Men's unemployment rate in North Rhine-Westphalia
Men's unemployment rate in North Rhine-Westphalia stood at 8.1 percent in 2025, according to Federal Ministry of Education, Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth (BMBFSFJ) – Digital Gender Equality Atlas. It is one of the indicators in the Gender gaps by federal state table (Value · Annual), with a complete series running from 2008 to 2025. The complete series with an interactive chart, free to download.
This indicator in the Gender gaps by federal state table
| Indicator | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Both sexes | 7.8 | 7.5 | 7.2 | 6.8 | 7.3 | 7.5 | 6.5 | 6.8 | 7.4 | 7.7 | |
| Men | 8.1 | 7.8 | 7.4 | 6.9 | 7.6 | 7.9 | 6.8 | 7 | 7.6 | 8 | |
| Women | 7.5 | 7.3 | 7.1 | 6.7 | 7.1 | 7.1 | 6.3 | 6.6 | 7.1 | 7.4 |
Understanding men's unemployment rate in North Rhine-Westphalia
Filtered by male gender in North Rhine-Westphalia, this indicator divides registered unemployed male residents by the state's total male civilian labor force. To be counted, male jobseekers must be officially registered with the public employment service, available for placement, and currently without work. The series omits military personnel, students, early retirees, and men participating in state-sponsored qualification programs. By restricting the denominator to economically active men, this row differs from the overall state series and isolates male-specific employment conditions from female labor force dynamics.
Compiling figures on an annual basis smooths out the seasonal volatility that regularly impacts male-dominated outdoor and weather-dependent trades across the year. Annual comparisons across consecutive reporting periods reflect real economic trends, whereas comparisons with intra-annual monthly data are vulnerable to seasonal distortion. Potential series breaks stem from revisions to population counts following censuses or changes in the statutory definition of registered jobseekers. When evaluating this metric in connection with male wage levels, analysts should note that registered unemployment does not account for underemployment or involuntary reduced-hour work.
Frequently asked questions
- Are men who commute to jobs outside North Rhine-Westphalia included if they lose their employment?
- Yes, eligibility is based on residence within North Rhine-Westphalia, so jobless residents register locally regardless of previous job locations.
- Does this indicator include men enrolled in active labor market training?
- Men undergoing state-funded vocational qualification or activation measures are excluded from the registered unemployed tally.
- Why does this administrative series differ from survey-based unemployment measures?
- Administrative measures count registered jobseekers at employment agencies, whereas surveys identify unemployment through interview criteria regardless of registration.