Swedish Labour Market

The Regional Divide

Sweden's unemployment landscape reveals a striking north-south split. The northern counties enjoy rates among Europe's lowest, while the south and east grapple with persistent joblessness that outpaces the national average by wide margins.

National Average
7.2%
2024 estimate
North — Lowest
3.8%
Norrbotten avg.
South — Highest
11.5%
Skåne avg.
Urban — Moderate
6.5%
Stockholm avg.
Three Distinct Regions
Region Type

The Low-Unemployment North

Norrbotten
Västerbotten
Jämtland
3.8% avg. unemployment
Kiruna & Gällivare as low as 2.5%
Region Type

The High-Unemployment South / East

Skåne
Södermanland
Gävleborg
11.5% avg. unemployment
Malmö exceeds 11–12%; Perstorp even higher
Region Type

The Major Urban Engines

Stockholm
Västra Götaland
Gothenburg / Malmö metro
6.5% avg. unemployment
Cyclical; sensitive to tech layoffs

Regional Map

Hover to explore county-level data

Low (3.5–5.0%)
Moderate (~6.5%)
High (9.0–12%+)

Unemployment by County

2024 estimates, % of labour force

Historical Trend

2015–2024, regional averages

City-Level Comparison

Key municipalities within each region

Detailed County Breakdown

All counties with unemployment rates and 5-year trend

County (Län) Region Unemployment Rate vs. National 5-Year Trend Key Cities
Key Insights
Northern Resilience

The mining and forestry-driven economies of Norrbotten and Västerbotten sustain unemployment rates near 2.5% in key municipalities — among the lowest in the EU.

Southern Struggle

Skåne's industrial restructuring and demographic pressures push Malmö past 11–12%, with smaller municipalities like Perstorp facing even steeper challenges.

Urban Cyclicality

Stockholm and Gothenburg hover near the national average but show acute sensitivity to white-collar tech layoffs and commercial real estate downturns.