Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Middle income

Middle income: Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) was 5.2% in 2022. ▲ Rising

Latest (2022)
5.2%
Change on year
down 18.4%
Rank
14th
of 33 groups
All-time high
6.9%
in 2020
All-time low
2.8%
in 1994
Years of data
15
1994–2022

Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Middle income, 1994–2022

02461994200820221994: 2.82000: 4.92005: 4.82009: 4.62010: 4.12011: 4.42012: 4.32013: 4.52014: 4.62016: 5.32018: 6.32019: 62020: 6.92021: 6.42022: 5.2

Source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).

Analysis

In 2022, unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Middle income stood at 5.2%.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 18.4% on the previous year and up 22.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Middle income peaked at 6.9% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 2.8%, in 1994.

That places Middle income 14th out of 33 groups with data for 2022, putting it in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 15 years of available data.

Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Middle income, year by year

Annual values for Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (national estimate) in Middle income, 1994 to 2022.
Year Value Change
1994 2.8%
2000 4.9% +74.1%
2005 4.8% -2.7%
2009 4.6% -4.5%
2010 4.1% -9.8%
2011 4.4% +7.5%
2012 4.3% -3.2%
2013 4.5% +3.8%
2014 4.6% +2.2%
2016 5.3% +17.3%
2018 6.3% +17.3%
2019 6.0% -4.1%
2020 6.9% +14.6%
2021 6.4% -6.7%
2022 5.2% -18.4%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 2.8% 2.8% 2.8% 1
2000s 4.8% 4.6% 4.9% 3
2010s 4.9% 4.1% 6.3% 8
2020s 6.2% 5.2% 6.9% 3

Countries ranked near Middle income

  1. 11 Malawi 15.4% compare
  2. 12 Tunisia 15.1% compare
  3. 13 Syrian Arab Republic 14.9% compare
  4. 14 Guyana 14.7% compare
  5. 15 Haiti 14.1% compare
  6. 16 Yemen 13.5% compare
  7. 17 Zimbabwe 12.1% compare

See the full ranking of 220 places →

More work & labour data for Middle income

All data for Middle income →

Frequently asked questions

What is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Middle income?
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Middle income was 5.2% in 2022, according to Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
What is the highest unemployment, total (% of total labor force) recorded in Middle income?
The highest recorded value was 6.9% in 2020.
What is the lowest unemployment, total (% of total labor force) recorded in Middle income?
The lowest recorded value was 2.8% in 1994.
How does Middle income rank for unemployment, total (% of total labor force)?
Middle income ranks 14th out of 33 groups with data for 2022.
Is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) rising or falling in Middle income?
Over the last ten years it is up 22.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Middle income data come from?
The figures come from Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (national estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Middle income. Statizoid, drawing on Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO). Retrieved 08 September 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/unemployment-total-percent-of-total-labor-force-national-estimate/middle-income/

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About this data

Indicator
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (national estimate)
Source
Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
220 places, 6,054 data points, 1960–2025
Last refreshed

Unemployment refers to the share of the labor force that is without work but available for and seeking employment. Definitions of labor force and unemployment differ by country.