Data / Rankings / Employment rate / EU regions (NUTS 2)

EU regions (NUTS 2) by employment rate

Åland had the highest employment rate of 237 regions in 2016, at 86.2%. Calabria had the lowest, at 42.9%. The median was 71.1% and the figure for the European Union (27) was 69.6%. Source: Eurostat, European Commission.

Highest86.2Åland
Lowest42.9Calabria
Median71.1237 regions
European Union (27)69.6History

Top 40 regions, 2016

CSVChart (SVG)

ÅlandÅland: 86.2 %86.2StockholmStockholm: 83.4 %83.4OberbayernOberbayern: 83.1 %83.1TübingenTübingen: 82.9 %82.9SchwabenSchwaben: 82.3 %82.3FreiburgFreiburg: 82.1 %82.1StuttgartStuttgart: 82.1 %82.1Småland med öarnaSmåland med öarna: 82 %82VästsverigeVästsverige: 81.9 %81.9NiederbayernNiederbayern: 81.7 %81.7Mellersta NorrlandMellersta Norrland: 81.4 %81.4UnterfrankenUnterfranken: 81.1 %81.1Övre NorrlandÖvre Norrland: 81 %81DresdenDresden: 80.5 %80.5OberfrankenOberfranken: 80.5 %80.5KarlsruheKarlsruhe: 80.4 %80.4BrandenburgBrandenburg: 80.3 %80.3MittelfrankenMittelfranken: 80.3 %80.3TrierTrier: 80.3 %80.3LüneburgLüneburg: 80.1 %80.1Norra MellansverigeNorra Mellansverige: 80.1 %80.1PrahaPraha: 80.1 %80.1Sostinės regionasSostinės regionas: 80.1 %80.1VorarlbergVorarlberg: 80.1 %80.1OberpfalzOberpfalz: 79.9 %79.9ChemnitzChemnitz: 79.8 %79.8KasselKassel: 79.6 %79.6Östra MellansverigeÖstra Mellansverige: 79.6 %79.6KoblenzKoblenz: 79.4 %79.4Noord-HollandNoord-Holland: 79.3 %79.3ZeelandZeeland: 79.2 %79.2Weser-EmsWeser-Ems: 79.1 %79.1ThüringenThüringen: 79 %79HamburgHamburg: 78.9 %78.9Warszawski stołecznyWarszawski stołeczny: 78.9 %78.9OberösterreichOberösterreich: 78.8 %78.8Bratislavský krajBratislavský kraj: 78.7 %78.7DetmoldDetmold: 78.7 %78.7Noord-BrabantNoord-Brabant: 78.7 %78.7Schleswig-HolsteinSchleswig-Holstein: 78.5 %78.5
%. Source: Eurostat. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Full ranking

RankRegions2016 (%)Change on 2015
1Åland86.2-0.5 pts
2Stockholm83.4+0.9 pts
3Oberbayern83.1+0.8 pts
4Tübingen82.9+0.7 pts
5Schwaben82.3+0.8 pts
6Freiburg82.1-0.2 pts
6Stuttgart82.1+0.4 pts
8Småland med öarna82-0.4 pts
9Västsverige81.9+0.3 pts
10Niederbayern81.7+0.8 pts
11Mellersta Norrland81.4+1.3 pts
12Unterfranken81.1+1 pts
13Övre Norrland81+1.6 pts
14Dresden80.5+1.6 pts
14Oberfranken80.5+0.8 pts
16Karlsruhe80.4+1 pts
17Brandenburg80.3+1.5 pts
17Mittelfranken80.3-0.2 pts
17Trier80.3+0.5 pts
20Lüneburg80.1-0.8 pts
20Norra Mellansverige80.1+1.9 pts
20Praha80.1+2 pts
20Sostinės regionas80.1+3.1 pts
20Vorarlberg80.1+1.8 pts
25Oberpfalz79.9-0.9 pts
26Chemnitz79.8+0.8 pts
27Kassel79.6+1.5 pts
27Östra Mellansverige79.6+1 pts
29Koblenz79.4+0.4 pts
30Noord-Holland79.3+1.4 pts
31Zeeland79.2+0.3 pts
32Weser-Ems79.1+1 pts
33Thüringen79+1.6 pts
34Hamburg78.9+0.1 pts
34Warszawski stołeczny Series break78.9+1 pts
36Oberösterreich78.8+1.1 pts
37Bratislavský kraj78.7+3.5 pts
37Detmold78.7+0.8 pts
37Noord-Brabant78.7+1.2 pts
40Schleswig-Holstein78.5-0.5 pts
40Sydsverige78.5+0.2 pts
42Leipzig78.4+1.8 pts
43Darmstadt78.3+0.1 pts
43Hovedstaden Series break78.3+1.1 pts
43Salzburg78.3+1 pts
46Provincia Autonoma di Bolzano/Bozen78.2+1.5 pts
47Střední Čechy78+0.6 pts
48Tirol77.8-0.1 pts
49Gießen77.7+1.4 pts
49Helsinki-Uusimaa77.7+0.6 pts
51Jihozápad77.6+1.1 pts
52Rheinhessen-Pfalz77.3-0.1 pts
53Friesland (NL)77.2+1.2 pts
53Severovýchod77.2+2 pts
55Gelderland77.1+0.2 pts
55Overijssel77.1-0.4 pts
57Flevoland76.9+1.8 pts
58Budapest76.8+3.6 pts
58Jihovýchod76.8+1.8 pts
58Köln76.8+1.5 pts
61Sachsen-Anhalt76.7+0.3 pts
62Niederösterreich76.5+0.2 pts
63Eesti76.4+0.4 pts
63Hannover76.4-0.7 pts
63Midtjylland Series break76.4+1.1 pts
66Münster76.2-0.2 pts
67Drenthe75.9+0.4 pts
68Saarland75.7+1.3 pts
69Mecklenburg-Vorpommern75.6+0.6 pts
70Střední Morava75.4+1.5 pts
71Berlin75.2+2.7 pts
71Braunschweig75.2-0.6 pts
73Limousin75.1+2.7 pts
74Nord-Est74.9-0.8 pts
75Bremen74.8+2.8 pts
76Düsseldorf74.7+0.7 pts
77Steiermark74.6+0.6 pts
78Arnsberg74.3+0.3 pts
78Sjælland Series break74.3-0.7 pts
80Limburg (NL)74.2+0.6 pts
80Severozápad74.2+3.1 pts
82Pays de la Loire74+0.9 pts
82Prov. Oost-Vlaanderen74+0.9 pts
82Prov. West-Vlaanderen74+0.4 pts
85Nordjylland Series break73.9+0.6 pts
85Prov. Vlaams-Brabant73.9+0.3 pts
85Syddanmark Series break73.9-0.2 pts
88Moravskoslezsko73.8+3.1 pts
88Rhône-Alpes73.8+1.3 pts
90Algarve73.7+3.1 pts
90Nyugat-Dunántúl73.7+1.5 pts
90Pest73.7+2.8 pts
93Franche-Comté73.5+3 pts
94Közép-Dunántúl73.3+0.2 pts
95Latvija73.2+0.7 pts
95Vidurio ir vakarų Lietuvos regionas73.2+1.3 pts
97Burgenland73.10 pts
97Yugozapaden73.1+0.9 pts
99Emilia-Romagna73+1.8 pts
99Kärnten73+0.9 pts
101Ile-de-France72.8+0.5 pts
102Auvergne72.6+1.5 pts
103Bretagne72.4-1.2 pts
104Länsi-Suomi72.3+0.2 pts
105Zahodna Slovenija72+0.9 pts
106Západné Slovensko71.9+2.6 pts
107Midi-Pyrénées71.8+0.5 pts
108Eastern and Midland71.7+1.4 pts
108Etelä-Suomi71.7+0.6 pts
110Groningen71.5-0.4 pts
110Wielkopolskie Series break71.5+1.9 pts
112Balearic Islands71.4+2.5 pts
112Provincia Autonoma di Trento71.40 pts
112Southern71.4+1.9 pts
115Bucureşti-Ilfov71.3+1.6 pts
115Łódzkie Series break71.3+2 pts
115Valle d’Aosta/Vallée d’Aoste71.3+0.5 pts
118Lombardia71.1+1.3 pts
118Malta71.1+2.1 pts
120Alsace71-1.6 pts
121Basse-Normandie70.90 pts
122Aquitaine70.8-0.5 pts
123Dél-Alföld70.7+3.7 pts
123Luxembourg70.7-0.2 pts
125Pomorskie Series break70.6+2 pts
126Northern and Western70.5+0.9 pts
127Community of Madrid70.4+0.7 pts
127La Rioja70.4+1.9 pts
129Podlaskie Series break70.3+0.5 pts
130Catalonia70.1+2.4 pts
131Bourgogne70-0.4 pts
131Corse70+8.2 pts
131Dolnośląskie Series break70+2.3 pts
131Poitou-Charentes70-0.2 pts
135Małopolskie Series break69.9+2.3 pts
135Toscana69.9+0.7 pts
137Pohjois- ja Itä-Suomi69.7+0.6 pts
137Prov. Limburg (BE)69.7+1 pts
139Aragon69.6+2.1 pts
139Basque Country69.6+2.6 pts
139Centre - Val de Loire69.6+1.1 pts
142Veneto69.5+1.2 pts
143Navarre69.3+0.8 pts
143Prov. Brabant wallon69.3+0.1 pts
145Friuli-Venezia Giulia69.2+1.1 pts
145Prov. Antwerpen69.2-1.2 pts
147Opolskie Series break69.1+1.4 pts
148Piemonte69+0.9 pts
149Nord-Vest68.9+0.6 pts
149Stredné Slovensko68.9+1.7 pts
151Kýpros68.7+0.8 pts
151Lubuskie Series break68.7+1.8 pts
151Mazowiecki regionalny Series break68.7-0.2 pts
154Grad Zagreb68.6n/a
155Vzhodna Slovenija68.4+1 pts
156Prov. Luxembourg (BE)68.2+0.9 pts
156Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur68.2+0.7 pts
158Norte68.1+1.7 pts
159Wien68+0.3 pts
160Észak-Alföld67.5+3.4 pts
161Haute-Normandie67.4-1.2 pts
162Észak-Magyarország67.2+2.9 pts
162Lubelskie Series break67.2+0.3 pts
162Umbria67.2-0.4 pts
165Liguria67.1+0.4 pts
166Severoiztochen67-0.2 pts
167Dél-Dunántúl66.9+2 pts
167Śląskie Series break66.9+2.6 pts
167Świętokrzyskie Series break66.9+1 pts
170Região Autónoma dos Açores66.8+1.4 pts
171Kujawsko-pomorskie Series break66.7+1 pts
171Lorraine66.7+0.2 pts
171Marche66.7+0.1 pts
171Yugoiztochen66.7+1.9 pts
175Podkarpackie Series break66.6+3.5 pts
175Região Autónoma da Madeira66.6+1.8 pts
177Picardie66.2-1.3 pts
178Yuzhen tsentralen66.1+0.3 pts
179Castile and León66+2.3 pts
180Severen tsentralen65.4+0.6 pts
181Cantabria65.3+2.5 pts
182Languedoc-Roussillon65+1.3 pts
183Champagne-Ardenne64.9+0.8 pts
183Sjeverna Hrvatska64.9n/a
185Zachodniopomorskie Series break64.8+0.7 pts
186Sud-Muntenia64.7+0.4 pts
187Východné Slovensko64.5+1.4 pts
188Lazio64.2+1 pts
188Prov. Namur64.2+0.9 pts
190Galicia63.5+2 pts
191Valencian Community63.4+2.3 pts
191Warmińsko-mazurskie Series break63.4+1.6 pts
193Centru63.2+2 pts
194Nord-Pas de Calais63+0.5 pts
195Notio Aigaio62.2-0.6 pts
196Ionia Nisia62+0.9 pts
197Region of Murcia61.8+3.6 pts
198Vest61.4-0.6 pts
199Prov. Liège61.1+0.3 pts
199Sud-Est61.1-0.9 pts
201Peloponnisos60.6+1.7 pts
202Asturias60.4+2.2 pts
203Sud-Vest Oltenia60.2-0.3 pts
204Prov. Hainaut60+2 pts
205Castilla-La Mancha59.9+2.2 pts
206Région de Bruxelles-Capitale/ Brussels Hoofdstedelijk Gewest59.8+1.1 pts
207Abruzzo59.7+1.1 pts
207Jadranska Hrvatska59.70 pts
209Martinique59.40 pts
210Severozapaden59.1-1 pts
211Voreio Aigaio59+3.5 pts
212Kriti58.2+2.1 pts
213Canary Islands57.7+2.1 pts
214Anatoliki Makedonia, Thraki56.9+1.5 pts
215Attiki56.4+1.5 pts
216Molise55.7+2.5 pts
217Kentriki Makedonia55.4+1.6 pts
217Panonska Hrvatska55.4n/a
219Sterea Elláda55.2-0.4 pts
220Thessalia54.8+1.5 pts
221Extremadura54.6+1.2 pts
222Ipeiros54.5+1.3 pts
223Basilicata54.3+1.2 pts
224Andalusia54.1+1.5 pts
225La Réunion54-0.2 pts
226Ceuta53.9+3.1 pts
227Sardegna53.6+0.1 pts
228Guadeloupe53.3-0.9 pts
229Guyane51.5-1.4 pts
230Dytiki Elláda51-0.4 pts
231Dytiki Makedonia50.4+1 pts
232Melilla49.9+1.5 pts
233Puglia48+1 pts
234Campania44.9+1.8 pts
235Sicilia43.5+0.1 pts
236Mayotte43.2-0.7 pts
237Calabria42.9+0.8 pts

Other periods

About this ranking

Employed people as a percentage of the population aged 16 and over (Spain, EPA) or 20 to 64 (EU headline indicator).

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the regions are compared on one definition. 7 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. Employment rates by NUTS 2 region, 20 to 64 (lfst_r_lfe2emprt). https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/lfst_r_lfe2emprt/default/table. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

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 employment rate using official data, and cite the source.
rank_places {"indicator":"employment_rate","level":"region","within":"European Union (27)","limit":10}
GET https://invokely.ai/api/v1/rank?indicator=employment_rate&level=region&within=European%20Union%20(27)&limit=10

Connect Claude, ChatGPT or Cursor in one step. The trial answers 25 calls a day without an account.

Questions

Which region has the highest employment rate?

Åland, with 86.2% in 2016, according to Eurostat, European Commission.

Which region has the lowest employment rate?

Calabria, with 42.9% 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, Employment rates by NUTS 2 region, 20 to 64 (lfst_r_lfe2emprt). Retrieved 2026-10-08. 7 regions have no value for 2016 and are not ranked.

Employment rate: other rankings

EU regions (NUTS 2): more rankings