Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Spain
Spain: Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) was 24.9% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Spain, 1977–2025
Source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
In 2025, unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Spain stood at 24.9%.
That represents a change of down 6.1% on the previous year and down 48.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Spain peaked at 55.5% in 2013 and was at its lowest, 12.5%, in 1977.
That places Spain 24th out of 160 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 49 years of available data.
Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Spain, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1977 | 12.5% | — |
| 1978 | 17.6% | +40.7% |
| 1979 | 21.6% | +22.8% |
| 1980 | 28.4% | +31.7% |
| 1981 | 34.7% | +22.2% |
| 1982 | 38.6% | +11.3% |
| 1983 | 41.9% | +8.4% |
| 1984 | 46.3% | +10.5% |
| 1985 | 47.9% | +3.5% |
| 1986 | 46.5% | -3.0% |
| 1987 | 43.5% | -6.5% |
| 1988 | 41.1% | -5.4% |
| 1989 | 34.3% | -16.5% |
| 1990 | 31.8% | -7.2% |
| 1991 | 30.5% | -4.2% |
| 1992 | 33.1% | +8.4% |
| 1993 | 42.2% | +27.7% |
| 1994 | 44.9% | +6.4% |
| 1995 | 41.9% | -6.9% |
| 1996 | 41.8% | -0.1% |
| 1997 | 39.1% | -6.5% |
| 1998 | 35.4% | -9.4% |
| 1999 | 29.1% | -17.8% |
| 2000 | 25.3% | -13.3% |
| 2001 | 20.7% | -18.0% |
| 2002 | 21.5% | +3.9% |
| 2003 | 22.3% | +3.6% |
| 2004 | 22.5% | +0.8% |
| 2005 | 19.6% | -12.6% |
| 2006 | 17.9% | -8.9% |
| 2007 | 18.1% | +1.1% |
| 2008 | 24.5% | +35.2% |
| 2009 | 37.7% | +54.3% |
| 2010 | 41.5% | +9.9% |
| 2011 | 46.2% | +11.4% |
| 2012 | 52.9% | +14.4% |
| 2013 | 55.5% | +5.0% |
| 2014 | 53.2% | -4.1% |
| 2015 | 48.3% | -9.1% |
| 2016 | 44.4% | -8.1% |
| 2017 | 38.6% | -13.2% |
| 2018 | 34.3% | -11.0% |
| 2019 | 32.5% | -5.3% |
| 2020 | 38.3% | +17.6% |
| 2021 | 35.0% | -8.5% |
| 2022 | 29.7% | -15.2% |
| 2023 | 28.7% | -3.4% |
| 2024 | 26.5% | -7.5% |
| 2025 | 24.9% | -6.1% |
Spain compared with similar countries
- Spain's 24.9% is above the median for high income countries, which is 13.9%, 1.8× the median. (70 countries reporting)
- Spain's 24.9% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 15.2%, 1.6× the median. (51 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 17.2% | 12.5% | 21.6% | 3 |
| 1980s | 40.3% | 28.4% | 47.9% | 10 |
| 1990s | 37.0% | 29.1% | 44.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 23.0% | 17.9% | 37.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 44.7% | 32.5% | 55.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 30.5% | 24.9% | 38.3% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Spain
More work & labour data for Spain
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.527 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.5576 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.4982 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -2.05 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate -0.1207 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 39,073 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 5,322 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 17,076 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 16,051 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 33,128 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Spain?
- Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Spain was 24.9% 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 Spain?
- The highest recorded value was 55.5% in 2013.
- What is the lowest unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) recorded in Spain?
- The lowest recorded value was 12.5% in 1977.
- How does Spain rank for unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24)?
- Spain ranks 24th out of 160 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) rising or falling in Spain?
- Over the last ten years it is down 48.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Spain 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.