Thursday 22 October Digbeth
Towns Advertise
Digbeth Local Guide
Search Log in Add your business Ask a question
  1. Home
  2. Statistics
  3. West Midlands
  4. Economy & jobs
  5. Employment rate
Economy & jobs Statistics · Region

Employment rate in West Midlands

1995 – 2024 · 30 data points 8 of 12 · Regions of United Kingdom Updated 22 Oct 2026
Economy & jobs · West Midlands United Kingdom

Source: OECD Regional Database, 1995 – 2024

Featured spot available Your business could be here First in “Statistics” — with a photo and a “Featured” mark. Take this spot
Overview 5 figures People 13 figures Economy 11 figures Education 4 figures Climate 1 figure
Latest value · 2024 73.9% −1.3 pp since 2023
Regions of United Kingdom · 2024 8 of 12 Place 1 is the highest value.
since 2014 +3.9 pp
vs United Kingdom −1.3 pp United Kingdom: 75.2% · 2024
Employment rate, 1995 – 2024 percent · West Midlands · United Kingdom
+3.9 pp since 2014
West Midlands United Kingdom

Source: OECD Regional Database, 1995 – 2024

Compared with Employment rate · percent
West Midlands
73.9%
United Kingdom
75.2%

Source: OECD Regional Database

The series at a glance West Midlands · 1995 – 2024
Latest value 73.9% · 2024
First value 69.7% · 1995
Highest 75.2% · 2023
Lowest 67.2% · 2011
Data points 30

By year

All years · 1995 – 2024

YearWest MidlandsChange United Kingdom
2024 73.9% −1.3 pp 75.2%
2023 75.2% +1.4 pp 75.7%
2022 73.8% +0.2 pp 75.5%
2021 73.6% +0.1 pp 74.7%
2020 73.5% −0.4 pp 75.1%
2019 73.9% +0.6 pp 75.6%
2018 73.3% +1.0 pp 75.0%
2017 72.3% +1.2 pp 74.7%
2016 71.1% +0.5 pp 73.8%
2015 70.6% +0.6 pp 73.4%
2014 70.0% +0.9 pp 72.3%
2013 69.1% +0.9 pp 71.2%
2012 68.2% +1.0 pp 70.5%
2011 67.2% −0.4 pp 69.8%
2010 67.6% −0.6 pp 70.1%
2009 68.2% −1.8 pp 70.6%
2008 70.0% −0.7 pp 72.1%
2007 70.7% −0.6 pp 72.4%
2006 71.3% −0.3 pp 72.4%
2005 71.6% ±0.0 pp 72.5%
2004 71.6% −0.1 pp 72.5%
2003 71.7% −0.7 pp 72.8%
2002 72.4% +0.4 pp 72.6%
2001 72.0% +0.5 pp 72.6%
2000 71.5% −0.3 pp 72.5%
1999 71.8% −0.4 pp 72.0%
1998 72.2% +0.8 pp 71.5%
1997 71.4% +1.4 pp 71.0%
1996 70.0% +0.3 pp 70.0%
1995 69.7% 69.6%

Source: OECD Regional Database, 1995 – 2024

Ranking · Regions of United Kingdom

2021 · Place 1 is the highest value.

Year: 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013
Highest first Lowest first A–Z
#TerritoryEmployment rate
1 East of England 77.9%
2 South East England 77.7%
3 South West England 77.4%
4 Greater London 74.9%
5 East Midlands 74.1%
6 Yorkshire and The Humber 73.8%
7 West Midlands 73.6%
8 Scotland 73.2%
9 Outer London - West and North West 73.2%
10 Wales 73.0%
11 North West England 72.9%
12 North East England 70.2%
13 Northern Ireland 70.2%

Source: OECD Regional Database, 2021

What it means

The share of working-age people who have a job.

How it is calculated

Employed people of working age (usually 20–64 or 15–64) divided by the population of the same age.