median for high income countries, which is 5.0%, 2.1× the median. (62 countries reporting)
- Spain's 10.4% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 5.6%, 1.9× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Unemployment rate in Spain 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.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | +58.7% | 11.3% | 17.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 20.0% | 15.5% | 24.2% | 9 |
| 2000s | 11.3% | 8.2% | 17.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 20.5% | 14.1% | 26.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 12.9% | 10.4% | 15.5% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Spain
More work & labour data for Spain
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.527 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.5576 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.4982 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -2.05 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate -0.1207 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 39,073 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 5,322 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 17,076 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 16,051 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 33,128 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment rate in Spain?
- Unemployment rate in Spain was 10.4% 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 Spain?
- The highest recorded value was 26.1% in 2013.
- What is the lowest unemployment rate recorded in Spain?
- The lowest recorded value was 8.2% in 2007.
- How does Spain rank for unemployment rate?
- Spain ranks 37th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment rate rising or falling in Spain?
- Over the last ten years it is down 53.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Spain 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
Share of the labor force without work, but actively looking for a job and available to start soon.