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SVERIGEFAKTA

Labor market in Karlstad Municipality

Key facts

  • Karlstad ranks 100 of 290 municipalities for Openly unemployed 18–65, share of population (%) (2025).

    Source: Arbetsförmedlingen via Kolada N03937 · 2025

  • Karlstad ranks 5 of 16 in Värmlands län for Openly unemployed 18–65, share of population (%) (2025).

    Source: Arbetsförmedlingen via Kolada N03937 · 2025

  • Openly unemployed 18–65, share of population (%) in Karlstad is 2.8 %, slightly below the national level (3.1 %, 2025).

    Source: Arbetsförmedlingen via Kolada N03937 · 2025

  • Openly unemployed 18–65, share of population (%) in Karlstad decreased from 2.9 % (2015) to 2.8 % (2025).

    Source: Arbetsförmedlingen via Kolada N03937 · 2015–2025

Unemployment, employment and establishment in Karlstad. Sources: Public Employment Service and Kolada — latest year 2025.

Latest data year: 2025 · 7 indicators · Package version: v2 · Updated: 2026-08-09

Short answer: Karlstad in figures

  • Openly unemployed 18–65, share of population (%): 2.8 % (2025). Sweden: 3.1 % (−0.3 pp). Rank 100 of 290. Change since 2020: −1.3 pp.

    Source: Arbetsförmedlingen via Kolada N03937

  • Residents receiving social assistance during the year, share of population (%): 3.0 % (2025). Sweden: 2.3 % (+0.7 pp). Rank 66 of 280. Change since 2020: −1.2 pp.

    Source: Socialstyrelsen via Kolada N31807

  • Employed refugees/family reunified 20–64, 4–6 years of residence, share (%): 63.7 % (2024). Change since 2019: +14.0 pp.

    Source: SCB via Kolada N02994

National figure and rank use the same year and value as the municipal figure; otherwise they are omitted. Rank 1 = highest value. Election-cycle series are not given annual trends. Missing values are not shown as zero.

Openly unemployed 18–65, share of population (%)
2.82 %
2025 · −1.3 pp vs 2020
Residents receiving social assistance during the year, share of population (%)
3.01 %
2025 · −1.2 pp vs 2020
Employed refugees/family reunified 20–64, 4–6 years of residence, share (%)
63.7 %
2024 · +14.0 pp vs 2019

All indicators

Openly unemployed 18–65, share of population (%)

2.82 %(2025)

Use this statistic

Source: Arbetsförmedlingen via Kolada N03937 (Kolada:N03937) · 2014–2025 · Data status: complete / observed

Source: Arbetsförmedlingen via Kolada N03937 · 2014–2025 · Observation (source value) · Method · Report an error

Karlstad: 2.8 % · 2025

Sweden: 3.1 % · difference −0.3 pp

Rank 100 of 290 municipalities with comparable data.

Nearest ranks

Raw values for 2025, ranked from highest to lowest. Equal raw values share a rank. Higher does not necessarily mean better.

  1. 97Karlshamn2.8 % · +0.0 pp
  2. 98Gullspång2.8 % · +0.0 pp
  3. 99Uddevalla2.8 % · +0.0 pp
  4. 100Karlstad2.8 % · 0.0 pp
  5. 101Hallstahammar2.8 % · −0.0 pp
  6. 102Tyresö2.8 % · −0.0 pp
  7. 103Sundsvall2.8 % · −0.0 pp

Source: Arbetsförmedlingen via Kolada N03937. Definition: Openly unemployed 18–65, share of population (%)

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Residents receiving social assistance during the year, share of population (%)

3.01 %(2025)

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Source: Socialstyrelsen via Kolada N31807 (Kolada:N31807) · 2014–2025 · Data status: complete / observed

Source: Socialstyrelsen via Kolada N31807 · 2014–2025 · Observation (source value) · Method · Report an error

Karlstad: 3.0 % · 2025

Sweden: 2.3 % · difference +0.7 pp

Rank 66 of 280 municipalities with comparable data.

Nearest ranks

Raw values for 2025, ranked from highest to lowest. Equal raw values share a rank. Higher does not necessarily mean better.

  1. 63Åstorp3.1 % · +0.0 pp
  2. 64Storfors3.0 % · +0.0 pp
  3. 65Örebro3.0 % · +0.0 pp
  4. 66Karlstad3.0 % · 0.0 pp
  5. 67Skara3.0 % · −0.0 pp
  6. 68Högsby3.0 % · −0.0 pp
  7. 69Finspång3.0 % · −0.0 pp

Source: Socialstyrelsen via Kolada N31807. Definition: Residents receiving social assistance during the year, share of population (%)

Employed refugees/family reunified 20–64, 4–6 years of residence, share (%)

63.7 %(2024)

Use this statistic

Source: SCB via Kolada N02994 (Kolada:N02994) · 2014–2024 · Data status: complete / observed

Source: SCB via Kolada N02994 · 2014–2024 · Observation (source value) · Method · Report an error

Karlstad: 54.9 % · 2022

Sweden: 58.5 % · difference −3.6 pp

Rank 174 of 274 municipalities with comparable data.

Nearest ranks

Raw values for 2022, ranked from highest to lowest. Equal raw values share a rank. Higher does not necessarily mean better.

  1. 171Båstad56.0 % · +1.1 pp
  2. 172Nässjö55.5 % · +0.6 pp
  3. 173Enköping55.3 % · +0.4 pp
  4. 174Karlstad54.9 % · 0.0 pp
  5. 175Laxå54.7 % · −0.2 pp
  6. 176Köping54.3 % · −0.6 pp
  7. 177Halmstad54.3 % · −0.6 pp

Source: SCB via Kolada N02994. Definition: Employed refugees/family reunified 20–64, 4–6 years of residence, share (%)

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Households receiving social assistance, number

1,906 households(2025)

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Source: Socialstyrelsen via Kolada N31910 (Kolada:N31910) · 2014–2025 · Data status: complete / observed

Source: Socialstyrelsen via Kolada N31910 · 2014–2025 · Observation (source value) · Method · Report an error

Karlstad: 1,906.0 households · 2025

Sweden: 141,879.0 households · difference −139,973 households

Rank 13 of 280 municipalities with comparable data.

Nearest ranks

Raw values for 2025, ranked from highest to lowest. Equal raw values share a rank. Higher does not necessarily mean better.

  1. 10Västerås2,622.0 households · +716.0 households
  2. 11Gävle2,534.0 households · +628.0 households
  3. 12Jönköping1,959.0 households · +53.0 households
  4. 13Karlstad1,906.0 households · 0.0 households
  5. 14Växjö1,813.0 households · −93.0 households
  6. 15Lund1,758.0 households · −148.0 households
  7. 16Borlänge1,598.0 households · −308.0 households

Source: Socialstyrelsen via Kolada N31910. Definition: Households receiving social assistance, number

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Employment rate, foreign-born 20–64 (%)

69.9 %(2024)

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Source: SCB via Kolada N02268 (Kolada:N02268) · 2020–2024 · Data status: complete / observed

Source: SCB via Kolada N02268 · 2020–2024 · Observation (source value) · Method · Report an error

Karlstad: 69.9 % · 2024

Sweden: 70.4 % · difference −0.5 pp

Rank 163 of 290 municipalities with comparable data.

Nearest ranks

Raw values for 2024, ranked from highest to lowest. Equal raw values share a rank. Higher does not necessarily mean better.

  1. =159Vansbro70.0 % · +0.1 pp
  2. =159Ödeshög70.0 % · +0.1 pp
  3. =159Övertorneå70.0 % · +0.1 pp
  4. 163Karlstad69.9 % · 0.0 pp
  5. =164Åsele69.8 % · −0.1 pp
  6. =164Åtvidaberg69.8 % · −0.1 pp
  7. 166Hedemora69.7 % · −0.2 pp

Source: SCB via Kolada N02268. Definition: Employment rate, foreign-born 20–64 (%)

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Long-term unemployed, 25–65, share of population (%)

3.56 %(2025)

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Source: Arbetsförmedlingen via Kolada N03926 (Kolada:N03926) · 2014–2025 · Data status: complete / observed

Source: Arbetsförmedlingen via Kolada N03926 · 2014–2025 · Observation (source value) · Method · Report an error

Karlstad: 3.6 % · 2025

Sweden: 3.8 % · difference −0.2 pp

Rank 102 of 290 municipalities with comparable data.

Nearest ranks

Raw values for 2025, ranked from highest to lowest. Equal raw values share a rank. Higher does not necessarily mean better.

  1. 99Storfors3.6 % · +0.0 pp
  2. 100Skurup3.6 % · +0.0 pp
  3. 101Oxelösund3.6 % · +0.0 pp
  4. 102Karlstad3.6 % · 0.0 pp
  5. 103Mellerud3.5 % · −0.0 pp
  6. 104Heby3.5 % · −0.0 pp
  7. 105Ludvika3.5 % · −0.1 pp

Source: Arbetsförmedlingen via Kolada N03926. Definition: Long-term unemployed, 25–65, share of population (%)

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Residents aged 16–24 not in employment, education or training (%)

4.96 %(2024)

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Source: MUCF via Kolada N02797 (Kolada:N02797) · 2014–2024 · Data status: complete / observed

Source: MUCF via Kolada N02797 · 2014–2024 · Observation (source value) · Method · Report an error

Karlstad: 5.0 % · 2024

Sweden: 6.2 % · difference −1.2 pp

Rank 255 of 290 municipalities with comparable data.

Nearest ranks

Raw values for 2024, ranked from highest to lowest. Equal raw values share a rank. Higher does not necessarily mean better.

  1. 252Hammarö5.0 % · +0.0 pp
  2. 253Bollebygd5.0 % · +0.0 pp
  3. 254Lekeberg5.0 % · +0.0 pp
  4. 255Karlstad5.0 % · 0.0 pp
  5. 256Vadstena4.9 % · −0.0 pp
  6. 257Knivsta4.9 % · −0.1 pp
  7. 258Staffanstorp4.8 % · −0.1 pp

Source: MUCF via Kolada N02797. Definition: Residents aged 16–24 not in employment, education or training (%)

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Deep dive

See labor market in a national context

Read chapter: Work and benefits →