Urban population vs. female labor force participation rate in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Urban population vs. female labor force participation rate was 83.3% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
83.3%
Change on year
up 0.1%
World rank
60th
of 236 countries
All-time high
83.3%
in 2025
All-time low
76.9%
in 1971
Years of data
76
1950–2025
Urban population vs. female labor force participation rate in United Kingdom, 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
United Kingdom recorded 83.3% for urban population vs. female labor force participation rate in 2025. That is the highest value across all 76 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.1% on the previous year and up 1.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, urban population vs. female labor force participation rate in United Kingdom peaked at 83.3% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 76.9%, in 1971.
That places United Kingdom 60th out of 236 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 76 years of available data.
Urban population vs. female labor force participation rate in United Kingdom, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 80.3% | — |
| 1951 | 80.3% | -0.0% |
| 1952 | 80.2% | -0.1% |
| 1953 | 80.1% | -0.1% |
| 1954 | 80.0% | -0.2% |
| 1955 | 79.7% | -0.3% |
| 1956 | 79.5% | -0.3% |
| 1957 | 79.3% | -0.3% |
| 1958 | 79.0% | -0.3% |
| 1959 | 78.8% | -0.3% |
| 1960 | 78.6% | -0.3% |
| 1961 | 78.4% | -0.2% |
| 1962 | 78.2% | -0.2% |
| 1963 | 78.0% | -0.2% |
| 1964 | 77.8% | -0.3% |
| 1965 | 77.6% | -0.3% |
| 1966 | 77.4% | -0.2% |
| 1967 | 77.2% | -0.2% |
| 1968 | 77.1% | -0.2% |
| 1969 | 77.0% | -0.1% |
| 1970 | 76.9% | -0.1% |
| 1971 | 76.9% | -0.0% |
| 1972 | 77.0% | +0.1% |
| 1973 | 77.1% | +0.2% |
| 1974 | 77.3% | +0.3% |
| 1975 | 77.5% | +0.3% |
| 1976 | 77.8% | +0.3% |
| 1977 | 78.1% | +0.3% |
| 1978 | 78.3% | +0.3% |
| 1979 | 78.5% | +0.2% |
| 1980 | 78.6% | +0.1% |
| 1981 | 78.6% | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 78.6% | -0.0% |
| 1983 | 78.5% | -0.1% |
| 1984 | 78.5% | -0.1% |
| 1985 | 78.4% | -0.1% |
| 1986 | 78.3% | -0.1% |
| 1987 | 78.3% | -0.1% |
| 1988 | 78.2% | -0.1% |
| 1989 | 78.1% | -0.1% |
| 1990 | 78.1% | -0.0% |
| 1991 | 78.1% | -0.0% |
| 1992 | 78.2% | +0.1% |
| 1993 | 78.3% | +0.2% |
| 1994 | 78.4% | +0.2% |
| 1995 | 78.7% | +0.3% |
| 1996 | 78.9% | +0.3% |
| 1997 | 79.1% | +0.3% |
| 1998 | 79.4% | +0.3% |
| 1999 | 79.6% | +0.3% |
| 2000 | 79.8% | +0.3% |
| 2001 | 80.0% | +0.2% |
| 2002 | 80.1% | +0.2% |
| 2003 | 80.2% | +0.1% |
| 2004 | 80.3% | +0.1% |
| 2005 | 80.4% | +0.1% |
| 2006 | 80.5% | +0.1% |
| 2007 | 80.6% | +0.1% |
| 2008 | 80.8% | +0.1% |
| 2009 | 80.9% | +0.1% |
| 2010 | 81.0% | +0.2% |
| 2011 | 81.1% | +0.2% |
| 2012 | 81.3% | +0.2% |
| 2013 | 81.5% | +0.2% |
| 2014 | 81.6% | +0.2% |
| 2015 | 81.8% | +0.2% |
| 2016 | 82.0% | +0.2% |
| 2017 | 82.2% | +0.3% |
| 2018 | 82.4% | +0.3% |
| 2019 | 82.7% | +0.3% |
| 2020 | 82.9% | +0.3% |
| 2021 | 83.0% | +0.1% |
| 2022 | 83.1% | +0.1% |
| 2023 | 83.2% | +0.1% |
| 2024 | 83.2% | +0.1% |
| 2025 | 83.3% | +0.1% |
United Kingdom compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom's 83.3% is above the median for high income countries, which is 81.3%, 1.0× the median. (85 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom's 83.3% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 69.6%, 1.2× the median. (56 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 79.7% | 78.8% | 80.3% | 10 |
| 1960s | 77.7% | 77.0% | 78.6% | 10 |
| 1970s | 77.5% | 76.9% | 78.5% | 10 |
| 1980s | 78.4% | 78.1% | 78.6% | 10 |
| 1990s | 78.7% | 78.1% | 79.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 80.4% | 79.8% | 80.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 81.8% | 81.0% | 82.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 83.1% | 82.9% | 83.3% | 6 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
- 57 Saudi Arabia 84.6% compare
- 58 New Zealand 84.0% compare
- 59 Norway 83.6% compare
- 61 Canada 82.9% compare
- 62 Germany 82.1% compare
- 63 Falkland Islands 81.5% compare
More work & labour data for United Kingdom
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 22,956 (2027)
- Labour force participation rate (ILO modelled estimates) 60.91 (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 35,770 (2027)
- Unemployment rate (ILO modelled estimates) 4.93 (2027)
- Labour dependency ratio 1.07 (2027)
- Output per worker, GDP constant 2021 international $ at PPP 111,361 (2027)
- Output per worker, GDP constant 2015 US $ 100,223 (2027)
- Employment-to-population ratio (ILO modelled estimates) 57.91 (2027)
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+) 1.47 % change on previous year (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+), annual growth rate 0.4352 % change on previous year (2027)
Frequently asked questions
- What is urban population vs. female labor force participation rate in United Kingdom?
- Urban population vs. female labor force participation rate in United Kingdom was 83.3% 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 United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 83.3% in 2025.
- What is the lowest urban population vs. female labor force participation rate recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 76.9% in 1971.
- How does United Kingdom rank for urban population vs. female labor force participation rate?
- United Kingdom ranks 60th out of 236 countries with data for 2025.
- Is urban population vs. female labor force participation rate rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United Kingdom 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.