Unemployment rate in Sweden
Sweden: Unemployment rate was 8.7% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Unemployment rate in Sweden, 1991–2025
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 Sweden is 8.7%, measured in 2025.
The figure is up 3.5% on the previous year and up 17.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment rate in Sweden peaked at 10.4% in 1997 and was at its lowest, 3.2%, in 1991.
That places Sweden 48th out of 186 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Unemployment rate in Sweden, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 3.2% | — |
| 1992 | 5.7% | +76.4% |
| 1993 | 9.3% | +63.1% |
| 1994 | 9.6% | +2.7% |
| 1995 | 8.9% | -7.1% |
| 1996 | 9.5% | +7.3% |
| 1997 | 10.4% | +8.5% |
| 1998 | 8.9% | -13.7% |
| 1999 | 7.6% | -14.9% |
| 2000 | 5.5% | -28.1% |
| 2001 | 4.7% | -13.5% |
| 2002 | 5.0% | +5.0% |
| 2003 | 5.6% | +11.9% |
| 2004 | 6.7% | +20.5% |
| 2005 | 7.8% | +16.7% |
| 2006 | 7.1% | -9.5% |
| 2007 | 6.2% | -12.8% |
| 2008 | 6.2% | +1.2% |
| 2009 | 8.4% | +33.9% |
| 2010 | 8.6% | +3.1% |
| 2011 | 7.8% | -9.4% |
| 2012 | 8.0% | +2.2% |
| 2013 | 8.1% | +1.0% |
| 2014 | 8.0% | -1.2% |
| 2015 | 7.4% | -6.6% |
| 2016 | 7.0% | -5.9% |
| 2017 | 6.7% | -3.9% |
| 2018 | 6.4% | -5.3% |
| 2019 | 6.8% | +7.4% |
| 2020 | 8.3% | +21.3% |
| 2021 | 8.8% | +6.2% |
| 2022 | 7.4% | -15.7% |
| 2023 | 7.6% | +2.6% |
| 2024 | 8.4% | +10.4% |
| 2025 | 8.7% | +3.5% |
Sweden compared with similar countries
- Sweden's 8.7% is above the median for high income countries, which is 5.0%, 1.7× the median. (62 countries reporting)
- Sweden's 8.7% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 5.6%, 1.6× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 8.1% | 3.2% | 10.4% | 9 |
| 2000s | 6.3% | 4.7% | 8.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 7.5% | 6.4% | 8.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 8.2% | 7.4% | 8.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Sweden
More work & labour data for Sweden
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.0422 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.0602 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.0243 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.29 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.5427 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 10,837 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 788.88 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 5,587 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 5,780 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 11,367 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment rate in Sweden?
- Unemployment rate in Sweden was 8.7% 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 Sweden?
- The highest recorded value was 10.4% in 1997.
- What is the lowest unemployment rate recorded in Sweden?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.2% in 1991.
- How does Sweden rank for unemployment rate?
- Sweden ranks 48th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment rate rising or falling in Sweden?
- Over the last ten years it is up 17.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sweden 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 35 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Share of the labor force without work, but actively looking for a job and available to start soon.