China 31 major cities unemployment rate
China 31 major cities unemployment rate stood at 5.2% in Jul 2026, according to National Statistics Office (NSO) of China (NBS). It is one of the indicators in the Unemployment rate table (Value · Monthly), with a complete series running from Jan 2018 to Jul 2026. The complete series with an interactive chart, free to download.
This indicator in the Unemployment rate table
| Indicator | 07-2026 | 06-2026 | 05-2026 | 04-2026 | 03-2026 | 02-2026 | 01-2026 | 12-2025 | 11-2025 | 10-2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31 major cities unemployment | 5.2 | 5 | 5.1 | 5.2 | 5.3 | 5.1 | 5 | 5.1 | 5.1 | 5.1 | |
| Local hukou population unemployment | 5.2 | 5 | 5.2 | 5.3 | 5.4 | 5.4 | 5.3 | 5.3 | 5.3 | 5.3 | |
| Non-local hukou population unemployment | 5.2 | 4.9 | 4.9 | 5 | 5.3 | 5 | 4.8 | 4.7 | 4.7 | 4.7 |
Understanding china 31 major cities unemployment rate
This item records the share of the unemployed labour force actively seeking opportunities in key urban areas. The calculation criteria focus on large-scale urban residents, excluding rural areas and informal workers without registered permanent residency. The core difference from nationwide metrics lies in the narrowing of the survey scope to rapidly developing service and industrial economic spaces, directly reflecting employment pressures in tier-one urban centres.
When analysing fluctuations, observers should note that adjustments to sampling methodologies or changes in labour classification criteria may create structural breaks in long-term time series. Due to the inherent characteristic of the labour market being deeply affected by prolonged holidays throughout the year, direct comparisons between two consecutive months are often subject to seasonal factors. Instead, the method of comparing with the same period of the previous year proves superior in isolating the long-term trends of the market.
Frequently asked questions
- Does this metric measure all unemployed individuals or just a specific group?
- This measure focuses exclusively on workers residing in major surveyed urban areas.
- Why do figures in the first month of the year often fluctuate sharply?
- The wave of labour migration following the Tet holiday often causes sudden shifts in job seeker numbers.
- Should this month be compared directly with the previous month?
- It is not recommended due to seasonal noise; comparing with the same period last year reflects trends more accurately.