Puerto Rico (US) — Unemployment
Unemployment Rate for Puerto Rico (US), 1991–2025.
Unemployment for Puerto Rico (US) was 5.99% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 35 years, from 1991 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 16.93% in 1992. The lowest was 5.64% in 2024 (about 1.1× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to -2.88% per year.
Puerto Rico (US) ranks 77 of 187 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 41%. The median for Latin America & Caribbean is 5.99%, so Puerto Rico (US) sits level with it. It peaked in 1992 and has fallen 65% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved down 50%. Within Latin America & Caribbean it ranks 16 of 31 economies; Brazil (5.97%) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was up 31% in 2009. That is 29% below this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
World ranking. Slipped: 22nd of 187 in 1991 → 69th of 187 in 2000 → 24th of 187 in 2010 → 62nd of 187 in 2020 → 72nd of 182 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1991 to 2025
| Year | % of total labor force | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 5.99% | +0.4 pp |
| 2024 | 5.64% | -0.1 pp |
| 2023 | 5.73% | -0.3 pp |
| 2022 | 6% | -1.9 pp |
| 2021 | 7.9% | -1.0 pp |
| 2020 | 8.89% | +0.6 pp |
| 2019 | 8.3% | -0.9 pp |
| 2018 | 9.2% | -1.6 pp |
| 2017 | 10.8% | -1.0 pp |
| 2016 | 11.8% | -0.2 pp |
| 2015 | 12% | -1.9 pp |
| 2014 | 13.9% | -0.4 pp |
| 2013 | 14.3% | -0.2 pp |
| 2012 | 14.5% | -1.2 pp |
| 2011 | 15.7% | -0.4 pp |
| 2010 | 16.1% | +1.1 pp |
| 2009 | 15% | +3.5 pp |
| 2008 | 11.48% | +0.6 pp |
| 2007 | 10.93% | -0.1 pp |
| 2006 | 11.01% | -0.3 pp |
| 2005 | 11.35% | +1.0 pp |
| 2004 | 10.31% | -1.5 pp |
| 2003 | 11.78% | -0.2 pp |
| 2002 | 11.94% | +0.5 pp |
| 2001 | 11.4% | +1.3 pp |
| 2000 | 10.08% | -1.7 pp |
| 1999 | 11.81% | -1.7 pp |
| 1998 | 13.46% | -0.3 pp |
| 1997 | 13.8% | +0.2 pp |
| 1996 | 13.64% | -0.3 pp |
| 1995 | 13.93% | -0.7 pp |
| 1994 | 14.6% | -2.3 pp |
| 1993 | 16.91% | -0.0 pp |
| 1992 | 16.93% | +0.8 pp |
| 1991 | 16.18% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Puerto Rico (US)’s Unemployment in 1992?
16.93% (1992). The full year-by-year table above lists every published year, most recent first.
Are changes in this series measured in percentage points?
Yes. The series is a share expressed in % of total labor force, so year-over-year movements in the Change column are percentage points (pp), not percent.
Is Puerto Rico (US)’s Unemployment growing or shrinking?
Between 1991 and 2025 the series was shrinking overall: -63.0% in total — about 2.9% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS. Values are reproduced as published; this page only computes summary statistics such as change, CAGR and extremes.
What are the most recent published figures?
The last five published years: 2025: 5.99%; 2024: 5.64%; 2023: 5.73%; 2022: 6%; 2021: 7.9%. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS — Unemployment Rate. Data licensed under CC BY 4.0. Values are reproduced as published; this page computes the summary statistics (change, CAGR, extremes) from the underlying annual series. View the original dataset on data.worldbank.org.