Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Barbados
Barbados: Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates was 6.0% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Barbados, 1976–2024
Source: Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Barbados is 6.0%, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 41 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 7.8% on the previous year and down 51.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Barbados peaked at 24.5% in 1993 and was at its lowest, 6.0%, in 2024.
Barbados ranks 76th of 185 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 41 years of available data.
Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Barbados, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1976 | 15.6% | — |
| 1977 | 15.7% | +0.6% |
| 1978 | 13.7% | -12.7% |
| 1979 | 11.3% | -17.5% |
| 1980 | 11.4% | +0.9% |
| 1981 | 10.9% | -4.7% |
| 1982 | 13.8% | +26.6% |
| 1983 | 15.0% | +9.2% |
| 1984 | 17.1% | +13.9% |
| 1985 | 18.9% | +10.3% |
| 1986 | 17.9% | -5.2% |
| 1987 | 17.9% | +0.3% |
| 1988 | 17.6% | -2.0% |
| 1989 | 14.1% | -20.0% |
| 1990 | 15.0% | +7.0% |
| 1991 | 17.1% | +13.7% |
| 1992 | 23.0% | +34.7% |
| 1993 | 24.5% | +6.6% |
| 1994 | 21.9% | -10.8% |
| 1995 | 19.7% | -10.2% |
| 1996 | 15.8% | -19.7% |
| 1997 | 14.6% | -7.5% |
| 1998 | 12.4% | -15.1% |
| 1999 | 10.6% | -14.4% |
| 2000 | 9.3% | -11.9% |
| 2001 | 9.8% | +5.4% |
| 2002 | 10.3% | +4.8% |
| 2003 | 11.0% | +6.6% |
| 2009 | 10.0% | -9.1% |
| 2010 | 10.7% | +7.0% |
| 2013 | 11.5% | +7.9% |
| 2014 | 12.3% | +6.5% |
| 2015 | 9.8% | -20.3% |
| 2016 | 8.2% | -15.9% |
| 2017 | 8.6% | +4.5% |
| 2018 | 8.3% | -3.5% |
| 2019 | 8.4% | +1.1% |
| 2021 | 11.0% | +31.0% |
| 2022 | 7.3% | -34.1% |
| 2023 | 6.5% | -9.9% |
| 2024 | 6.0% | -7.8% |
Barbados compared with similar countries
- Barbados's 6.0% is above the median for high income countries, which is 4.9%, 1.2× the median. (77 countries reporting)
- Barbados's 6.0% is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 6.3%, 95% of the median. (36 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 14.1% | 11.3% | 15.7% | 4 |
| 1980s | 15.4% | 10.9% | 18.9% | 10 |
| 1990s | 17.5% | 10.6% | 24.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 10.1% | 9.3% | 11.0% | 5 |
| 2010s | 9.7% | 8.2% | 12.3% | 8 |
| 2020s | 7.7% | 6.0% | 11.0% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Barbados
More reference data data for Barbados
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.0268 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.0217 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 0.0558 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 0.0558 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.09 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.0377 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.118 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 0.2758 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0001 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Barbados?
- Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Barbados was 6.0% in 2024, according to Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates recorded in Barbados?
- The highest recorded value was 24.5% in 1993.
- What is the lowest unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates recorded in Barbados?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.0% in 2024.
- How does Barbados rank for unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates?
- Barbados ranks 76th out of 185 countries with data for 2024.
- Is unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates rising or falling in Barbados?
- Over the last ten years it is down 51.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Barbados data come from?
- The figures come from Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 41 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Share of the labor force without work, but actively looking for a job and available to start soon. Figures refer to national estimates and may not be fully comparable across countries.