Countries in North America Ranked by Youth unemployment rate (2025)
Youth unemployment rate: each country's latest value (2020–2025), ranked from highest to lowest. Source: The World Bank (CC BY 4.0).
Summary
St. Vincent and the Grenadines ranks #1 with 41.9% of labour force aged 15-24. Haiti is second with 37.5% of labour force aged 15-24, 11.8% behind. The top five are St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Haiti, Virgin Islands (US), St. Lucia and Costa Rica. The median across all 21 is 13.8% of labour force aged 15-24; Cuba is last at 4.28% of labour force aged 15-24.
- #1
- St. Vincent and the Grenadines · 41.9% of labour force aged 15-24
- Median
- 13.8% of labour force aged 15-24
- Coverage
- 21 countries in North America
- Data year
- 2025
- Last updated
- 2026-11-14
Full ranking
| Rank | Country | Youth unemployment rate (% of labour force aged 15-24) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | St. Vincent and the Grenadines | 41.9 |
| 2 | Haiti | 37.5 |
| 3 | Virgin Islands (US) | 24.2 |
| 4 | St. Lucia | 20.3 |
| 5 | Costa Rica | 19.9 |
| 6 | Panama | 19.8 |
| 7 | Belize | 19.3 |
| 8 | Bahamas, The | 19.2 |
| 9 | Barbados | 18.5 |
| 10 | Puerto Rico (US) | 14 |
| 11 | Canada | 13.8 |
| 12 | Dominican Republic | 12.3 |
| 13 | Jamaica | 10.8 |
| 14 | Nicaragua | 9.54 |
| 15 | United States | 9.34 |
| 16 | Honduras | 8.53 |
| 17 | Trinidad and Tobago | 8.22 |
| 18 | El Salvador | 7.81 |
| 19 | Mexico | 5.71 |
| 20 | Guatemala | 4.76 |
| 21 | Cuba | 4.28 |
About the top 10
#1 St. Vincent and the Grenadines
St. Vincent and the Grenadines ranks #1 on this list with 41.9% of labour force aged 15-24.
- 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.
#2 Haiti
Haiti ranks #2 on this list with 37.5% of labour force aged 15-24.
- 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.
#3 Virgin Islands (US)
Virgin Islands (US) ranks #3 on this list with 24.2% of labour force aged 15-24.
- Capital
- Charlotte Amalie
- Continent
- North America
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 103,790 people (2025)
- GDP
- US$4.67 billion (2022)
- GDP per person
- US$44,321 (2022)
- Life expectancy
- 80.8 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 95.4% of population (2025)
Also ranks #8 in age dependency ratio (old) · #8 in trade share of gdp · #13 in population ages 65+ share.
#4 St. Lucia
St. Lucia ranks #4 on this list with 20.3% of labour force aged 15-24.
- 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.
#5 Costa Rica
Costa Rica ranks #5 on this list with 19.9% of labour force aged 15-24.
- Capital
- San José
- Continent
- North America
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 5.15 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$102.9 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$19,970 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 81 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 79.7% of population (2025)
Also ranks #3 in immunisation (dpt) rate · #4 in fertiliser consumption · #8 in women in parliament share.
#6 Panama
Panama ranks #6 on this list with 19.8% of labour force aged 15-24.
- 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.
#7 Belize
Belize ranks #7 on this list with 19.3% of labour force aged 15-24.
- Capital
- Belmopan
- Continent
- North America
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 422,920 people (2025)
- GDP
- US$3.33 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$7,866 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 73.7 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 41.6% of population (2025)
Also ranks #2 in secure internet servers per million · #12 in homicide rate · #14 in time to start a business (days).
#8 Bahamas, The
Bahamas, The ranks #8 on this list with 19.2% of labour force aged 15-24.
- 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.
#9 Barbados
Barbados ranks #9 on this list with 18.5% of labour force aged 15-24.
- 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.
#10 Puerto Rico (US)
Puerto Rico (US) ranks #10 on this list with 14% of labour force aged 15-24.
- Capital
- San Juan
- Continent
- North America
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 3.18 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$129.37 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$40,620 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 81.9 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 94.3% of population (2025)
Also ranks #1 in manufacturing value added share of gdp · #3 in population ages 65+ share · #4 in age dependency ratio (old).
Profile facts: World Bank (CC BY 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0); weather links go to Purr Weather, another ChowChow Labs site.
Source and method
Youth unemployment rate: each country's latest value (2020–2025), ranked from highest to lowest.
Source: The World Bank, indicator SL.UEM.1524.ZS. Licence: CC BY 4.0. Retrieved: 2026-11-14.
The World Bank: Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) (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.