Unemployment rate, ages 15 to 74 in Bulgaria
The unemployment rate in Bulgaria was 3.5% of the labour force in 2025. The value for 2025 is the lowest in the series, which starts in 2009. The source marks a break in the series within this span, so values before and after it may not be fully comparable.
Bulgaria, 2025
3.5%
Change from 2024
−0.7percentage points
European Union, 2025
6.0%
Median of European Union (27 countries), 2025
6.0%
Position in 2025
31st of 34
Unemployment rate, ages 15 to 74 in Bulgaria over time
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Bulgaria
European Union
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The chart loads when you scroll to it. The table below shows the same data.
The chart shows a calculation from the published values. The table below keeps the published values.
% of the labour force. Source: Eurostat. Gaps mean no published value; points are not joined across missing years.
| Period | Bulgaria | European Union |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 3.5% | 6.0% |
| 2024 | 4.2%b (break in time series) | 6.0% |
| 2023 | 4.3% | 6.1% |
| 2022 | 4.2% | 6.2% |
| 2021 | 5.2% | 7.1% |
| 2020 | 6.1% | 7.2% |
| 2019 | 5.2%b (break in time series) | 6.8% |
| 2018 | 6.2% | 7.4% |
| 2017 | 7.2% | 8.3% |
| 2016 | 8.6% | 9.3% |
| 2015 | 10.1% | 10.2% |
| 2014 | 12.4% | 11.0% |
| 2013 | 13.9% | 11.6% |
| 2012 | 13.3% | 11.1% |
| 2011 | 12.3%b (break in time series) | 10.1% |
| 2010 | 11.3%b (break in time series) | 10.1% |
| 2009 | 7.9% | 9.3% |
Flags: b break in time series . A dash means no value was published.
In short
- That is a change of −0.7 percentage points from 4.2% in 2024.
- Since 2015, when it was 10.1%, the figure has changed by −6.6 percentage points. The source marks a break in the series during this period, so part of the change may come from a change in method.
- Among the 34 countries with data for 2025, Bulgaria has the 31st highest value.
- The figure for the European Union in 2025 was 6.0%.
More for Bulgaria
All statistics for Bulgaria
Youth unemployment rate, ages 15 to 24
13.1%
2025 · Eurostat
Long-term unemployment rate
1.5%
2025 · Eurostat
Monthly unemployment rate (seasonally adjusted)
3.4%
September 2026 · Eurostat
ILO estimate of the unemployment rate
3.5%
2025 · ILOSTAT
Employment rate, ages 20 to 64
77.0%
2025 · Eurostat
Employment rate of women, ages 20 to 64
73.2%
2025 · Eurostat