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US vs Mexico Unemployment
United States moved above Mexico in 1995. In 1991 Mexico stood at roughly 46% of United States’s Unemployment; today the figure is about 64%, and the pair was closest in 1996 (100%).
| Year | United States | Mexico | Mexico as % of US |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 6.8% | 3.15% | 46% |
| 1970 | 6.8% | 3.15% | 46% |
| 1980 | 6.8% | 3.15% | 46% |
| 1990 | 6.8% | 3.15% | 46% |
| 2000 | 3.99% | 2.65% | 66% |
| 2010 | 9.63% | 5.3% | 55% |
| 2020 | 8.06% | 4.44% | 55% |
| 2025 | 4.2% | 2.67% | 64% |
Frequently asked questions
When did United States move above Mexico in Unemployment?
In 1995. United States’s published Unemployment rose above Mexico’s that year.
How do United States and Mexico compare today?
United States is ahead: 4.2% against 2.67% — the trailing economy stands at about 64% 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: