employment
Employment rates in the Greater West of England by sex and age, 2025
The data presented here show employment rates and employment levels in the Greater West of England by sex and age in 2025. Employment rates represent the proportion of people in paid work within the working-age population.
The Greater West of England is defined here as Bath and North East Somerset, Bristol, Gloucestershire, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire, Swindon and Wiltshire.
77.8%
Employment rate of females aged 16–64 in the Greater West of England, 2025
83.9%
Employment rate of males aged 16–64 in the Greater West of England, 2025
93.8%
Highest employment rate of any sex and age band in the Greater West of England: males aged 35–49
6.1 pp
Difference between male and female employment rates aged 16–64 in the Greater West of England, 2025
Employment rate in the Greater West of England by sex and age, 2025
This visualisation shows employment rates in the Greater West of England by sex and age group for 2025.
Employment rates are higher for males (83.9%) than females (77.8%) among people aged 16–64. In most age groups, males have higher employment rates than females. The exception is the 16–24 age group, where the female employment rate is 61.9% compared with 59.5% for males.
Across all age groups shown, employment rates in the Greater West of England are higher than those recorded in the UK.
Number of people in employment by sex and age in the Greater West of England, 2025
This visualisation shows the number of people in employment in the Greater West of England by sex and age group in 2025.
Among males, the largest number of people in employment is recorded for those aged 35–49 (223,800), followed by those aged 50–64 (196,700) and those aged 25–34 (159,300).
Among females, the largest number of people in employment is also recorded for those aged 35–49 (226,300), followed by those aged 50–64 (173,000) and those aged 25–34 (132,400).
The smallest numbers of people in employment are recorded among those aged 65 and over, and those aged 16–24.
Employment rate trends in the Greater West of England by sex, 2005–2025
This visualisation shows employment rate trends for males and females aged 16–64 in the Greater West of England between 2005 and 2025.
Throughout the period, the male employment rate is higher than the female employment rate. The difference between the two rates has narrowed over time, from 13.0 percentage points (pp) in 2005 to 6.1 pp in 2025.
Over this period, the female employment rate increased from 70.4% to 77.8%. The male employment rate changed from 83.4% in 2005 to 83.9% in 2025.
Employment rate trends in the Greater West of England by age group, 2005–2025
This visualisation shows employment rate trends for different age groups in the Greater West of England between 2005 and 2025.
Employment rates remain highest among people aged 35–49 and 25–34. In 2025, employment rates were 91.4% for those aged 35–49 and 87.4% for those aged 25–34.
Among people aged 50–64, the employment rate increased from 69.3% in 2005 to 76.5% in 2025.
The employment rate for those aged 16–24 declined slightly over the period, from 63.3% in 2005 to 60.7% in 2025.
For people aged 65 and over, employment rates increased from 8.3% in 2005 to 13.8% in 2025.
