EU regions (NUTS 2) by adults without upper secondary education, ages 25 to 64
Região Autónoma dos Açores had the highest adults without upper secondary education, ages 25 to 64 of 236 regions in 2016, at 68%. Sostinės regionas had the lowest, at 2.5%. The median was 19.6% and the figure for the European Union (27) was 23.4%. Source: Eurostat, European Commission.
Top 40 regions, 2016
Full ranking
| Rank | Regions | 2016 (%) | Change on 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Região Autónoma dos Açores | 68 | -1.9 pts |
| 2 | Região Autónoma da Madeira | 62.9 | -2.3 pts |
| 3 | Norte | 59.5 | -2.1 pts |
| 4 | Extremadura | 57.8 | +1.3 pts |
| 5 | Guyane | 53.9 | +2.8 pts |
| 6 | Algarve | 52.8 | -2.4 pts |
| 7 | Ceuta | 51.9 | +0.7 pts |
| 8 | Puglia | 51.1 | -0.5 pts |
| 9 | Castilla-La Mancha | 50.9 | +0.4 pts |
| 10 | Andalusia | 50.8 | -0.6 pts |
| 11 | Malta | 50.6 | -2.6 pts |
| 12 | Sardegna | 50.3 | -0.1 pts |
| 12 | Sicilia | 50.3 | +0.1 pts |
| 14 | Melilla | 50.2 | -1.7 pts |
| 15 | Region of Murcia | 49.9 | -0.7 pts |
| 16 | Campania | 48 | -0.7 pts |
| 17 | Calabria | 46.7 | +1.2 pts |
| 18 | Canary Islands | 46.1 | -3.2 pts |
| 19 | La Réunion | 44 | +2.4 pts |
| 20 | Galicia | 43.5 | -1.2 pts |
| 21 | Valencian Community | 43.3 | -0.4 pts |
| 22 | Balearic Islands | 42.3 | -3.1 pts |
| 23 | Guadeloupe | 42.2 | +1.3 pts |
| 24 | Castile and León | 41.9 | -0.6 pts |
| 25 | Valle d’Aosta/Vallée d’Aoste | 41.8 | -1.5 pts |
| 26 | Molise | 41 | +0.4 pts |
| 27 | Anatoliki Makedonia, Thraki | 40.4 | -5.2 pts |
| 28 | Basilicata | 40 | -0.8 pts |
| 29 | La Rioja | 39.7 | +2.7 pts |
| 30 | Catalonia | 39.6 | -1.6 pts |
| 31 | Piemonte | 39.1 | +0.5 pts |
| 32 | Dytiki Elláda | 38.8 | -0.8 pts |
| 32 | Dytiki Makedonia | 38.8 | -2.3 pts |
| 34 | Sterea Elláda | 38.6 | -1.9 pts |
| 35 | Ionia Nisia | 37.9 | +2.2 pts |
| 36 | Veneto | 37.6 | -0.9 pts |
| 37 | Martinique | 37.2 | -0.1 pts |
| 38 | Notio Aigaio | 37 | +1.2 pts |
| 39 | Lombardia | 36.8 | -0.1 pts |
| 40 | Abruzzo | 36.5 | -0.1 pts |
| 40 | Cantabria | 36.5 | -1.1 pts |
| 42 | Marche | 36.4 | +0.5 pts |
| 43 | Aragon | 36.3 | -2.7 pts |
| 43 | Toscana | 36.3 | -1.3 pts |
| 45 | Liguria | 36.2 | +0.2 pts |
| 46 | Asturias | 35.7 | -1 pts |
| 47 | Ipeiros | 35 | -1.6 pts |
| 48 | Peloponnisos | 34.9 | -3 pts |
| 49 | Emilia-Romagna | 33.6 | -1 pts |
| 50 | Friuli-Venezia Giulia | 33.5 | -1 pts |
| 51 | Provincia Autonoma di Bolzano/Bozen | 32.8 | -0.8 pts |
| 52 | Kriti | 32.4 | -4.1 pts |
| 53 | Thessalia | 32.2 | -0.9 pts |
| 54 | Navarre | 32.1 | -2.7 pts |
| 54 | Umbria | 32.1 | +0.1 pts |
| 56 | Prov. Hainaut | 31.2 | -1.2 pts |
| 57 | Lazio | 30.9 | +0.5 pts |
| 58 | Provincia Autonoma di Trento | 30.8 | +0.5 pts |
| 59 | Nord-Est | 30.7 | -1.1 pts |
| 60 | Voreio Aigaio | 30.5 | -7.3 pts |
| 61 | Champagne-Ardenne | 30.4 | +1.8 pts |
| 62 | Prov. Liège | 30.1 | -0.4 pts |
| 63 | Picardie | 30 | +0.3 pts |
| 64 | Basque Country | 29.5 | -0.6 pts |
| 65 | Kentriki Makedonia | 29.2 | -2.6 pts |
| 66 | Région de Bruxelles-Capitale/ Brussels Hoofdstedelijk Gewest | 29.1 | -1.1 pts |
| 67 | Community of Madrid | 28.9 | +0.4 pts |
| 68 | Sud-Est | 28.2 | -2.2 pts |
| 69 | Languedoc-Roussillon | 27.4 | -0.1 pts |
| 70 | Haute-Normandie | 26.6 | -0.1 pts |
| 71 | Zeeland | 26.3 | -1.3 pts |
| 72 | Basse-Normandie | 25.9 | -0.7 pts |
| 73 | Limburg (NL) | 25.8 | -1.4 pts |
| 74 | Prov. Limburg (BE) | 25.1 | +0.3 pts |
| 75 | Nord-Pas de Calais | 24.9 | -1.5 pts |
| 75 | Prov. Luxembourg (BE) | 24.9 | -0.1 pts |
| 77 | Drenthe | 24.8 | +0.5 pts |
| 78 | Flevoland | 24.7 | -0.1 pts |
| 78 | Noord-Brabant | 24.7 | -0.5 pts |
| 80 | Friesland (NL) | 24.5 | -0.6 pts |
| 80 | Nord-Vest | 24.5 | +0.1 pts |
| 82 | Panonska Hrvatska | 24.3 | |
| 83 | Gelderland | 24.2 | +0.9 pts |
| 84 | Észak-Alföld | 24.1 | +0.2 pts |
| 85 | Prov. Antwerpen | 23.9 | +1.2 pts |
| 86 | Sud-Muntenia | 23.8 | -2.7 pts |
| 87 | Sjælland Series break | 23.6 | +1.7 pts |
| 88 | Syddanmark Series break | 23.5 | -0.4 pts |
| 89 | Prov. Namur | 23.4 | -0.1 pts |
| 89 | Prov. West-Vlaanderen | 23.4 | -1.3 pts |
| 91 | Bourgogne | 23.3 | -1 pts |
| 92 | Centru | 23.2 | -2.2 pts |
| 92 | Prov. Oost-Vlaanderen | 23.2 | -1.2 pts |
| 92 | Sjeverna Hrvatska | 23.2 | |
| 95 | Overijssel | 23 | -0.1 pts |
| 96 | Groningen | 22.9 | -1.5 pts |
| 96 | Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur | 22.9 | -0.7 pts |
| 98 | Corse Low reliability | 22.8 | -4.4 pts |
| 98 | Nordjylland Series break | 22.8 | +0.6 pts |
| 100 | Yugoiztochen | 22.4 | -1.3 pts |
| 100 | Yuzhen tsentralen | 22.4 | -0.9 pts |
| 102 | Lorraine | 22.2 | +0.2 pts |
| 102 | Northern and Western | 22.2 | +0.4 pts |
| 102 | Severoiztochen | 22.2 | 0 pts |
| 105 | Poitou-Charentes | 21.9 | -0.5 pts |
| 106 | Centre - Val de Loire | 21.8 | -3.5 pts |
| 107 | Luxembourg Low reliability | 21.6 | -2.4 pts |
| 108 | Franche-Comté | 21.5 | -1.9 pts |
| 109 | Dél-Dunántúl | 21.3 | -0.8 pts |
| 110 | Észak-Magyarország | 21.2 | -0.3 pts |
| 111 | Sud-Vest Oltenia | 20.8 | -3.1 pts |
| 112 | Kýpros | 20.5 | -1.6 pts |
| 113 | Severen tsentralen | 20.4 | -0.5 pts |
| 114 | Auvergne | 20.3 | -0.1 pts |
| 115 | Ile-de-France | 19.9 | -0.8 pts |
| 116 | Noord-Holland | 19.8 | -0.4 pts |
| 117 | Severozapaden | 19.6 | +1 pts |
| 117 | Vorarlberg | 19.6 | -0.1 pts |
| 119 | Southern | 19.5 | -1 pts |
| 120 | Aquitaine | 19.4 | +1.2 pts |
| 120 | Arnsberg | 19.4 | +1.4 pts |
| 122 | Midtjylland Series break | 19.3 | -1 pts |
| 123 | Düsseldorf | 18.9 | +0.3 pts |
| 123 | Limousin | 18.9 | -0.8 pts |
| 125 | Vest | 18.8 | -1.2 pts |
| 126 | Alsace | 18.6 | -0.9 pts |
| 127 | Bremen | 18.4 | -3 pts |
| 128 | Pays de la Loire | 18.1 | -1.1 pts |
| 129 | Attiki | 18 | 0 pts |
| 129 | Småland med öarna | 18 | -0.1 pts |
| 131 | Rhône-Alpes | 17.9 | -0.8 pts |
| 131 | Tirol | 17.9 | +0.3 pts |
| 133 | Åland Low reliability | 17.6 | +1 pts |
| 133 | Rheinhessen-Pfalz | 17.6 | +1.8 pts |
| 135 | Közép-Dunántúl | 17.4 | +0.4 pts |
| 136 | Köln | 17.3 | -0.4 pts |
| 137 | Dél-Alföld | 17.1 | -1 pts |
| 137 | Midi-Pyrénées | 17.1 | +0.3 pts |
| 139 | Norra Mellansverige | 17 | -0.7 pts |
| 140 | Koblenz | 16.9 | +1.5 pts |
| 140 | Wien | 16.9 | -0.2 pts |
| 142 | Detmold | 16.8 | -0.3 pts |
| 142 | Eastern and Midland | 16.8 | -0.1 pts |
| 144 | Prov. Vlaams-Brabant | 16.7 | -1.4 pts |
| 145 | Burgenland | 16.5 | +1.2 pts |
| 146 | Prov. Brabant wallon | 16.3 | +2.9 pts |
| 147 | Östra Mellansverige | 16.2 | -0.9 pts |
| 148 | Bretagne | 16 | +0.4 pts |
| 148 | Warmińsko-mazurskie Series break | 16 | +0.2 pts |
| 150 | Münster | 15.9 | -0.6 pts |
| 151 | Darmstadt | 15.8 | +0.5 pts |
| 151 | Saarland | 15.8 | -0.1 pts |
| 153 | Oberösterreich | 15.7 | -0.8 pts |
| 154 | Mellersta Norrland | 15.5 | -0.1 pts |
| 154 | Västsverige | 15.5 | -0.9 pts |
| 156 | Hannover | 15.4 | +1.3 pts |
| 157 | Hovedstaden Series break | 15.1 | -1.6 pts |
| 157 | Weser-Ems | 15.1 | +0.5 pts |
| 159 | Nyugat-Dunántúl | 14.8 | +0.1 pts |
| 160 | Niederösterreich | 14.7 | +0.8 pts |
| 160 | Sydsverige | 14.7 | -0.8 pts |
| 162 | Karlsruhe | 14.6 | 0 pts |
| 163 | Stuttgart | 14.5 | +0.7 pts |
| 164 | Braunschweig | 14.2 | +1 pts |
| 164 | Hamburg | 14.2 | -0.5 pts |
| 166 | Mittelfranken | 14 | +1.1 pts |
| 166 | Steiermark | 14 | +0.9 pts |
| 168 | Vzhodna Slovenija | 13.9 | -1.1 pts |
| 169 | Berlin | 13.8 | -1.3 pts |
| 169 | Salzburg | 13.8 | +0.2 pts |
| 169 | Trier | 13.8 | +0.8 pts |
| 172 | Freiburg | 13.6 | -0.6 pts |
| 173 | Gießen | 13.5 | -1 pts |
| 173 | Oberpfalz | 13.5 | +0.9 pts |
| 175 | Lüneburg | 13.4 | +0.5 pts |
| 176 | Schwaben | 13.3 | +0.9 pts |
| 177 | Bucureşti-Ilfov | 13 | -1.5 pts |
| 177 | Severozápad | 13 | 0 pts |
| 177 | Tübingen | 13 | -0.2 pts |
| 180 | Etelä-Suomi | 12.9 | -0.3 pts |
| 181 | Pest | 12.7 | -0.5 pts |
| 181 | Stockholm | 12.7 | -0.8 pts |
| 181 | Unterfranken | 12.7 | +1.2 pts |
| 184 | Jadranska Hrvatska | 12.6 | +0.8 pts |
| 185 | Schleswig-Holstein | 12.3 | +0.6 pts |
| 185 | Zachodniopomorskie Series break | 12.3 | -0.9 pts |
| 187 | Oberfranken | 12 | +0.1 pts |
| 188 | Niederbayern | 11.8 | -0.2 pts |
| 189 | Helsinki-Uusimaa | 11.7 | -0.3 pts |
| 189 | Kassel | 11.7 | -0.3 pts |
| 189 | Övre Norrland | 11.7 | -1 pts |
| 192 | Pohjois- ja Itä-Suomi | 11.6 | +0.1 pts |
| 193 | Länsi-Suomi | 11.5 | -1 pts |
| 194 | Eesti | 11.4 | -0.9 pts |
| 195 | Zahodna Slovenija | 11.3 | +0.2 pts |
| 196 | Mazowiecki regionalny Series break | 11.1 | -1.4 pts |
| 197 | Východné Slovensko | 10.9 | -0.3 pts |
| 198 | Podlaskie Series break | 10.8 | -1.2 pts |
| 199 | Kärnten | 10.6 | -1.1 pts |
| 200 | Grad Zagreb | 10.2 | |
| 200 | Świętokrzyskie Series break | 10.2 | -1.2 pts |
| 202 | Kujawsko-pomorskie Series break | 9.9 | -0.8 pts |
| 202 | Oberbayern | 9.9 | +0.5 pts |
| 204 | Lubelskie Series break | 9.7 | -0.4 pts |
| 204 | Lubuskie Series break | 9.7 | -0.3 pts |
| 206 | Łódzkie Series break | 9.4 | -0.5 pts |
| 207 | Latvija | 9.3 | -0.6 pts |
| 208 | Stredné Slovensko | 9.2 | +0.7 pts |
| 209 | Pomorskie Series break | 8.9 | -1.2 pts |
| 209 | Yugozapaden | 8.9 | -0.2 pts |
| 211 | Dolnośląskie Series break | 8.7 | 0 pts |
| 212 | Budapest | 8.4 | +0.5 pts |
| 213 | Opolskie Series break | 8.3 | -0.7 pts |
| 213 | Wielkopolskie Series break | 8.3 | -0.1 pts |
| 215 | Moravskoslezsko | 8.2 | -0.3 pts |
| 216 | Małopolskie Series break | 7.5 | -0.1 pts |
| 216 | Mecklenburg-Vorpommern | 7.5 | +0.3 pts |
| 218 | Podkarpackie Series break | 7.2 | -1.7 pts |
| 218 | Severovýchod | 7.2 | -0.1 pts |
| 220 | Sachsen-Anhalt | 6.9 | 0 pts |
| 221 | Jihozápad | 6.6 | -0.6 pts |
| 222 | Vidurio ir vakarų Lietuvos regionas | 6.5 | -1.1 pts |
| 222 | Západné Slovensko | 6.5 | -1.4 pts |
| 224 | Brandenburg | 6.4 | -0.2 pts |
| 225 | Śląskie Series break | 6.1 | -0.1 pts |
| 225 | Střední Morava | 6.1 | +0.1 pts |
| 227 | Střední Čechy | 5.7 | +0.3 pts |
| 228 | Leipzig | 5.1 | +0.1 pts |
| 229 | Thüringen | 4.9 | +0.4 pts |
| 230 | Dresden | 4.7 | +1.1 pts |
| 231 | Jihovýchod | 4.6 | -0.8 pts |
| 232 | Bratislavský kraj | 4.3 | -0.6 pts |
| 233 | Chemnitz | 4 | 0 pts |
| 234 | Warszawski stołeczny Series break | 3.7 | -0.3 pts |
| 235 | Praha | 2.8 | -0.5 pts |
| 236 | Sostinės regionas | 2.5 | -1.1 pts |
Other periods
About this ranking
People aged 25 to 64 whose highest completed level of education is lower secondary at most (ISCED 2011 levels 0 to 2: less than primary, primary and lower secondary), as a percentage of all people aged 25 to 64 living in private households (EU Labour Force Survey).
Upper secondary is the level reached at about 18, such as the Spanish bachillerato or a vocational qualification of the same level.
Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the regions are compared on one definition. 8 regions with data in other periods have no value for 2016 and are left out rather than filled from another source. Equal values share a rank.
How to cite
Eurostat. Population by educational attainment level and NUTS 2 region, less than primary, primary and lower secondary education (levels 0 to 2), 25 to 64 years (edat_lfse_04). https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/edat_lfse_04/default/table. Retrieved 2026-10-12.Citation styles
APA 7
Eurostat, European Commission. (2026). Population by educational attainment level and NUTS 2 region, less than primary, primary and lower secondary education (levels 0 to 2), 25 to 64 years (edat_lfse_04) (EU regions (NUTS 2) by adults without upper secondary education, ages 25 to 64, 2016) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/edat_lfse_04/default/table
MLA 9
Population by educational attainment level and NUTS 2 region, less than primary, primary and lower secondary education (levels 0 to 2), 25 to 64 years (edat_lfse_04), EU regions (NUTS 2) by adults without upper secondary education, ages 25 to 64, 2016. Eurostat, European Commission, 10 Sept. 2026, https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/edat_lfse_04/default/table. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/adults-without-upper-secondary-education-25-64/eu-regions?period=2016. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.
Chicago (author-date)
Eurostat, European Commission. 2026. Population by educational attainment level and NUTS 2 region, less than primary, primary and lower secondary education (levels 0 to 2), 25 to 64 years (edat_lfse_04). EU regions (NUTS 2) by adults without upper secondary education, ages 25 to 64, 2016. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/edat_lfse_04/default/table. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/adults-without-upper-secondary-education-25-64/eu-regions?period=2016.
Harvard
Eurostat, European Commission (2026) Population by educational attainment level and NUTS 2 region, less than primary, primary and lower secondary education (levels 0 to 2), 25 to 64 years (edat_lfse_04), EU regions (NUTS 2) by adults without upper secondary education, ages 25 to 64, 2016 [Dataset]. Available at: https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/edat_lfse_04/default/table, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/adults-without-upper-secondary-education-25-64/eu-regions?period=2016 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).
BibTeX
@misc{eurostat_eu_regions_nuts_2_2016,
author = {{Eurostat, European Commission}},
title = {{Population by educational attainment level and NUTS 2 region, less than primary, primary and lower secondary education (levels 0 to 2), 25 to 64 years (edat\_lfse\_04): EU regions (NUTS 2) by adults without upper secondary education, ages 25 to 64, 2016}},
year = {2026},
howpublished = {Data set},
url = {https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/edat_lfse_04/default/table},
urldate = {2026-10-12},
note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/adults-without-upper-secondary-education-25-64/eu-regions?period=2016. Publisher attribution: Eurostat. Population by educational attainment level and NUTS 2 region, less than primary, primary and lower secondary education (levels 0 to 2), 25 to 64 years (edat\_lfse\_04). https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/edat\_lfse\_04/default/table. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY - DATA
AU - Eurostat, European Commission
TI - Population by educational attainment level and NUTS 2 region, less than primary, primary and lower secondary education (levels 0 to 2), 25 to 64 years (edat_lfse_04): EU regions (NUTS 2) by adults without upper secondary education, ages 25 to 64, 2016
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/10
PB - Eurostat, European Commission
DB - Invokely
UR - https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/edat_lfse_04/default/table
L2 - https://invokely.ai/rankings/adults-without-upper-secondary-education-25-64/eu-regions?period=2016
Y2 - 2026/10/12
N1 - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/adults-without-upper-secondary-education-25-64/eu-regions?period=2016.
N1 - Publisher attribution: Eurostat. Population by educational attainment level and NUTS 2 region, less than primary, primary and lower secondary education (levels 0 to 2), 25 to 64 years (edat_lfse_04). https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/edat_lfse_04/default/table. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER -
Use this data in your AI agent
Invokely serves this figure to AI assistants through MCP and to code through a REST API, with the source and citation attached. Ask your assistant:
Rank EU regions by adults without upper secondary education, ages 25 to 64 using official data, and cite the source.
rank_places {"indicator":"below_upper_secondary_share_25_64","level":"region","within":"European Union (27)","limit":10}
GET https://invokely.ai/api/v1/rank?indicator=below_upper_secondary_share_25_64&level=region&within=European%20Union%20(27)&limit=10Questions
Which region has the highest adults without upper secondary education, ages 25 to 64?
Região Autónoma dos Açores, with 68% in 2016, according to Eurostat, European Commission.
Which region has the lowest adults without upper secondary education, ages 25 to 64?
Sostinės regionas, with 2.5% in 2016.
Where does this ranking come from?
Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: Eurostat, European Commission, Population by educational attainment level and NUTS 2 region, less than primary, primary and lower secondary education (levels 0 to 2), 25 to 64 years (edat_lfse_04). Retrieved 2026-10-12. 8 regions have no value for 2016 and are not ranked.