Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Jamaica
Jamaica: Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) was 10.8% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Jamaica, 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 Jamaica is 10.8%, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of up 4.1% on the previous year and down 58.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Jamaica peaked at 27.2% in 2013 and was at its lowest, 10.0%, in 2023.
That places Jamaica 108th 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 Jamaica, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 14.5% | — |
| 1992 | 14.9% | +3.0% |
| 1993 | 14.7% | -1.0% |
| 1994 | 15.0% | +2.0% |
| 1995 | 15.1% | +0.6% |
| 1996 | 15.8% | +4.2% |
| 1997 | 16.0% | +1.6% |
| 1998 | 16.4% | +2.4% |
| 1999 | 16.6% | +1.0% |
| 2000 | 16.6% | +0.3% |
| 2001 | 16.5% | -0.3% |
| 2002 | 16.6% | +0.3% |
| 2003 | 16.5% | -0.3% |
| 2004 | 16.7% | +1.0% |
| 2005 | 16.8% | +0.8% |
| 2006 | 17.0% | +0.7% |
| 2007 | 17.0% | +0.3% |
| 2008 | 17.2% | +1.0% |
| 2009 | 18.6% | +8.0% |
| 2010 | 20.5% | +10.2% |
| 2011 | 20.4% | -0.4% |
| 2012 | 23.4% | +14.9% |
| 2013 | 27.2% | +16.4% |
| 2014 | 26.3% | -3.2% |
| 2015 | 25.8% | -2.2% |
| 2016 | 24.7% | -4.3% |
| 2017 | 21.7% | -12.1% |
| 2018 | 18.1% | -16.7% |
| 2019 | 16.0% | -11.6% |
| 2020 | 20.1% | +25.9% |
| 2021 | 16.8% | -16.2% |
| 2022 | 13.1% | -22.1% |
| 2023 | 10.0% | -23.8% |
| 2024 | 10.4% | +3.9% |
| 2025 | 10.8% | +4.1% |
Jamaica compared with similar countries
- Jamaica's 10.8% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 15.8%, 68% of the median. (53 countries reporting)
- Jamaica's 10.8% is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 14.0%, 77% of the median. (31 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Unemployment, youth total (% of total 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 | +25.9% | 16.0% | 20.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 15.4% | 14.5% | 16.6% | 9 |
| 2000s | 17.0% | 16.5% | 18.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 22.4% | 16.0% | 27.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 13.5% | 10.0% | 20.1% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Jamaica
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 total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Jamaica?
- Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Jamaica was 10.8% 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 Jamaica?
- The highest recorded value was 27.2% in 2013.
- What is the lowest unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) recorded in Jamaica?
- The lowest recorded value was 10.0% in 2023.
- How does Jamaica rank for unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24)?
- Jamaica ranks 108th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) rising or falling in Jamaica?
- Over the last ten years it is down 58.1%. 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 total (% of total 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.