Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Estonia
Estonia: Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) was 19.7% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Estonia, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Estonia is 19.7%, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of up 2.3% on the previous year and up 37.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Estonia peaked at 32.9% in 2010 and was at its lowest, 3.4%, in 1991.
That places Estonia 52nd 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 total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Estonia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 3.4% | — |
| 1992 | 7.4% | +117.3% |
| 1993 | 10.9% | +47.1% |
| 1994 | 11.3% | +4.3% |
| 1995 | 13.9% | +23.0% |
| 1996 | 15.8% | +13.1% |
| 1997 | 18.4% | +16.9% |
| 1998 | 14.8% | -19.5% |
| 1999 | 22.0% | +48.6% |
| 2000 | 21.1% | -4.2% |
| 2001 | 23.8% | +12.9% |
| 2002 | 20.2% | -15.3% |
| 2003 | 26.7% | +32.3% |
| 2004 | 25.6% | -4.2% |
| 2005 | 15.1% | -40.9% |
| 2006 | 12.1% | -19.9% |
| 2007 | 10.1% | -16.7% |
| 2008 | 12.0% | +19.2% |
| 2009 | 27.4% | +127.8% |
| 2010 | 32.9% | +20.2% |
| 2011 | 22.4% | -32.0% |
| 2012 | 20.9% | -6.8% |
| 2013 | 18.7% | -10.3% |
| 2014 | 15.0% | -19.9% |
| 2015 | 14.3% | -4.2% |
| 2016 | 14.1% | -1.5% |
| 2017 | 12.2% | -13.8% |
| 2018 | 12.1% | -0.8% |
| 2019 | 11.6% | -3.8% |
| 2020 | 18.4% | +58.5% |
| 2021 | 16.6% | -9.7% |
| 2022 | 18.4% | +10.6% |
| 2023 | 17.2% | -6.4% |
| 2024 | 19.3% | +11.9% |
| 2025 | 19.7% | +2.3% |
Estonia compared with similar countries
- Estonia's 19.7% is above the median for high income countries, which is 13.8%, 1.4× the median. (62 countries reporting)
- Estonia's 19.7% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 14.4%, 1.4× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Estonia 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 | +127.8% | 12.0% | 27.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 13.1% | 3.4% | 22.0% | 9 |
| 2000s | 19.4% | 10.1% | 27.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 17.4% | 11.6% | 32.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 18.3% | 16.6% | 19.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Estonia
More work & labour data for Estonia
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.67 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.6763 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.6638 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.77 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate -0.1039 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 885.23 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 259.52 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 417.66 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 407.84 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 825.5 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Estonia?
- Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Estonia was 19.7% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) recorded in Estonia?
- The highest recorded value was 32.9% in 2010.
- What is the lowest unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) recorded in Estonia?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.4% in 1991.
- How does Estonia rank for unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24)?
- Estonia ranks 52nd out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) rising or falling in Estonia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 37.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Estonia data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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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.