# Sweden's Unemployment Rate Drops to 8.1% in September 2026

- URL: https://stocks.freetheai.org/news/sweden-s-unemployment-rate-drops-to-8-1-in-september-2026-6dc7d5
- Published: 2026-10-16T06:18:25Z
- Category: macro; sentiment: bullish; impact: medium
- Symbols: [ECONOMICS:SEUR](https://stocks.freetheai.org/symbols/ECONOMICS-SEUR)
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Sweden's unemployment rate fell to 8.1% in September 2026, down from 8.3% recorded in the same period a year earlier. The total number of unemployed individuals declined by 9,500 over the year to 466,400. During the same period, overall employment for people aged 15 to 74 expanded by 54,200 to reach 5.3 million.

The unadjusted jobless data highlights differences across gender and age groups. Unemployed women numbered 239,000, representing an 8.6% rate, while unemployed men totaled 227,000, or 7.6%. Among youth aged 15 to 24, 168,000 were out of work, translating to a youth unemployment rate of 20.8%. Long-term unemployment—individuals without work for at least 27 weeks—stood at 173,000, consisting of 74,000 women and 99,000 men.

On a seasonally adjusted basis, the headline unemployment rate measured 8.7%, with adjusted youth unemployment reaching 23.2%. Total average hours worked per week across the economy came in at 175.4 million. Investors and policymakers will monitor upcoming monthly employment releases to evaluate whether job market strength can continue across all labor segments.

## Key points

- Sweden's unemployment rate fell to 8.1% in September 2026 from 8.3% a year earlier.
- Total employment among individuals aged 15 to 74 rose by 54,200 to 5.3 million people.
- Unemployment stood at 8.6% for women and 7.6% for men, while youth unemployment was 20.8%.
- Long-term unemployment covering 27 weeks or more affected 173,000 workers.
- On a seasonally adjusted basis, the headline unemployment rate was 8.7%.

## Questions and answers

### What was Sweden's unemployment rate in September 2026?

Sweden's unemployment rate dropped to 8.1% in September 2026, down from 8.3% in September 2025.

### How many people were employed in Sweden in September 2026?

Total employment in Sweden reached 5.3 million people aged 15 to 74, representing an increase of 54,200 from a year earlier.

### What was Sweden's youth unemployment rate in September 2026?

The youth unemployment rate for individuals aged 15 to 24 was 20.8% on an unadjusted basis and 23.2% when seasonally adjusted.