Published on: 28 January 2021

Methodological change

4 and a half million people worked again in December

In December 2020, 4 million 500 thousand people aged 15–74 were employed. Over the period of October–December 2020, the average number of employed people was 4,482 thousand. The number of people working abroad but belonging to households in Hungary and the number of public workers decreased. In 2020, the average number of employed people was 4 million 460 thousand.

In December1 2020:

4 million 500 thousand people were employed,2 4 thousand more than in the previous month and 14 thousand fewer than in December last year.

70.4% of 15–64 year olds were employed, slightly (0.2 percentage points) lower than in November and marginally (0.2 percentage points) higher than in last year's December.

In October–December 2020, compared to a year before:3

The number of employed people was 0.8% lower at 4 million 482 thousand. Employment slightly increased in the primary labour market, decreased by 16 thousand in the group of those declaring themselves to be public workers and by 25 thousand among members of Hungarian households working abroad.

Number of employed people aged 15–74, October–December 2020

Denomination Number, thousand persons Change in headcounta)
thousand persons %
Work in the domestic primary labour market4295.33.90.1
Public workers92.1–16.0–14.8
Work at local units abroad94.9–25.1–20.9
Total4482.3–37.3–0.8

a) Compared to the same period of the previous year.
b) Based on the respondent's self-classification.

4 million 398 thousand people aged 15–64 were considered employed, the employment rate of this age group was 70.2%. The number of the employed among men aged 15–64 declined somewhat to 2,432 thousand, but their employment rate grew by 0.1 percentage points to 77.7%, partly for demographic reasons. Regarding 15–64 year-old women, the number of the employed decreased by 32 thousand to 1,966 thousand, and their employment rate by 0.4 percentage points to 62.7%.

The number of employed people in the young age group (15–24 years) decreased by 21 thousand to 265 thousand, and their employment rate by 1.7 percentage points to 26.8%. Among the so-called best working age population (25–54 years) the employment rate decreased by 1.0 percentage point to 83.4%. In the older, 55–64 age group, the number of the employed increased by 13 thousand to 713 thousand and the employment rate by 3.3 percentage points to 60.9%, partly for demographic reasons.

For the 20-64 age group, which is the monitoring group for achieving the employment targets set in the Europe 2020 strategy, the employment rate was 75.7%. The European Union has set a target of 75% by 2020, which Hungary has achieved again after a temporary decline due to the coronavirus epidemic. Currently, the employment rate for this age group is 83.8% for men and 67.5% for women.

Budapest had the highest (75.5%) employment rate of 15-64 year olds. Compared to the previous year, employment increased in Budapest (by 0.8 percentage points) and Central Transdanubia (by 1.6 percentage points), while it stagnated or decreased in other regions. Employment was lowest in Southern Transdanubia (64.8%). Compared to the same period of the previous year, employment decreased the most in Northern Hungary, by 1.4 percentage points.

Employment among 15–64 year-olds by age group, October–December 2020

Age group, year-old Number Employment rate
thousand persons change, thousand personsa) % change, percentage pointa)
15–24265.3–20.826.8–1.7
25–543 419.4–31.783.4–1.0
55–64713.012.660.93.3
Total4 397.7–39.970.2–0.1
Of which: 20–644 376.2–33.275.70.1

a) Compared to the same period of the previous year.

In January–December 2020, compared to a year before:

Employment decreased by 52 thousand people to 4 million 460 thousand. Employment fell year-on-year by 16 thousand in the primary labor market, by 19 thousand among those declaring themselves to be public workers and by 16 thousand among those working abroad.

4 million 376 thousand people aged 15–64 were employed, the employment rate of this age group decreased by 0.4 percentage points to 69.7%. Employment fell by 0.3 percentage points to 77.0% for men and by 0.6 percentage points to 62.3% for women.

With the exception of those aged 55–64, who saw a significant increase of 2.9 percentage points, all of the main age groups were characterized by a decline in the employment rate. The employment rate of young people fell by 1.3 percentage points to 27.2%, and that of those aged 25-54 with the best working age fell by 1.5 percentage points to 82.9%.

The employment rate of 20–64 year olds decreased by 0.3 percentage points to 75.0%.