The national unemployment rate remained nearly steady in the third and fourth quarters of 2025, at 8.8 percent and 8.7 percent, respectively, according to newly released results from a labor force survey by the Bahamas National Statistical Institute (BNSI).
In the fourth quarter of 2025, the report noted there were a total of 21,465 unemployed individuals.
“The unemployment rate among males increased slightly between the third and fourth quarters, while the unemployment rate among females declined over the same period,” the report stated. “Youth unemployment remained unchanged at 18.2 percent.”
Abaco had a higher unemployment rate at 10.2 percent compared to New Providence and Grand Bahama, which stood at 8 percent and 8.7 percent, respectively. The report highlighted that while employment increased by 3,450 people between the third and fourth quarters, the labor force expanded by 3,350 people during this time, with women accounting for the majority of this increase.
The most significant employment growth occurred among individuals aged 25 to 54, who also made up 65.4 percent of the total employed population.
