Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages) … national in OECD members
OECD members: Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages) … national was 11.8% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in OECD members, 1983–2025
Source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
OECD members recorded 11.8% for unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.4% on the previous year and down 22.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in OECD members peaked at 17.8% in 2010 and was at its lowest, 11.2%, in 2023.
OECD members ranks 25th of 30 groups on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 43 years of available data.
Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages) … national in OECD members, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1983 | 17.6% | — |
| 1984 | 17.1% | -3.0% |
| 1985 | 16.8% | -1.9% |
| 1986 | 16.0% | -4.5% |
| 1987 | 15.6% | -2.9% |
| 1988 | 14.6% | -6.1% |
| 1989 | 13.4% | -8.3% |
| 1990 | 12.9% | -3.7% |
| 1991 | 12.9% | -0.2% |
| 1992 | 14.1% | +9.1% |
| 1993 | 15.2% | +7.9% |
| 1994 | 15.7% | +3.4% |
| 1995 | 15.9% | +1.6% |
| 1996 | 16.0% | +0.6% |
| 1997 | 15.2% | -5.3% |
| 1998 | 14.3% | -5.8% |
| 1999 | 14.1% | -1.4% |
| 2000 | 13.2% | -6.6% |
| 2001 | 15.3% | +15.9% |
| 2002 | 15.0% | -1.9% |
| 2003 | 15.4% | +2.8% |
| 2004 | 15.3% | -0.4% |
| 2005 | 14.8% | -3.5% |
| 2006 | 13.5% | -8.8% |
| 2007 | 13.0% | -3.5% |
| 2008 | 13.8% | +5.8% |
| 2009 | 17.6% | +27.4% |
| 2010 | 17.8% | +1.3% |
| 2011 | 17.3% | -2.7% |
| 2012 | 17.4% | +0.9% |
| 2013 | 17.4% | -0.4% |
| 2014 | 16.3% | -6.2% |
| 2015 | 15.1% | -7.2% |
| 2016 | 14.3% | -5.7% |
| 2017 | 13.3% | -7.0% |
| 2018 | 12.5% | -5.8% |
| 2019 | 12.6% | +1.2% |
| 2020 | 15.9% | +25.5% |
| 2021 | 13.7% | -14.0% |
| 2022 | 11.6% | -15.1% |
| 2023 | 11.2% | -3.1% |
| 2024 | 11.6% | +3.5% |
| 2025 | 11.8% | +1.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 15.9% | 13.4% | 17.6% | 7 |
| 1990s | 14.6% | 12.9% | 16.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 14.7% | 13.0% | 17.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 15.4% | 12.5% | 17.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 12.6% | 11.2% | 15.9% | 6 |
Countries ranked near OECD members
More work & labour data for OECD members
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) 47.1% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) 43.7% (2025)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 78.8% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) 50.3% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 68.2% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 60.6% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 66.8% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 80.4% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) 73.6% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 53.3% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in OECD members?
- Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in OECD members was 11.8% 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 OECD members?
- The highest recorded value was 17.8% in 2010.
- What is the lowest unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) recorded in OECD members?
- The lowest recorded value was 11.2% in 2023.
- How does OECD members rank for unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24)?
- OECD members ranks 25th out of 30 groups with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) rising or falling in OECD members?
- Over the last ten years it is down 22.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this OECD members 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.