Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in North America
North America: Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) was 10.4% in 2025. ▬ Flat
Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in North America, 1960–2025
Source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in North America is 10.4%, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of up 11.0% on the previous year and down 11.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in North America peaked at 18.1% in 2010 and was at its lowest, 8.2%, in 2023.
North America ranks 28th of 29 groups on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in North America, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 11.2% | — |
| 1961 | 13.0% | +16.1% |
| 1962 | 11.3% | -13.1% |
| 1963 | 12.2% | +8.0% |
| 1964 | 11.5% | -5.7% |
| 1965 | 10.1% | -12.2% |
| 1966 | 8.6% | -14.9% |
| 1967 | 8.7% | +1.2% |
| 1968 | 8.7% | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 8.4% | -3.4% |
| 1970 | 11.0% | +31.0% |
| 1971 | 12.7% | +15.5% |
| 1972 | 12.1% | -4.7% |
| 1973 | 10.5% | -13.2% |
| 1974 | 11.9% | +13.3% |
| 1975 | 16.1% | +35.3% |
| 1976 | 14.5% | -10.1% |
| 1977 | 13.6% | -5.8% |
| 1978 | 12.5% | -8.4% |
| 1979 | 11.9% | -4.7% |
| 1980 | 13.8% | +16.0% |
| 1981 | 14.7% | +6.5% |
| 1982 | 17.8% | +21.6% |
| 1983 | 17.4% | -2.4% |
| 1984 | 14.3% | -18.1% |
| 1985 | 13.8% | -3.0% |
| 1986 | 13.4% | -2.8% |
| 1987 | 12.3% | -8.4% |
| 1988 | 11.1% | -10.2% |
| 1989 | 10.9% | -1.3% |
| 1990 | 11.3% | +3.8% |
| 1991 | 13.6% | +20.6% |
| 1992 | 14.5% | +6.3% |
| 1993 | 13.8% | -5.0% |
| 1994 | 12.9% | -6.6% |
| 1995 | 12.4% | -3.3% |
| 1996 | 12.4% | -0.1% |
| 1997 | 11.9% | -4.2% |
| 1998 | 10.9% | -8.5% |
| 1999 | 10.3% | -5.5% |
| 2000 | 9.7% | -6.2% |
| 2001 | 10.8% | +11.6% |
| 2002 | 12.1% | +12.7% |
| 2003 | 12.5% | +3.2% |
| 2004 | 12.0% | -4.3% |
| 2005 | 11.4% | -4.9% |
| 2006 | 10.6% | -7.0% |
| 2007 | 10.6% | -0.2% |
| 2008 | 12.7% | +20.0% |
| 2009 | 17.4% | +36.6% |
| 2010 | 18.1% | +4.0% |
| 2011 | 17.0% | -5.9% |
| 2012 | 16.0% | -5.8% |
| 2013 | 15.3% | -4.2% |
| 2014 | 13.4% | -12.7% |
| 2015 | 11.7% | -12.3% |
| 2016 | 10.6% | -9.4% |
| 2017 | 9.4% | -11.4% |
| 2018 | 8.8% | -6.5% |
| 2019 | 8.6% | -2.2% |
| 2020 | 15.4% | +78.9% |
| 2021 | 10.1% | -34.6% |
| 2022 | 8.3% | -17.6% |
| 2023 | 8.2% | -1.3% |
| 2024 | 9.3% | +13.7% |
| 2025 | 10.4% | +11.0% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in North America 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 | +78.9% | 8.6% | 15.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 10.4% | 8.4% | 13.0% | 10 |
| 1970s | 12.7% | 10.5% | 16.1% | 10 |
| 1980s | 14.0% | 10.9% | 17.8% | 10 |
| 1990s | 12.4% | 10.3% | 14.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 12.0% | 9.7% | 17.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 12.9% | 8.6% | 18.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 10.3% | 8.2% | 15.4% | 6 |
Countries ranked near North America
More work & labour data for North America
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 56.8% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 62.0% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 67.3% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) 51.6% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) 52.4% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) 52.0% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 78.8% (2025)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 84.4% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 69.8% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) 74.4% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in North America?
- Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in North America was 10.4% 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 North America?
- The highest recorded value was 18.1% in 2010.
- What is the lowest unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) recorded in North America?
- The lowest recorded value was 8.2% in 2023.
- How does North America rank for unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24)?
- North America ranks 28th out of 29 groups with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) rising or falling in North America?
- Over the last ten years it is down 11.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this North America 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.