Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Singapore
Singapore: Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates was 3.3% in 2025. ▬ Flat
Latest (2025)
3.3%
Change on year
down 1.5%
World rank
140th
of 185 countries
All-time high
6.8%
in 1986
All-time low
2.0%
in 1990
Years of data
56
1970–2025
Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Singapore, 1970–2025
Source: Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Singapore recorded 3.3% for unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in 2025.
That represents a change of down 1.5% on the previous year and down 14.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Singapore peaked at 6.8% in 1986 and was at its lowest, 2.0%, in 1990.
That places Singapore 140th out of 185 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Singapore, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 6.1% | — |
| 1971 | 4.8% | -20.8% |
| 1972 | 4.7% | -2.1% |
| 1973 | 4.5% | -4.0% |
| 1974 | 4.0% | -12.1% |
| 1975 | 3.9% | -1.5% |
| 1976 | 4.5% | +14.6% |
| 1977 | 3.9% | -12.1% |
| 1978 | 3.6% | -9.4% |
| 1979 | 3.3% | -7.3% |
| 1980 | 3.0% | -8.0% |
| 1981 | 2.8% | -8.2% |
| 1982 | 2.6% | -8.3% |
| 1983 | 3.2% | +25.5% |
| 1984 | 2.7% | -16.4% |
| 1985 | 4.4% | +64.4% |
| 1986 | 6.8% | +54.8% |
| 1987 | 5.0% | -27.0% |
| 1988 | 3.6% | -27.9% |
| 1989 | 2.4% | -34.7% |
| 1990 | 2.0% | -16.8% |
| 1991 | 2.2% | +11.5% |
| 1992 | 3.1% | +41.7% |
| 1993 | 3.1% | -0.6% |
| 1994 | 3.0% | -1.3% |
| 1995 | 3.3% | +8.9% |
| 1996 | 3.6% | +8.2% |
| 1997 | 2.5% | -30.0% |
| 1998 | 3.4% | +36.4% |
| 1999 | 4.8% | +42.2% |
| 2000 | 3.7% | -23.7% |
| 2001 | 3.8% | +1.6% |
| 2002 | 5.7% | +50.3% |
| 2003 | 5.9% | +5.0% |
| 2004 | 5.8% | -1.5% |
| 2005 | 3.4% | -41.8% |
| 2006 | 4.5% | +31.8% |
| 2007 | 3.9% | -12.9% |
| 2008 | 4.0% | +1.5% |
| 2009 | 5.9% | +48.0% |
| 2010 | 4.1% | -29.7% |
| 2011 | 3.9% | -5.6% |
| 2012 | 3.7% | -4.4% |
| 2013 | 3.9% | +3.9% |
| 2014 | 3.7% | -3.1% |
| 2015 | 3.8% | +1.1% |
| 2016 | 4.1% | +7.9% |
| 2017 | 4.2% | +1.9% |
| 2018 | 3.9% | -6.8% |
| 2019 | 3.1% | -19.4% |
| 2020 | 5.2% | +67.4% |
| 2021 | 4.6% | -11.3% |
| 2022 | 3.6% | -22.6% |
| 2023 | 3.4% | -4.1% |
| 2024 | 3.3% | -4.0% |
| 2025 | 3.3% | -1.5% |
Singapore compared with similar countries
- Singapore's 3.3% is below the median for high income countries, which is 4.9%, 66% of the median. (77 countries reporting)
- Singapore's 3.3% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 3.5%, 94% of the median. (34 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 4.3% | 3.3% | 6.1% | 10 |
| 1980s | 3.7% | 2.4% | 6.8% | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.1% | 2.0% | 4.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.6% | 3.4% | 5.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.8% | 3.1% | 4.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.9% | 3.3% | 5.2% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Singapore
More reference data data for Singapore
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.008 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.0066 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 0.0618 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 0.0618 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.0269 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.0096 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.0378 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 0.2664 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Burning - Crop residues 0 (1992)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 0.2567 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Singapore?
- Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Singapore was 3.3% 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 Singapore?
- The highest recorded value was 6.8% in 1986.
- What is the lowest unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates recorded in Singapore?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.0% in 1990.
- How does Singapore rank for unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates?
- Singapore ranks 140th out of 185 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates rising or falling in Singapore?
- Over the last ten years it is down 14.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Singapore 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 — 56 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.