Urban population vs. female labor force participation rate in India
India: Urban population vs. female labor force participation rate was 35.7% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
35.7%
Change on year
up 0.9%
World rank
197th
of 236 countries
All-time high
35.7%
in 2025
All-time low
17.2%
in 1950
Years of data
76
1950–2025
Urban population vs. female labor force participation rate in India, 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
India recorded 35.7% for urban population vs. female labor force participation rate in 2025. That is the highest value across all 76 years on record.
The figure is up 0.9% on the previous year and up 9.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, urban population vs. female labor force participation rate in India peaked at 35.7% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 17.2%, in 1950.
That places India 197th out of 236 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom 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 India, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 17.2% | — |
| 1951 | 17.3% | +0.8% |
| 1952 | 17.4% | +0.6% |
| 1953 | 17.5% | +0.5% |
| 1954 | 17.6% | +0.4% |
| 1955 | 17.6% | +0.3% |
| 1956 | 17.7% | +0.3% |
| 1957 | 17.7% | +0.3% |
| 1958 | 17.8% | +0.3% |
| 1959 | 17.8% | +0.4% |
| 1960 | 17.9% | +0.4% |
| 1961 | 18.0% | +0.6% |
| 1962 | 18.1% | +0.7% |
| 1963 | 18.3% | +0.8% |
| 1964 | 18.4% | +0.9% |
| 1965 | 18.6% | +1.0% |
| 1966 | 18.8% | +1.0% |
| 1967 | 19.0% | +1.1% |
| 1968 | 19.2% | +1.2% |
| 1969 | 19.5% | +1.2% |
| 1970 | 19.7% | +1.2% |
| 1971 | 20.0% | +1.3% |
| 1972 | 20.3% | +1.5% |
| 1973 | 20.6% | +1.8% |
| 1974 | 21.0% | +2.0% |
| 1975 | 21.5% | +2.1% |
| 1976 | 21.9% | +2.1% |
| 1977 | 22.4% | +2.0% |
| 1978 | 22.8% | +1.9% |
| 1979 | 23.2% | +1.7% |
| 1980 | 23.5% | +1.5% |
| 1981 | 23.8% | +1.2% |
| 1982 | 24.0% | +1.0% |
| 1983 | 24.3% | +0.9% |
| 1984 | 24.5% | +0.9% |
| 1985 | 24.7% | +0.8% |
| 1986 | 24.8% | +0.8% |
| 1987 | 25.0% | +0.7% |
| 1988 | 25.2% | +0.7% |
| 1989 | 25.4% | +0.7% |
| 1990 | 25.6% | +0.8% |
| 1991 | 25.8% | +0.8% |
| 1992 | 26.0% | +0.8% |
| 1993 | 26.2% | +0.8% |
| 1994 | 26.4% | +0.7% |
| 1995 | 26.6% | +0.7% |
| 1996 | 26.8% | +0.7% |
| 1997 | 27.0% | +0.8% |
| 1998 | 27.2% | +0.8% |
| 1999 | 27.4% | +0.8% |
| 2000 | 27.6% | +0.9% |
| 2001 | 27.9% | +0.9% |
| 2002 | 28.2% | +1.0% |
| 2003 | 28.5% | +1.0% |
| 2004 | 28.8% | +1.1% |
| 2005 | 29.1% | +1.1% |
| 2006 | 29.4% | +1.2% |
| 2007 | 29.8% | +1.2% |
| 2008 | 30.1% | +1.2% |
| 2009 | 30.5% | +1.2% |
| 2010 | 30.9% | +1.3% |
| 2011 | 31.3% | +1.2% |
| 2012 | 31.6% | +1.0% |
| 2013 | 31.9% | +1.0% |
| 2014 | 32.2% | +1.0% |
| 2015 | 32.5% | +1.0% |
| 2016 | 32.9% | +1.0% |
| 2017 | 33.2% | +1.0% |
| 2018 | 33.5% | +1.0% |
| 2019 | 33.8% | +0.9% |
| 2020 | 34.1% | +0.9% |
| 2021 | 34.4% | +0.9% |
| 2022 | 34.8% | +0.9% |
| 2023 | 35.1% | +0.9% |
| 2024 | 35.4% | +0.9% |
| 2025 | 35.7% | +0.9% |
India compared with similar countries
- India's 35.7% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 50.9%, 70% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- India's 35.7% is below the median for South Asia, which is 39.1%, 91% of the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 17.6% | 17.2% | 17.8% | 10 |
| 1960s | 18.6% | 17.9% | 19.5% | 10 |
| 1970s | 21.3% | 19.7% | 23.2% | 10 |
| 1980s | 24.5% | 23.5% | 25.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | 26.5% | 25.6% | 27.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 29.0% | 27.6% | 30.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 32.4% | 30.9% | 33.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 34.9% | 34.1% | 35.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near India
More work & labour data for India
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.5076 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.5076 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.5078 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.12 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 1.47 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 876,613 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 782,365 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 743,542 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 761,710 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 1.51 million 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is urban population vs. female labor force participation rate in India?
- Urban population vs. female labor force participation rate in India was 35.7% 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 India?
- The highest recorded value was 35.7% in 2025.
- What is the lowest urban population vs. female labor force participation rate recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 17.2% in 1950.
- How does India rank for urban population vs. female labor force participation rate?
- India ranks 197th out of 236 countries with data for 2025.
- Is urban population vs. female labor force participation rate rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is up 9.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this India 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.