Nine Indian districts record double-digit unemployment, Papum Pare tops at 16.1%
District-level labour data for 2025 show that nine out of 584 districts have unemployment rates above 10%, with Papum Pare in Arunachal Pradesh reaching 16.1%.
The inaugural district-wise unemployment report for 2025 reveals that just over half of India's districts (50.5%) fall below the national average of 3.1%, while 48% exceed it. Nine districts posted double-digit unemployment, the highest being Papum Pare in Arunachal Pradesh at 16.1%. Two districts in Rajasthan also recorded rates above 10%, and 1.5% of districts matched the national figure exactly.
Why it matters
The data expose sharp regional gaps in employment, guiding policymakers toward targeted job creation efforts.
In this story
unemployment ratedistrict-level datadouble-digit unemploymentPapum PareArunachal PradeshRajasthanIndia labour market
