Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Denmark
Denmark: Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates was 6.4% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Denmark, 1973–2025
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 Denmark is 6.4%, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 4.1% on the previous year and up 1.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Denmark peaked at 11.4% in 1981 and was at its lowest, 0.9%, in 1973.
That places Denmark 70th out of 185 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 53 years of available data.
Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Denmark, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1973 | 0.9% | — |
| 1974 | 5.0% | +456.0% |
| 1975 | 5.1% | +1.9% |
| 1976 | 5.5% | +8.0% |
| 1977 | 6.4% | +16.1% |
| 1978 | 5.8% | -9.4% |
| 1979 | 7.2% | +23.6% |
| 1980 | 7.0% | -2.3% |
| 1981 | 11.4% | +63.3% |
| 1982 | 10.0% | -12.5% |
| 1983 | 9.7% | -2.6% |
| 1984 | 8.9% | -9.0% |
| 1985 | 7.8% | -12.1% |
| 1986 | 6.0% | -22.6% |
| 1987 | 6.1% | +1.0% |
| 1988 | 6.5% | +6.5% |
| 1989 | 8.1% | +25.6% |
| 1990 | 8.3% | +2.3% |
| 1991 | 9.1% | +9.1% |
| 1992 | 9.0% | -0.8% |
| 1993 | 10.7% | +18.7% |
| 1994 | 8.0% | -25.0% |
| 1995 | 7.0% | -13.0% |
| 1996 | 6.8% | -2.1% |
| 1997 | 5.4% | -21.1% |
| 1998 | 5.0% | -6.7% |
| 1999 | 5.1% | +2.0% |
| 2000 | 4.5% | -12.9% |
| 2001 | 4.2% | -7.0% |
| 2002 | 4.3% | +2.6% |
| 2003 | 5.4% | +26.3% |
| 2004 | 5.2% | -3.6% |
| 2005 | 4.8% | -7.2% |
| 2006 | 3.9% | -19.3% |
| 2007 | 3.8% | -2.5% |
| 2008 | 3.7% | -3.1% |
| 2009 | 6.4% | +74.0% |
| 2010 | 7.7% | +20.9% |
| 2011 | 7.8% | +0.3% |
| 2012 | 7.8% | +0.4% |
| 2013 | 7.4% | -5.3% |
| 2014 | 6.9% | -6.2% |
| 2015 | 6.3% | -9.3% |
| 2016 | 6.0% | -4.6% |
| 2017 | 5.8% | -2.6% |
| 2018 | 5.1% | -12.0% |
| 2019 | 5.0% | -2.2% |
| 2020 | 5.6% | +12.5% |
| 2021 | 5.1% | -10.3% |
| 2022 | 4.4% | -12.5% |
| 2023 | 5.1% | +14.9% |
| 2024 | 6.1% | +20.7% |
| 2025 | 6.4% | +4.1% |
Denmark compared with similar countries
- Denmark's 6.4% is above the median for high income countries, which is 4.9%, 1.3× the median. (77 countries reporting)
- Denmark's 6.4% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 5.6%, 1.2× the median. (52 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Denmark changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | +456.0% | 0.9% | 5.0% |
| 2009 | +74.0% | 3.7% | 6.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 5.1% | 0.9% | 7.2% | 7 |
| 1980s | 8.2% | 6.0% | 11.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | 7.5% | 5.0% | 10.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.6% | 3.7% | 6.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 6.6% | 5.0% | 7.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.5% | 4.4% | 6.4% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Denmark
- 67 Canada 6.8% compare
- 68 Sao Tome and Principe 6.7% compare
- 69 Luxembourg 6.5% compare
- 71 Costa Rica 6.3% compare
- 72 Grenada 6.3% compare
- 73 Belgium 6.2% compare
More reference data data for Denmark
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.1 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.1915 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 2.65 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.4109 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 2.65 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 3.7 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 2.16 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 1.03 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 12.99 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 2.24 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Denmark?
- Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Denmark was 6.4% in 2025, 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 Denmark?
- The highest recorded value was 11.4% in 1981.
- What is the lowest unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates recorded in Denmark?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.9% in 1973.
- How does Denmark rank for unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates?
- Denmark ranks 70th out of 185 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates rising or falling in Denmark?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Denmark 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 — 53 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.