Countries in North America Ranked by Female labour force participation (2025)
Female labour force participation: each country's latest value (2020–2025), ranked from highest to lowest. Source: The World Bank (CC BY 4.0).
Summary
Bahamas, The ranks #1 with 70.7% of female population 15+. Jamaica is second with 63% of female population 15+, 12.2% behind. The top five are Bahamas, The, Jamaica, St. Lucia, Barbados and Canada. The median across all 21 is 52.8% of female population 15+; Puerto Rico (US) is last at 36.9% of female population 15+. Bahamas, The's figure has risen 4% since 2001 (68.3% of female population 15+ to 70.7% of female population 15+ in 2025).
- #1
- Bahamas, The · 70.7% of female population 15+
- Median
- 52.8% of female population 15+
- Coverage
- 21 countries in North America
- Data year
- 2025
- Last updated
- 2026-11-14
Full ranking
| Rank | Country | Female labour force participation (% of female population 15+) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bahamas, The | 70.7 |
| 2 | Jamaica | 63 |
| 3 | St. Lucia | 62 |
| 4 | Barbados | 61 |
| 5 | Canada | 60.2 |
| 6 | St. Vincent and the Grenadines | 59.2 |
| 7 | Haiti | 58.3 |
| 8 | United States | 56.3 |
| 9 | Panama | 54.9 |
| 10 | Dominican Republic | 53.7 |
| 11 | Virgin Islands (US) | 52.8 |
| 12 | Nicaragua | 51.3 |
| 13 | El Salvador | 49.1 |
| 14 | Trinidad and Tobago | 47.8 |
| 15 | Mexico | 47.5 |
| 16 | Belize | 46.5 |
| 17 | Costa Rica | 46 |
| 18 | Cuba | 40 |
| 19 | Honduras | 39.6 |
| 20 | Guatemala | 38.3 |
| 21 | Puerto Rico (US) | 36.9 |
About the top 10
#1 Bahamas, The
Bahamas, The ranks #1 on this list with 70.7% of female population 15+.
- Capital
- Nassau
- Continent
- North America
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 403,030 people (2025)
- GDP
- US$15.83 billion (2024)
- GDP per person
- US$39,455 (2024)
- Life expectancy
- 74.7 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 81.3% of population (2025)
Also ranks #6 in access to clean cooking fuels · #10 in homicide rate · #10 in cereal yield.
#2 Jamaica
Jamaica ranks #2 on this list with 63% of female population 15+.
- Capital
- Kingston
- Continent
- North America
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 2.84 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$22.71 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$8,003 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 71.6 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 59.4% of population (2025)
Also ranks #3 in debt service share of exports · #4 in homicide rate · #6 in immunisation (dpt) rate.
#3 St. Lucia
St. Lucia ranks #3 on this list with 62% of female population 15+.
- Capital
- Castries
- Continent
- North America
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 180,150 people (2025)
- GDP
- US$2.66 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$14,746 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 72.8 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 29.1% of population (2025)
Also ranks #9 in homicide rate · #9 in immunisation (dpt) rate · #13 in population ages 15-64 share.
#4 Barbados
Barbados ranks #4 on this list with 61% of female population 15+.
- Capital
- Bridgetown
- Continent
- North America
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 282,620 people (2025)
- GDP
- US$8.02 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$28,365 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 76.3 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 59.7% of population (2025)
Also ranks #8 in access to clean cooking fuels · #12 in political stability score · #14 in population density.
#5 Canada
Canada ranks #5 on this list with 60.2% of female population 15+.
- Capital
- Ottawa
- Continent
- North America
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 41.65 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$2.32 trillion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$55,698 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 82.1 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 82.9% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Toronto, Montreal, Calgary.
Also ranks #2 in surface area · #3 in forest area · #4 in land area.
#6 St. Vincent and the Grenadines
St. Vincent and the Grenadines ranks #6 on this list with 59.2% of female population 15+.
- Capital
- Kingstown
- Continent
- North America
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 99,924 people (2025)
- GDP
- US$1.26 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$12,562 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 71.4 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 48% of population (2025)
Also ranks #3 in homicide rate · #5 in cereal yield · #6 in youth unemployment rate.
#7 Haiti
Haiti ranks #7 on this list with 58.3% of female population 15+.
- Capital
- Port-au-Prince
- Continent
- North America
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 11.91 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$32.08 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$2,694 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 65.1 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 55.6% of population (2025)
Also ranks #2 in prevalence of undernourishment · #4 in time to start a business (days) · #7 in homicide rate.
#8 United States
United States ranks #8 on this list with 56.3% of female population 15+.
- Capital
- Washington, D.C.
- Continent
- North America
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 341.78 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$30.77 trillion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$90,027 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 78.9 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 80.2% of population (2025)
Largest cities: New York metropolitan area, New York City, Chicago.
Also ranks #1 in gdp (current us$) · #1 in health expenditure per capita · #1 in imports of goods and services.
#9 Panama
Panama ranks #9 on this list with 54.9% of female population 15+.
- Capital
- Panama City
- Continent
- North America
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 4.57 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$90.46 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$19,790 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 79.8 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 66.2% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Panama City.
Also ranks #7 in gini index · #8 in income share of richest 10% · #15 in gross capital formation rate.
#10 Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic ranks #10 on this list with 53.7% of female population 15+.
- Capital
- Santo Domingo
- Continent
- North America
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 11.52 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$127.41 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$11,059 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 73.9 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 72.5% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Santo Domingo.
Also ranks #4 in crop production index · #14 in deposit interest rate · #19 in remittances received.
Profile facts: World Bank (CC BY 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0); weather links go to Purr Weather, another ChowChow Labs site.
Source and method
Female labour force participation: each country's latest value (2020–2025), ranked from highest to lowest.
Source: The World Bank, indicator SL.TLF.CACT.FE.ZS. Licence: CC BY 4.0. Retrieved: 2026-11-14.
The World Bank: Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15+) (modeled ILO estimate): ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO) (via World Development Indicators)
Original data provider, as recorded by the World Bank: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Values are shown as published. Provider terms: The World Bank. All licences: Sources & licences.