Home / Comparisons / US vs Germany Unemployment
US vs Germany Unemployment
United States moved above Germany in 1993. In 1991 Germany stood at roughly 78% of United States’s Unemployment; today the figure is about 88%, and the pair was closest in 1993 (111%).
| Year | United States | Germany | Germany as % of US |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 6.8% | 5.32% | 78% |
| 1970 | 6.8% | 5.32% | 78% |
| 1980 | 6.8% | 5.32% | 78% |
| 1990 | 6.8% | 5.32% | 78% |
| 2000 | 3.99% | 7.92% | 198% |
| 2010 | 9.63% | 7.04% | 73% |
| 2020 | 8.06% | 3.88% | 48% |
| 2025 | 4.2% | 3.71% | 88% |
Frequently asked questions
When did United States move above Germany in Unemployment?
In 1993. United States’s published Unemployment rose above Germany’s that year.
How do United States and Germany compare today?
United States is ahead: 4.2% against 3.71% — the trailing economy stands at about 88% of the leader.
Are these Unemployment figures nominal or adjusted?
The series is a share expressed in % of total labor force, exactly as the World Bank publishes it; movements are percentage points, not percent.
Full series
Every published year for both economies, with charts, downloads and citations: