Monthly unemployment rate in Italy 2018-2024

Between 2018 and 2024, the unemployment rate in Italy slightly decreased. As of July 2024, the rate stood at 6.5 percent, reaching the lowest figure since at least 2008. However, regional differences existed within the country. In 2023, seven southern Italian regions recorded the highest unemployment rates nationwide. In particular, Campania, Calabria, and Sicily registered the largest unemployed population. On the contrary, most of the regions recording the lowest unemployment rates were in the north. In Lombardy, the share of unemployed people was only four percent. 

Unemployment mostly affects young people

Nationwide, the youth unemployment rate for the last quarter of 2023 was 24 percent, one of the highest rates in Europe. Southern regions also registered the highest unemployment rates among the young population. In 2022, more than two fifths of the people in Sicily and Campania aged between 15 and 24 years were unemployed, while in Calabria, Apulia, and Molise, around 30 percent of the youth were out of work.

Many young adults living with their parents

 A consequence of the country's high unemployment rate could be seen in the percentages of young adults living with their parents. In 2022, more than 70 percent of young men were living with their parents, whereas the share of young women was slightly lower. In Europe, most young adults often stay with their parents in areas affected by the financial crisis.  High unemployment, low wages for career starters, and lack of financial resources, impact this lifestyle choice of many young Italians.