Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in North America
North America: Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) was 4.6% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in North America, 1990–2025
Source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in North America is 4.6%, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of up 6.7% on the previous year and down 16.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in North America peaked at 9.5% in 2010 and was at its lowest, 3.8%, in 2022.
North America ranks 24th of 33 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 36 years of available data.
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in North America, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 5.9% | — |
| 1991 | 7.2% | +22.2% |
| 1992 | 7.9% | +9.9% |
| 1993 | 7.3% | -6.6% |
| 1994 | 6.5% | -10.9% |
| 1995 | 6.0% | -7.9% |
| 1996 | 5.9% | -2.8% |
| 1997 | 5.4% | -7.8% |
| 1998 | 4.9% | -9.6% |
| 1999 | 4.6% | -6.8% |
| 2000 | 4.3% | -6.1% |
| 2001 | 5.0% | +16.5% |
| 2002 | 6.0% | +20.0% |
| 2003 | 6.2% | +3.0% |
| 2004 | 5.7% | -7.3% |
| 2005 | 5.3% | -7.8% |
| 2006 | 4.8% | -8.4% |
| 2007 | 4.8% | -0.7% |
| 2008 | 5.8% | +22.0% |
| 2009 | 9.2% | +57.1% |
| 2010 | 9.5% | +3.4% |
| 2011 | 8.8% | -7.0% |
| 2012 | 8.0% | -9.2% |
| 2013 | 7.4% | -8.1% |
| 2014 | 6.3% | -14.8% |
| 2015 | 5.5% | -12.7% |
| 2016 | 5.1% | -6.6% |
| 2017 | 4.6% | -10.3% |
| 2018 | 4.1% | -10.3% |
| 2019 | 3.9% | -5.3% |
| 2020 | 8.2% | +111.6% |
| 2021 | 5.6% | -32.1% |
| 2022 | 3.8% | -31.5% |
| 2023 | 3.8% | +0.1% |
| 2024 | 4.3% | +11.8% |
| 2025 | 4.6% | +6.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 6.2% | 4.6% | 7.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 5.7% | 4.3% | 9.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 6.3% | 3.9% | 9.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.1% | 3.8% | 8.2% | 6 |
Countries ranked near North America
- 21 North Macedonia 11.5% compare
- 22 Lebanon 11.3% compare
- 23 Cape Verde 11.3% compare
- 24 Northern Mariana Islands 11.2% compare
- 25 Dominica 11.0% compare
- 26 Kosovo 10.8% compare
- 26 Kosovo (UNSCR 1244) 10.8% compare
More work & labour data for North America
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 56.8% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 62.0% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 67.3% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) 51.6% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) 52.4% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) 52.0% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 69.8% (2025)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 84.4% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 78.8% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) 74.4% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in North America?
- Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in North America was 4.6% in 2025, according to Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment, total (% of total labor force) recorded in North America?
- The highest recorded value was 9.5% in 2010.
- What is the lowest unemployment, total (% of total labor force) recorded in North America?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.8% in 2022.
- How does North America rank for unemployment, total (% of total labor force)?
- North America ranks 24th out of 33 groups with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) rising or falling in North America?
- Over the last ten years it is down 16.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this North America 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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About this data
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.