Unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) in Jamaica
Jamaica: Unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) was 9.1% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) in Jamaica, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
In 2025, unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) in Jamaica stood at 9.1%.
That represents a change of down 1.8% on the previous year and down 54.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) in Jamaica peaked at 20.8% in 2013 and was at its lowest, 8.8%, in 2023.
That places Jamaica 125th out of 187 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, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) in Jamaica, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 10.8% | — |
| 1992 | 11.1% | +3.3% |
| 1993 | 11.0% | -1.0% |
| 1994 | 11.3% | +2.3% |
| 1995 | 11.4% | +0.8% |
| 1996 | 11.9% | +4.7% |
| 1997 | 12.1% | +1.9% |
| 1998 | 12.5% | +2.8% |
| 1999 | 12.6% | +0.9% |
| 2000 | 12.6% | +0.2% |
| 2001 | 12.5% | -0.4% |
| 2002 | 12.6% | +0.4% |
| 2003 | 12.6% | -0.3% |
| 2004 | 12.7% | +1.1% |
| 2005 | 12.8% | +0.9% |
| 2006 | 12.9% | +0.8% |
| 2007 | 13.0% | +0.4% |
| 2008 | 13.1% | +1.1% |
| 2009 | 15.6% | +19.0% |
| 2010 | 16.8% | +7.8% |
| 2011 | 16.1% | -4.4% |
| 2012 | 17.5% | +9.0% |
| 2013 | 20.8% | +18.9% |
| 2014 | 20.0% | -4.2% |
| 2015 | 20.1% | +0.5% |
| 2016 | 20.0% | -0.6% |
| 2017 | 17.7% | -11.3% |
| 2018 | 15.0% | -15.2% |
| 2019 | 12.6% | -16.4% |
| 2020 | 17.7% | +40.8% |
| 2021 | 14.5% | -18.1% |
| 2022 | 12.3% | -15.1% |
| 2023 | 8.8% | -28.2% |
| 2024 | 9.2% | +4.6% |
| 2025 | 9.1% | -1.8% |
Jamaica compared with similar countries
- Jamaica's 9.1% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 14.4%, 63% of the median. (53 countries reporting)
- Jamaica's 9.1% is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 13.0%, 70% of the median. (31 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) in Jamaica 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +40.8% | 12.6% | 17.7% |
| 2023 | -28.2% | 12.3% | 8.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 11.6% | 10.8% | 12.6% | 9 |
| 2000s | 13.0% | 12.5% | 15.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 17.7% | 12.6% | 20.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 11.9% | 8.8% | 17.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Jamaica
- 122 Iceland 9.2% compare
- 123 Eritrea 9.2% compare
- 124 Netherlands 9.1% compare
- 126 Switzerland 9.0% compare
- 127 Central African Republic 9.0% compare
- 128 Czechia 8.9% compare
More work & labour data for Jamaica
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -1.76 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -1.69 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -1.83 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -2.25 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.0152 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 1,904 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 799.47 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 544.43 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 522.35 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 1,067 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) in Jamaica?
- Unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) in Jamaica was 9.1% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) recorded in Jamaica?
- The highest recorded value was 20.8% in 2013.
- What is the lowest unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) recorded in Jamaica?
- The lowest recorded value was 8.8% in 2023.
- How does Jamaica rank for unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24)?
- Jamaica ranks 125th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) rising or falling in Jamaica?
- Over the last ten years it is down 54.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Jamaica data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Youth unemployment refers to the share of the labor force ages 15-24 without work but available for and seeking employment.