North America - Labor force participation rate

Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) (national estimate)

Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) (national estimate) in North America was 55.37 as of 2021. Its highest value over the past 61 years was 64.89 in 1987, while its lowest value was 42.80 in 1960.

Definition: Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24 is the proportion of the population ages 15-24 that is economically active: all people who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period.

Source: International Labour Organization, ILOSTAT database. Data retrieved in December 2019.

See also:

Year Value
1960 42.80
1961 43.19
1962 43.30
1963 42.90
1964 43.30
1965 44.00
1966 46.50
1967 47.60
1968 48.50
1969 50.40
1970 51.30
1971 50.92
1972 53.00
1973 54.90
1974 56.60
1975 57.20
1976 58.02
1977 59.57
1978 61.57
1979 62.49
1980 62.11
1981 62.20
1982 62.19
1983 62.17
1984 63.03
1985 63.92
1986 64.58
1987 64.89
1988 64.85
1989 64.81
1990 63.34
1991 62.14
1992 62.06
1993 62.02
1994 62.65
1995 62.38
1996 62.19
1997 62.57
1998 63.03
1999 62.78
2000 62.99
2001 62.12
2002 61.46
2003 59.92
2004 59.36
2005 59.25
2006 58.65
2007 58.08
2008 57.48
2009 56.18
2010 54.61
2011 54.33
2012 54.19
2013 54.45
2014 54.62
2015 54.79
2016 54.74
2017 55.17
2018 55.33
2019 56.07
2020 53.97
2021 55.37

Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) (modeled ILO estimate)

Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) (modeled ILO estimate) in North America was 49.58 as of 2020. Its highest value over the past 30 years was 58.19 in 1990, while its lowest value was 49.58 in 2020.

Definition: Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24 is the proportion of the population ages 15-24 that is economically active: all people who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period.

Source: International Labour Organization, ILOSTAT database. Data retrieved in September 2019.

See also:

Year Value
1990 58.19
1991 57.08
1992 57.00
1993 56.94
1994 57.51
1995 57.25
1996 57.07
1997 57.40
1998 57.83
1999 57.61
2000 57.81
2001 57.02
2002 56.44
2003 55.05
2004 54.54
2005 54.43
2006 53.89
2007 53.37
2008 52.83
2009 51.63
2010 50.20
2011 49.94
2012 49.80
2013 50.05
2014 50.21
2015 50.35
2016 50.31
2017 50.69
2018 50.83
2019 51.51
2020 49.58

Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) (national estimate)

Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) (national estimate) in North America was 57.18 as of 2021. Its highest value over the past 61 years was 74.74 in 1979, while its lowest value was 55.27 in 2020.

Definition: Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24 is the proportion of the population ages 15-24 that is economically active: all people who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period.

Source: International Labour Organization, ILOSTAT database. Data retrieved in December 2019.

See also:

Year Value
1960 71.70
1961 69.95
1962 70.00
1963 69.10
1964 68.80
1965 69.00
1966 69.00
1967 69.30
1968 68.30
1969 68.80
1970 69.40
1971 69.16
1972 71.30
1973 72.90
1974 73.70
1975 72.40
1976 72.49
1977 73.67
1978 74.48
1979 74.74
1980 74.27
1981 73.69
1982 72.41
1983 72.31
1984 72.60
1985 72.83
1986 72.93
1987 72.37
1988 72.47
1989 73.08
1990 71.86
1991 70.37
1992 70.23
1993 69.84
1994 69.91
1995 69.84
1996 68.51
1997 67.98
1998 67.88
1999 67.76
2000 68.32
2001 66.93
2002 65.71
2003 64.27
2004 63.97
2005 63.24
2006 63.60
2007 62.09
2008 61.67
2009 59.13
2010 57.45
2011 57.36
2012 57.17
2013 57.27
2014 57.10
2015 56.92
2016 57.17
2017 57.32
2018 56.59
2019 57.29
2020 55.27
2021 57.18

Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) (modeled ILO estimate)

Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) (modeled ILO estimate) in North America was 50.76 as of 2020. Its highest value over the past 30 years was 65.97 in 1990, while its lowest value was 50.76 in 2020.

Definition: Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24 is the proportion of the population ages 15-24 that is economically active: all people who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period.

Source: International Labour Organization, ILOSTAT database. Data retrieved in September 2019.

See also:

Year Value
1990 65.97
1991 64.60
1992 64.45
1993 64.08
1994 64.14
1995 64.07
1996 62.85
1997 62.36
1998 62.27
1999 62.18
2000 62.69
2001 61.43
2002 60.32
2003 59.02
2004 58.74
2005 58.05
2006 58.39
2007 57.03
2008 56.65
2009 54.32
2010 52.78
2011 52.70
2012 52.51
2013 52.61
2014 52.46
2015 52.30
2016 52.52
2017 52.66
2018 51.98
2019 52.62
2020 50.76

Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) (national estimate)

Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) (national estimate) in North America was 56.27 as of 2021. Its highest value over the past 61 years was 68.85 in 1989, while its lowest value was 54.63 in 2020.

Definition: Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24 is the proportion of the population ages 15-24 that is economically active: all people who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period.

Source: International Labour Organization, ILOSTAT database. Data retrieved in December 2019.

See also:

Year Value
1960 56.40
1961 55.85
1962 55.80
1963 55.20
1964 55.30
1965 55.80
1966 57.10
1967 57.70
1968 57.70
1969 58.90
1970 59.80
1971 59.64
1972 61.80
1973 63.70
1974 64.90
1975 64.60
1976 65.12
1977 66.49
1978 67.94
1979 68.48
1980 68.15
1981 67.86
1982 67.21
1983 67.15
1984 67.73
1985 68.33
1986 68.71
1987 68.59
1988 68.62
1989 68.85
1990 67.56
1991 66.21
1992 66.11
1993 65.94
1994 66.29
1995 66.12
1996 65.36
1997 65.30
1998 65.48
1999 65.28
2000 65.67
2001 64.54
2002 63.59
2003 62.11
2004 61.68
2005 61.26
2006 61.15
2007 60.11
2008 59.59
2009 57.66
2010 56.05
2011 55.87
2012 55.69
2013 55.87
2014 55.87
2015 55.87
2016 55.96
2017 56.26
2018 55.97
2019 56.68
2020 54.63
2021 56.27

Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) (modeled ILO estimate)

Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) (modeled ILO estimate) in North America was 50.18 as of 2020. Its highest value over the past 30 years was 62.20 in 1990, while its lowest value was 50.18 in 2020.

Definition: Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24 is the proportion of the population ages 15-24 that is economically active: all people who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period.

Source: International Labour Organization, ILOSTAT database. Data retrieved in September 2019.

See also:

Year Value
1990 62.20
1991 60.94
1992 60.82
1993 60.60
1994 60.90
1995 60.74
1996 60.03
1997 59.94
1998 60.10
1999 59.95
2000 60.31
2001 59.27
2002 58.43
2003 57.08
2004 56.69
2005 56.29
2006 56.20
2007 55.25
2008 54.78
2009 53.01
2010 51.52
2011 51.35
2012 51.19
2013 51.36
2014 51.36
2015 51.35
2016 51.44
2017 51.70
2018 51.42
2019 52.08
2020 50.18

Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15-64) (modeled ILO estimate)

Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15-64) (modeled ILO estimate) in North America was 68.68 as of 2019. Its highest value over the past 29 years was 69.96 in 2000, while its lowest value was 66.71 in 2015.

Definition: Labor force participation rate is the proportion of the population ages 15-64 that is economically active: all people who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period.

Source: International Labour Organization, ILOSTAT database. Data retrieved in September 2019.

See also:

Year Value
1990 67.19
1991 67.10
1992 67.58
1993 67.74
1994 68.65
1995 68.94
1996 69.27
1997 69.83
1998 69.87
1999 69.96
2000 69.96
2001 69.63
2002 69.39
2003 69.14
2004 68.68
2005 68.63
2006 68.75
2007 68.61
2008 68.76
2009 68.47
2010 67.87
2011 67.33
2012 67.31
2013 66.90
2014 66.84
2015 66.71
2016 67.12
2017 67.77
2018 68.05
2019 68.68

Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) (modeled ILO estimate)

Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) (modeled ILO estimate) in North America was 78.74 as of 2019. Its highest value over the past 29 years was 84.56 in 1990, while its lowest value was 77.57 in 2014.

Definition: Labor force participation rate is the proportion of the population ages 15-64 that is economically active: all people who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period.

Source: International Labour Organization, ILOSTAT database. Data retrieved in September 2019.

See also:

Year Value
1990 84.56
1991 83.96
1992 83.92
1993 83.64
1994 83.21
1995 83.17
1996 83.15
1997 83.19
1998 83.13
1999 82.99
2000 82.83
2001 82.28
2002 81.84
2003 81.09
2004 80.77
2005 80.59
2006 80.67
2007 80.45
2008 80.20
2009 79.09
2010 78.31
2011 77.78
2012 78.08
2013 77.72
2014 77.57
2015 77.67
2016 77.97
2017 78.20
2018 78.39
2019 78.74

Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15-64) (modeled ILO estimate)

Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15-64) (modeled ILO estimate) in North America was 73.73 as of 2019. Its highest value over the past 29 years was 76.52 in 1997, while its lowest value was 72.21 in 2015.

Definition: Labor force participation rate is the proportion of the population ages 15-64 that is economically active: all people who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period.

Source: International Labour Organization, ILOSTAT database. Data retrieved in September 2019.

See also:

Year Value
1990 75.87
1991 75.53
1992 75.75
1993 75.69
1994 75.93
1995 76.06
1996 76.22
1997 76.52
1998 76.51
1999 76.49
2000 76.40
2001 75.97
2002 75.62
2003 75.13
2004 74.74
2005 74.62
2006 74.71
2007 74.54
2008 74.49
2009 73.78
2010 73.10
2011 72.56
2012 72.71
2013 72.32
2014 72.21
2015 72.21
2016 72.56
2017 73.00
2018 73.25
2019 73.73

Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15+) (national estimate)

Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15+) (national estimate) in North America was 56.57 as of 2021. Its highest value over the past 61 years was 59.92 in 1999, while its lowest value was 37.39 in 1961.

Definition: Labor force participation rate is the proportion of the population ages 15 and older that is economically active: all people who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period.

Source: International Labour Organization, ILOSTAT database. Data retrieved in December 2019.

See also:

Year Value
1960 37.70
1961 37.39
1962 37.90
1963 38.30
1964 38.70
1965 39.30
1966 40.30
1967 41.10
1968 41.60
1969 42.70
1970 43.30
1971 43.08
1972 43.90
1973 44.70
1974 45.70
1975 46.30
1976 47.15
1977 48.22
1978 49.80
1979 50.76
1980 51.41
1981 52.09
1982 52.55
1983 52.91
1984 53.62
1985 54.54
1986 55.34
1987 56.04
1988 56.68
1989 57.47
1990 57.60
1991 57.50
1992 57.80
1993 57.88
1994 58.73
1995 58.89
1996 59.15
1997 59.69
1998 59.70
1999 59.92
2000 59.89
2001 59.79
2002 59.75
2003 59.75
2004 59.45
2005 59.50
2006 59.62
2007 59.64
2008 59.78
2009 59.52
2010 59.01
2011 58.52
2012 58.14
2013 57.72
2014 57.44
2015 57.15
2016 57.26
2017 57.50
2018 57.52
2019 57.85
2020 56.55
2021 56.57

Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15+) (modeled ILO estimate)

Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15+) (modeled ILO estimate) in North America was 55.82 as of 2021. Its highest value over the past 31 years was 59.09 in 1999, while its lowest value was 55.82 in 2021.

Definition: Labor force participation rate is the proportion of the population ages 15 and older that is economically active: all people who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period.

Source: International Labour Organization, ILOSTAT database. Data retrieved in September 2019.

See also:

Year Value
1990 56.73
1991 56.63
1992 57.03
1993 57.12
1994 57.90
1995 58.07
1996 58.34
1997 58.86
1998 58.88
1999 59.09
2000 59.06
2001 58.96
2002 58.93
2003 58.92
2004 58.62
2005 58.66
2006 58.78
2007 58.79
2008 58.94
2009 58.68
2010 58.17
2011 57.69
2012 57.33
2013 56.92
2014 56.66
2015 56.37
2016 56.49
2017 56.73
2018 56.77
2019 57.11
2020 55.82
2021 55.82

Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) (national estimate)

Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) (national estimate) in North America was 83.44 as of 2021. Its highest value over the past 31 years was 83.56 in 2019, while its lowest value was 75.43 in 1990.

Definition: Labor force participation rate is the proportion of the population ages 15 and older that is economically active: all people who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period. Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate is calculated by dividing female labor force participation rate by male labor force participation rate and multiplying by 100.

Source: Derived using data from International Labour Organization, ILOSTAT database. Labor data retrieved in December 2019.

See also:

Year Value
1990 75.43
1991 75.95
1992 76.46
1993 76.98
1994 78.39
1995 78.75
1996 79.14
1997 79.79
1998 80.02
1999 80.44
2000 80.32
2001 80.56
2002 80.77
2003 81.31
2004 81.10
2005 81.23
2006 81.31
2007 81.55
2008 82.00
2009 82.75
2010 82.88
2011 82.94
2012 82.79
2013 82.67
2014 82.86
2015 82.59
2016 82.65
2017 83.14
2018 83.26
2019 83.56
2020 83.47
2021 83.44

Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) (modeled ILO estimate)

Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) (modeled ILO estimate) in North America was 83.58 as of 2021. Its highest value over the past 31 years was 83.70 in 2019, while its lowest value was 75.58 in 1990.

Definition: Labor force participation rate is the proportion of the population ages 15 and older that is economically active: all people who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period. Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate is calculated by dividing female labor force participation rate by male labor force participation rate and multiplying by 100.

Source: Derived using data from International Labour Organization, ILOSTAT database. Data retrieved in September 2019.

See also:

Year Value
1990 75.58
1991 76.01
1992 76.61
1993 77.17
1994 78.50
1995 78.86
1996 79.28
1997 79.92
1998 80.14
1999 80.56
2000 80.46
2001 80.69
2002 80.90
2003 81.46
2004 81.27
2005 81.41
2006 81.49
2007 81.73
2008 82.18
2009 82.96
2010 83.07
2011 83.10
2012 82.95
2013 82.81
2014 83.00
2015 82.75
2016 82.80
2017 83.28
2018 83.39
2019 83.70
2020 83.60
2021 83.58

Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) (national estimate)

Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) (national estimate) in North America was 67.82 as of 2021. Its highest value over the past 61 years was 83.30 in 1960, while its lowest value was 67.77 in 2020.

Definition: Labor force participation rate is the proportion of the population ages 15 and older that is economically active: all people who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period.

Source: International Labour Organization, ILOSTAT database. Data retrieved in December 2019.

See also:

Year Value
1960 83.30
1961 82.48
1962 82.00
1963 81.40
1964 81.00
1965 80.70
1966 80.40
1967 80.40
1968 80.10
1969 79.80
1970 79.70
1971 78.84
1972 78.90
1973 78.80
1974 78.70
1975 77.90
1976 77.52
1977 77.69
1978 77.90
1979 77.85
1980 77.49
1981 77.14
1982 76.64
1983 76.45
1984 76.43
1985 76.34
1986 76.36
1987 76.27
1988 76.24
1989 76.44
1990 76.37
1991 75.72
1992 75.60
1993 75.19
1994 74.91
1995 74.79
1996 74.74
1997 74.80
1998 74.61
1999 74.48
2000 74.56
2001 74.22
2002 73.99
2003 73.50
2004 73.31
2005 73.27
2006 73.34
2007 73.15
2008 72.93
2009 71.95
2010 71.22
2011 70.58
2012 70.25
2013 69.85
2014 69.35
2015 69.21
2016 69.30
2017 69.18
2018 69.11
2019 69.25
2020 67.77
2021 67.82

Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) (modeled ILO estimate)

Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) (modeled ILO estimate) in North America was 66.79 as of 2021. Its highest value over the past 31 years was 75.07 in 1990, while its lowest value was 66.79 in 2020.

Definition: Labor force participation rate is the proportion of the population ages 15 and older that is economically active: all people who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period.

Source: International Labour Organization, ILOSTAT database. Data retrieved in September 2019.

See also:

Year Value
1990 75.07
1991 74.50
1992 74.44
1993 74.01
1994 73.76
1995 73.64
1996 73.59
1997 73.65
1998 73.47
1999 73.35
2000 73.41
2001 73.07
2002 72.84
2003 72.34
2004 72.14
2005 72.07
2006 72.14
2007 71.95
2008 71.72
2009 70.74
2010 70.04
2011 69.44
2012 69.13
2013 68.75
2014 68.28
2015 68.14
2016 68.24
2017 68.14
2018 68.08
2019 68.24
2020 66.79
2021 66.79

Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) (national estimate)

Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) (national estimate) in North America was 62.02 as of 2021. Its highest value over the past 61 years was 66.96 in 1997, while its lowest value was 58.70 in 1963.

Definition: Labor force participation rate is the proportion of the population ages 15 and older that is economically active: all people who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period.

Source: International Labour Organization, ILOSTAT database. Data retrieved in December 2019.

See also:

Year Value
1960 59.40
1961 58.84
1962 58.80
1963 58.70
1964 58.70
1965 58.90
1966 59.20
1967 59.60
1968 59.60
1969 60.10
1970 60.40
1971 60.00
1972 60.40
1973 60.80
1974 61.30
1975 61.20
1976 61.59
1977 62.26
1978 63.16
1979 63.70
1980 63.85
1981 64.01
1982 64.04
1983 64.07
1984 64.46
1985 64.88
1986 65.38
1987 65.69
1988 65.99
1989 66.58
1990 66.57
1991 66.24
1992 66.33
1993 66.20
1994 66.51
1995 66.53
1996 66.65
1997 66.96
1998 66.89
1999 66.92
2000 66.94
2001 66.73
2002 66.61
2003 66.37
2004 66.14
2005 66.16
2006 66.27
2007 66.18
2008 66.15
2009 65.55
2010 64.94
2011 64.38
2012 63.99
2013 63.58
2014 63.21
2015 62.98
2016 63.09
2017 63.15
2018 63.14
2019 63.38
2020 61.99
2021 62.02

Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) (modeled ILO estimate)

Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) (modeled ILO estimate) in North America was 61.21 as of 2021. Its highest value over the past 31 years was 66.06 in 1997, while its lowest value was 61.21 in 2021.

Definition: Labor force participation rate is the proportion of the population ages 15 and older that is economically active: all people who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period.

Source: International Labour Organization, ILOSTAT database. Data retrieved in September 2019.

See also:

Year Value
1990 65.63
1991 65.30
1992 65.48
1993 65.32
1994 65.61
1995 65.64
1996 65.76
1997 66.06
1998 65.99
1999 66.04
2000 66.06
2001 65.85
2002 65.72
2003 65.47
2004 65.23
2005 65.22
2006 65.31
2007 65.23
2008 65.19
2009 64.58
2010 63.99
2011 63.45
2012 63.11
2013 62.72
2014 62.36
2015 62.15
2016 62.26
2017 62.34
2018 62.33
2019 62.58
2020 61.21
2021 61.21

Classification

Topic: Labor & Social Protection Indicators

Sub-Topic: Labor force structure