Skip to main content

Active population and activity rate. By sex and age group

Active population and activity rate. By sex and age group Catalonia. 2021
Activity rate (%) Value (annual average) Variation (%)
Total 61.2 3,952.2 3.5
From 16 to 64 years 78.0 3,900.9 3.2
From 16 to 24 years 42.3 304.2 2.9
From 25 to 34 years 88.8 788.2 4.4
From 35 to 44 years 90.4 1,052.2 1.4
From 45 to 54 years 88.7 1,101.7 4.3
From 55 years and over 28.8 705.9 4.8
Men 65.9 2,075.2 3.8
From 16 to 64 years 81.1 2,043.5 3.4
From 16 to 24 years 42.6 158.0 -1.7
From 25 to 34 years 90.3 403.8 3.8
From 35 to 44 years 94.3 553.5 3.1
From 45 to 54 years 91.9 580.3 4.9
From 55 years and over 34.1 379.6 5.3
Women 56.7 1,876.9 3.2
From 16 to 64 years 74.8 1,857.4 3.1
From 16 to 24 years 42.0 146.1 8.5
From 25 to 34 years 87.4 384.4 5.0
From 35 to 44 years 86.4 498.7 -0.4
From 45 to 54 years 85.4 521.5 3.6
From 55 years and over 24.5 326.3 4.1
Units: Thousands of people.
Source: Idescat, based on the INE Economically Active Population Survey.
Note: In April 2024, Idescat reviewed the results of the Economically Active Population Survey for the years 2021-2023 with the new population base derived from the 2021 Population and Housing Census.
Active population and activity rate. By sex and age group Spain. 2021
Activity rate (%) Value (annual average) Variation (%)
Total 58.4 23,309.9 2.5
From 16 to 64 years 74.9 23,005.8 2.4
From 16 to 24 years 35.3 1,513.5 5.7
From 25 to 34 years 86.1 4,518.6 1.6
From 35 to 44 years 89.1 6,259.7 -0.4
From 45 to 54 years 85.4 6,543.9 3.0
From 55 years and over 28.5 4,474.2 6.1
Men 63.7 12,367.7 2.1
From 16 to 64 years 79.2 12,194.0 1.9
From 16 to 24 years 37.1 818.1 3.3
From 25 to 34 years 88.3 2,336.6 1.6
From 35 to 44 years 93.2 3,289.0 -0.4
From 45 to 54 years 91.0 3,504.1 2.7
From 55 years and over 33.7 2,419.9 5.1
Women 53.3 10,942.2 3.0
From 16 to 64 years 70.6 10,811.8 2.8
From 16 to 24 years 33.3 695.4 8.7
From 25 to 34 years 83.8 2,182.0 1.6
From 35 to 44 years 85.0 2,970.7 -0.3
From 45 to 54 years 79.8 3,039.8 3.4
From 55 years and over 24.1 2,054.3 7.2
Units: Thousands of people.
Source: INE. Economically Active Population Survey.
Note: In April 2024, Idescat reviewed the results of the Economically Active Population Survey for the years 2021-2023 with the new population base derived from the 2021 Population and Housing Census.

Last update: February 18, 2022. Revised series on April 26, 2024.

Methodological note

The Economically Active Population Survey (EAPS) is the main source for finding out about the labour market. It is sample research carried out by the INE using the methodology of the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the Statistical Office of the European Commission (Eurostat). The survey is taken every quarter and its main purpose is to investigate the relationship with people's economic activity.

The active population is made up of the employed and unemployed persons. It is people aged 16 or over who are working or are available to work.

The activity rate is calculated by dividing the active population by the population aged 16 or over.

The data for the 2002–2013 period was revised in May 2014 since the new reference population figures from the Population and Housing Census 2011 and the introduction of new criteria in the calibration of the expansion factors have made it necessary to recalculate the Economically Active Population Survey series for the period in question.