Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in European Union
European Union: Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) was 16.6% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in European Union, 1983–2025
Source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
European Union recorded 16.6% for unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in 2025.
That represents a change of up 0.6% on the previous year and down 31.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in European Union peaked at 27.0% in 2013 and was at its lowest, 16.3%, in 2023.
European Union ranks 11th of 29 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 43 years of available data.
Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in European Union, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1983 | 21.6% | — |
| 1984 | 23.4% | +8.3% |
| 1985 | 23.4% | -0.1% |
| 1986 | 22.9% | -2.4% |
| 1987 | 22.1% | -3.1% |
| 1988 | 21.6% | -2.7% |
| 1989 | 18.9% | -12.1% |
| 1990 | 17.7% | -6.5% |
| 1991 | 18.2% | +2.8% |
| 1992 | 20.2% | +10.8% |
| 1993 | 23.3% | +15.5% |
| 1994 | 25.0% | +7.4% |
| 1995 | 24.2% | -3.2% |
| 1996 | 24.4% | +0.7% |
| 1997 | 23.5% | -3.6% |
| 1998 | 21.8% | -7.4% |
| 1999 | 21.8% | +0.2% |
| 2000 | 20.5% | -5.8% |
| 2001 | 20.1% | -2.2% |
| 2002 | 21.1% | +4.8% |
| 2003 | 21.0% | -0.2% |
| 2004 | 21.4% | +1.8% |
| 2005 | 21.5% | +0.4% |
| 2006 | 19.6% | -8.8% |
| 2007 | 17.0% | -13.1% |
| 2008 | 16.9% | -0.4% |
| 2009 | 21.5% | +27.1% |
| 2010 | 23.0% | +6.8% |
| 2011 | 23.8% | +3.5% |
| 2012 | 26.0% | +9.3% |
| 2013 | 27.0% | +3.9% |
| 2014 | 26.0% | -3.6% |
| 2015 | 24.3% | -6.7% |
| 2016 | 22.5% | -7.4% |
| 2017 | 20.1% | -10.4% |
| 2018 | 18.2% | -9.9% |
| 2019 | 17.0% | -6.3% |
| 2020 | 19.1% | +12.0% |
| 2021 | 18.8% | -1.5% |
| 2022 | 16.4% | -12.7% |
| 2023 | 16.3% | -0.8% |
| 2024 | 16.5% | +1.5% |
| 2025 | 16.6% | +0.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 22.0% | 18.9% | 23.4% | 7 |
| 1990s | 22.0% | 17.7% | 25.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 20.1% | 16.9% | 21.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 22.8% | 17.0% | 27.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 17.3% | 16.3% | 19.1% | 6 |
Countries ranked near European Union
- 8 Syrian Arab Republic 35.8% compare
- 9 Iraq 35.4% compare
- 10 New Caledonia 34.5% compare
- 11 Puerto Rico 34.3% compare
- 12 Morocco 32.6% compare
- 13 Lesotho 31.1% compare
- 14 Guyana 30.7% compare
More work & labour data for European Union
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 51.6% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) 38.0% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) 43.5% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) 40.8% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 70.5% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 79.8% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) 75.2% (2025)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 81.9% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 57.3% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 63.3% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in European Union?
- Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in European Union was 16.6% in 2025, according to Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) recorded in European Union?
- The highest recorded value was 27.0% in 2013.
- What is the lowest unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) recorded in European Union?
- The lowest recorded value was 16.3% in 2023.
- How does European Union rank for unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24)?
- European Union ranks 11th out of 29 groups with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) rising or falling in European Union?
- Over the last ten years it is down 31.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this European Union data come from?
- The figures come from Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) (national 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. Definitions of labor force and unemployment differ by country.