Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Sweden
Sweden: Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) was 24.3% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
24.3%
Change on year
down 0.1%
World rank
35th
of 187 countries
All-time high
25.0%
in 2009
All-time low
7.8%
in 1991
Years of data
35
1991–2025
Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Sweden, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
Sweden recorded 24.3% for unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in 2025.
That represents a change of down 0.1% on the previous year and up 19.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Sweden peaked at 25.0% in 2009 and was at its lowest, 7.8%, in 1991.
Sweden ranks 35th of 187 countries on this measure, in the top 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 Sweden, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 7.8% | — |
| 1992 | 13.4% | +72.5% |
| 1993 | 22.3% | +66.2% |
| 1994 | 22.2% | -0.5% |
| 1995 | 19.2% | -13.7% |
| 1996 | 20.9% | +8.9% |
| 1997 | 21.2% | +1.5% |
| 1998 | 17.0% | -19.7% |
| 1999 | 15.8% | -7.0% |
| 2000 | 9.3% | -41.3% |
| 2001 | 11.7% | +25.6% |
| 2002 | 12.9% | +10.8% |
| 2003 | 14.3% | +10.7% |
| 2004 | 18.5% | +29.4% |
| 2005 | 22.8% | +23.3% |
| 2006 | 21.5% | -5.9% |
| 2007 | 19.3% | -10.3% |
| 2008 | 20.2% | +4.9% |
| 2009 | 25.0% | +23.8% |
| 2010 | 24.8% | -1.1% |
| 2011 | 22.8% | -8.0% |
| 2012 | 23.6% | +3.6% |
| 2013 | 23.5% | -0.4% |
| 2014 | 22.8% | -3.0% |
| 2015 | 20.4% | -10.8% |
| 2016 | 18.9% | -7.2% |
| 2017 | 17.9% | -5.4% |
| 2018 | 17.4% | -2.7% |
| 2019 | 20.1% | +15.5% |
| 2020 | 23.9% | +18.9% |
| 2021 | 24.6% | +2.8% |
| 2022 | 21.6% | -12.0% |
| 2023 | 21.9% | +1.6% |
| 2024 | 24.3% | +10.9% |
| 2025 | 24.3% | -0.1% |
Sweden compared with similar countries
- Sweden's 24.3% is above the median for high income countries, which is 13.8%, 1.8× the median. (62 countries reporting)
- Sweden's 24.3% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 14.4%, 1.7× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 17.8% | 7.8% | 22.3% | 9 |
| 2000s | 17.6% | 9.3% | 25.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 21.2% | 17.4% | 24.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 23.4% | 21.6% | 24.6% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Sweden
- 32 Lesotho 24.7% compare
- 33 Romania 24.5% compare
- 34 Montenegro 24.4% compare
- 36 United States Virgin Islands 24.2% compare
- 37 Mauritania 22.9% compare
- 38 Lebanon 22.7% compare
More work & labour data for Sweden
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.0422 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.0602 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.0243 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.29 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.5427 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 10,837 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 788.88 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 5,587 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 5,780 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 11,367 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Sweden?
- Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Sweden was 24.3% 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 Sweden?
- The highest recorded value was 25.0% in 2009.
- What is the lowest unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) recorded in Sweden?
- The lowest recorded value was 7.8% in 1991.
- How does Sweden rank for unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24)?
- Sweden ranks 35th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) rising or falling in Sweden?
- Over the last ten years it is up 19.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sweden 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
CSV · JSON — 35 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Youth unemployment refers to the share of the labor force ages 15-24 without work but available for and seeking employment.