The regions with the highest employment rate in European Union 

Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union, has published interesting figures in relation to the regional employment in the European Union.

In accordance the statement issued, the latest figures on regional employment in the European Union (EU) show that in 2017 the highest employment rates were recorded in Åland (Finland), Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire (the United Kingdom) and Stockholm (Sweden), followed by Oberbayern and Tübingen (Germany). In these five regions more than 83 % of people aged 20-64 were employed. Across the EU as a whole, the regions with the highest employment rates were concentrated in Germany, the United Kingdom and Sweden.

At the EU level the employment rate for people aged 20-64 stood at 72 % in 2017.

At EU level, little difference exists between the employment rates in rural areas (73%), and the rates in towns and suburbs, or in cities (both 72%). However, in the eastern part of the EU and the Baltic Member States, working-age people living in cities were much more likely to be in employment than those living in rural areas in 2017. The largest gap (14 percentage points (pp)) of the employment rate for working-age people living in cities and those living in rural areas was observed in Lithuania (82% for cities and 68% for rural areas) and Bulgaria (76% for cities and 62% for rural areas), followed by Croatia where the difference was 11 pp (70% employment rate for cities and 59% for rural areas).

On the other hand, for Member States in the western part of the EU, there tends to be higher employment rates recorded for working-age people living in rural areas than in cities. The largest differences were observed in Belgium, where the employment rate for working-age persons living in rural areas was 72%, 10pp higher than for those living in cities (62%), followed by Austria with a difference of 9pp (70% for cities and 79% for rural areas), the Netherlands (76% and 82%) with 6pp of the difference, Germany (77% and 82%), Malta (71% and 76%) and Greece (56% and 61%) – all three with a difference of 5pp.

For more information on regional employment rates and regional statistics in general, take a look at the related map in Statistical Atlas.

Source: Eurostat – Regional employment rates: highest in Åland, Finland

Free Search of thousands open jobs published from companies around the world HERE

---