Urban population vs. female labor force participation rate in Australia
Australia: Urban population vs. female labor force participation rate was 87.7% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
87.7%
Change on year
up 0.1%
World rank
49th
of 236 countries
All-time high
87.7%
in 2025
All-time low
75.8%
in 1950
Years of data
76
1950–2025
Urban population vs. female labor force participation rate in Australia, 1950–2025
Source: United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for urban population vs. female labor force participation rate in Australia is 87.7%, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 76 years on record.
The figure is up 0.1% on the previous year and up 1.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, urban population vs. female labor force participation rate in Australia peaked at 87.7% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 75.8%, in 1950.
That places Australia 49th out of 236 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 76 years of available data.
Urban population vs. female labor force participation rate in Australia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 75.8% | — |
| 1951 | 76.6% | +1.0% |
| 1952 | 77.4% | +1.0% |
| 1953 | 78.1% | +0.9% |
| 1954 | 78.7% | +0.8% |
| 1955 | 79.3% | +0.7% |
| 1956 | 79.8% | +0.7% |
| 1957 | 80.3% | +0.6% |
| 1958 | 80.8% | +0.6% |
| 1959 | 81.2% | +0.5% |
| 1960 | 81.6% | +0.5% |
| 1961 | 81.9% | +0.4% |
| 1962 | 82.2% | +0.3% |
| 1963 | 82.5% | +0.3% |
| 1964 | 82.7% | +0.3% |
| 1965 | 82.9% | +0.3% |
| 1966 | 83.2% | +0.4% |
| 1967 | 83.6% | +0.5% |
| 1968 | 84.2% | +0.7% |
| 1969 | 84.8% | +0.7% |
| 1970 | 85.3% | +0.6% |
| 1971 | 85.6% | +0.3% |
| 1972 | 85.7% | +0.2% |
| 1973 | 85.8% | +0.1% |
| 1974 | 85.9% | +0.1% |
| 1975 | 86.0% | +0.1% |
| 1976 | 86.0% | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 86.0% | -0.0% |
| 1978 | 85.9% | -0.1% |
| 1979 | 85.9% | -0.1% |
| 1980 | 85.8% | -0.1% |
| 1981 | 85.7% | -0.1% |
| 1982 | 85.6% | -0.1% |
| 1983 | 85.5% | -0.1% |
| 1984 | 85.4% | -0.1% |
| 1985 | 85.4% | -0.1% |
| 1986 | 85.4% | -0.0% |
| 1987 | 85.4% | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 85.4% | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 85.4% | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 85.4% | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 85.4% | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 85.4% | -0.0% |
| 1993 | 85.4% | -0.0% |
| 1994 | 85.3% | -0.0% |
| 1995 | 85.3% | -0.1% |
| 1996 | 85.2% | -0.1% |
| 1997 | 85.2% | -0.1% |
| 1998 | 85.2% | -0.0% |
| 1999 | 85.1% | -0.0% |
| 2000 | 85.1% | -0.0% |
| 2001 | 85.1% | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 85.3% | +0.2% |
| 2003 | 85.4% | +0.1% |
| 2004 | 85.5% | +0.1% |
| 2005 | 85.6% | +0.1% |
| 2006 | 85.7% | +0.2% |
| 2007 | 85.9% | +0.2% |
| 2008 | 86.0% | +0.1% |
| 2009 | 86.1% | +0.1% |
| 2010 | 86.2% | +0.1% |
| 2011 | 86.3% | +0.1% |
| 2012 | 86.4% | +0.1% |
| 2013 | 86.6% | +0.1% |
| 2014 | 86.7% | +0.2% |
| 2015 | 86.9% | +0.2% |
| 2016 | 87.0% | +0.2% |
| 2017 | 87.1% | +0.1% |
| 2018 | 87.2% | +0.1% |
| 2019 | 87.3% | +0.1% |
| 2020 | 87.3% | -0.0% |
| 2021 | 87.2% | -0.0% |
| 2022 | 87.3% | +0.1% |
| 2023 | 87.5% | +0.2% |
| 2024 | 87.6% | +0.1% |
| 2025 | 87.7% | +0.1% |
Australia compared with similar countries
- Australia's 87.7% is above the median for high income countries, which is 81.3%, 1.1× the median. (85 countries reporting)
- Australia's 87.7% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 65.4%, 1.3× the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 78.8% | 75.8% | 81.2% | 10 |
| 1960s | 83.0% | 81.6% | 84.8% | 10 |
| 1970s | 85.8% | 85.3% | 86.0% | 10 |
| 1980s | 85.5% | 85.4% | 85.8% | 10 |
| 1990s | 85.3% | 85.1% | 85.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 85.6% | 85.1% | 86.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 86.8% | 86.2% | 87.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 87.4% | 87.2% | 87.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Australia
More work & labour data for Australia
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.5057 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.4907 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.5202 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -0.9895 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.8931 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 30,186 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 3,001 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 21,642 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 21,502 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 43,144 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is urban population vs. female labor force participation rate in Australia?
- Urban population vs. female labor force participation rate in Australia was 87.7% in 2025, according to United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest urban population vs. female labor force participation rate recorded in Australia?
- The highest recorded value was 87.7% in 2025.
- What is the lowest urban population vs. female labor force participation rate recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was 75.8% in 1950.
- How does Australia rank for urban population vs. female labor force participation rate?
- Australia ranks 49th out of 236 countries with data for 2025.
- Is urban population vs. female labor force participation rate rising or falling in Australia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Australia data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Urban population vs. female labor force participation rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of the population living in urban areas, based on each country's national definition.