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
Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Sweden, 1975–2025
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 Sweden is 24.3%, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.2% on the previous year and up 19.1% 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, 3.1%, in 1989.
That places Sweden 25th out of 160 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 45 years of available data.
Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Sweden, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 3.8% | — |
| 1976 | 3.7% | -0.5% |
| 1982 | 7.6% | +102.9% |
| 1983 | 7.9% | +4.6% |
| 1984 | 6.0% | -24.0% |
| 1985 | 5.7% | -4.8% |
| 1986 | 4.8% | -16.9% |
| 1987 | 4.5% | -5.2% |
| 1989 | 3.1% | -31.3% |
| 1990 | 4.6% | +49.2% |
| 1991 | 8.0% | +71.9% |
| 1992 | 13.7% | +72.0% |
| 1993 | 22.7% | +65.9% |
| 1994 | 22.6% | -0.6% |
| 1995 | 19.6% | -13.3% |
| 1996 | 21.5% | +9.8% |
| 1997 | 21.9% | +1.5% |
| 1998 | 17.5% | -19.9% |
| 1999 | 16.3% | -7.0% |
| 2000 | 9.5% | -41.8% |
| 2001 | 11.7% | +23.2% |
| 2002 | 12.9% | +10.8% |
| 2003 | 14.3% | +10.8% |
| 2004 | 18.5% | +29.4% |
| 2005 | 22.8% | +23.2% |
| 2006 | 21.5% | -5.9% |
| 2007 | 19.3% | -10.4% |
| 2008 | 20.2% | +4.9% |
| 2009 | 25.0% | +23.8% |
| 2010 | 24.8% | -1.0% |
| 2011 | 22.8% | -8.0% |
| 2012 | 23.6% | +3.7% |
| 2013 | 23.5% | -0.4% |
| 2014 | 22.9% | -2.8% |
| 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% | +19.0% |
| 2021 | 24.7% | +3.0% |
| 2022 | 21.7% | -11.9% |
| 2023 | 22.1% | +1.6% |
| 2024 | 24.3% | +9.9% |
| 2025 | 24.3% | +0.2% |
Sweden compared with similar countries
- Sweden's 24.3% is above the median for high income countries, which is 13.9%, 1.7× the median. (70 countries reporting)
- Sweden's 24.3% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 15.2%, 1.6× the median. (51 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Sweden 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | +102.9% | 3.7% | 7.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 3.8% | 3.7% | 3.8% | 2 |
| 1980s | 5.7% | 3.1% | 7.9% | 7 |
| 1990s | 16.8% | 4.6% | 22.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 17.6% | 9.5% | 25.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 21.2% | 17.4% | 24.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 23.5% | 21.7% | 24.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Sweden
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 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 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 3.1% in 1989.
- How does Sweden rank for unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24)?
- Sweden ranks 25th out of 160 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 19.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sweden 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.
Download this data
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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.