Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Mexico
Mexico: Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) was 5.7% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Mexico, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
In 2025, unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Mexico stood at 5.7%.
That represents a change of down 0.8% on the previous year and down 32.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Mexico peaked at 11.6% in 1995 and was at its lowest, 4.2%, in 1999.
That places Mexico 157th out of 187 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
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 Mexico, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 5.6% | — |
| 1992 | 5.6% | +0.6% |
| 1993 | 5.6% | -0.2% |
| 1994 | 7.4% | +32.2% |
| 1995 | 11.6% | +57.7% |
| 1996 | 9.6% | -17.5% |
| 1997 | 7.6% | -20.2% |
| 1998 | 6.7% | -12.5% |
| 1999 | 4.2% | -36.8% |
| 2000 | 5.2% | +23.6% |
| 2001 | 5.0% | -4.8% |
| 2002 | 6.1% | +22.5% |
| 2003 | 7.1% | +16.5% |
| 2004 | 8.2% | +15.5% |
| 2005 | 6.9% | -16.1% |
| 2006 | 7.0% | +1.5% |
| 2007 | 7.1% | +2.1% |
| 2008 | 7.6% | +6.6% |
| 2009 | 10.0% | +31.8% |
| 2010 | 9.7% | -3.1% |
| 2011 | 9.8% | +0.6% |
| 2012 | 9.4% | -4.2% |
| 2013 | 9.4% | +0.4% |
| 2014 | 9.4% | +0.2% |
| 2015 | 8.5% | -9.6% |
| 2016 | 7.6% | -10.5% |
| 2017 | 6.8% | -10.1% |
| 2018 | 6.8% | -0.5% |
| 2019 | 7.2% | +5.1% |
| 2020 | 8.1% | +12.5% |
| 2021 | 7.6% | -5.3% |
| 2022 | 6.5% | -15.2% |
| 2023 | 5.8% | -9.6% |
| 2024 | 5.8% | -1.4% |
| 2025 | 5.7% | -0.8% |
Mexico compared with similar countries
- Mexico's 5.7% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 15.8%, 36% of the median. (53 countries reporting)
- Mexico's 5.7% is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 14.0%, 41% of the median. (31 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 7.1% | 4.2% | 11.6% | 9 |
| 2000s | 7.0% | 5.0% | 10.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 8.5% | 6.8% | 9.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 6.6% | 5.7% | 8.1% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Mexico
More work & labour data for Mexico
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.5786 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.5539 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.6038 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.41 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.5363 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 144,910 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 19,369 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 65,616 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 64,633 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 130,249 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Mexico?
- Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Mexico was 5.7% 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 Mexico?
- The highest recorded value was 11.6% in 1995.
- What is the lowest unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) recorded in Mexico?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.2% in 1999.
- How does Mexico rank for unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24)?
- Mexico ranks 157th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) rising or falling in Mexico?
- Over the last ten years it is down 32.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Mexico 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.