Economy, jobs and prices in Olancho, Honduras: official figures

Olancho had an unemployment rate of 4.9% in 2023 (10,519 unemployed among a labour force of 213,646), below the national figure of 6.8%; this is 8th lowest of 18 departments.

Unemployment rate

4.9%

2023

Average monthly income from work

L7,074

2023

What is the labour force participation rate in Olancho?

The labour force participation rate in Olancho was 51.0% in 2023 against 56.4% nationally, ranking 2nd lowest of 18 departments.

Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadistica (INE), Honduras · saved copy

How many women work in Olancho?

In Olancho, 28.5% of women and 76.3% of men of working age were in the labour force in 2023; the female rate is the lowest of 18 departments.

Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadistica (INE), Honduras · saved copy

What is the underemployment rate in Olancho?

14.4% of employed people in Olancho worked fewer than 40 hours a week and wanted more in 2023 (visible underemployment), against 14.5% nationally; ranking 7th lowest of 18 departments.

Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadistica (INE), Honduras · saved copy

How many people are employed in Olancho?

203,127 people were in work in Olancho in 2023, 95.1% of its labour force of 213,646.

Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadistica (INE), Honduras · saved copy

How big is the workforce of Olancho?

Olancho has 5.4% of Honduras's labour force (213,646 of 3,956,158), ranking 5th largest of 18 departments.

Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadistica (INE), Honduras · saved copy

What is the average income in Olancho?

Employed people in Olancho earned an average of L7,074 a month from work in 2023 against L8,722 nationally, ranking 6th lowest of 18 departments.

Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadistica (INE), Honduras · saved copy

What is the income per person in Olancho?

Household income per person in Olancho averaged L3,503 a month in 2023 against L4,329 nationally, ranking 6th lowest of 18 departments.

Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadistica (INE), Honduras · saved copy

What do people earn in Olancho?

Public-sector employees in Olancho earned an average of L15,946 a month in 2023, private-sector employees L5,742, domestic workers L3,442 and the self-employed L7,643.

Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadistica (INE), Honduras · saved copy

What is the private sector wage in Olancho?

Private-sector employees in Olancho earned an average of L5,742 a month in 2023 against L8,245 nationally, ranking 6th lowest of 18 departments.

Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadistica (INE), Honduras · saved copy

How much do remittances matter in Olancho?

Remittances from abroad made up 11.6% of household income in Olancho in 2023 against 5.9% nationally, ranking the highest of 18 departments; wages made up 47.1%.

Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadistica (INE), Honduras · saved copy

How much do self-employed people earn in Olancho?

Self-employed people in Olancho earned an average of L7,643 a month in 2023 against L8,242 nationally, ranking 8th lowest of 18 departments.

Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadistica (INE), Honduras · saved copy

How many homes in Olancho have electricity?

85.8% of homes in Olancho had public or collective private electricity in 2023, ranking 7th lowest of 18 departments.

Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadistica (INE), Honduras · saved copy

How Olancho compares with other departments

Unemployment rate (2023)

Olancho ranks 11 of 18, highest first.

Rank	Region	Unemployment rate
8	Yoro	5.4%
9	Colon	5.1%
10	Santa Barbara	5.0%
11	Olancho	4.9%
12	Islas De Bahia	4.7%
13	Paraiso	3.9%
14	Comayagua	3.9%

Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadistica (INE), Honduras · saved copy

Labour force participation rate (2023)

Olancho ranks 17 of 18, highest first.

Rank	Region	Labour force participation rate
12	Paraiso	54.8%
13	Choluteca	54.5%
14	Yoro	54.4%
15	Atlantida	52.1%
16	Lempira	52.0%
17	Olancho	51.0%
18	Gracias A Dios	49.0%

Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadistica (INE), Honduras · saved copy

Female labour force participation rate (2023)

Olancho ranks 18 of 18, highest first.

Rank	Region	Female labour force participation rate
12	Intibuca	37.6%
13	Santa Barbara	36.4%
14	Atlantida	36.1%
15	Gracias A Dios	34.9%
16	Paraiso	34.2%
17	Lempira	31.5%
18	Olancho	28.5%

Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadistica (INE), Honduras · saved copy

Underemployment (insufficient working time) (2023)

Olancho ranks 12 of 18, highest first.

Rank	Region	Underemployment (insufficient working time)
9	Ocotepeque	15.4%
10	Yoro	15.2%
11	Copan	14.8%
12	Olancho	14.4%
13	Comayagua	13.8%
14	Colon	13.5%
15	Atlantida	12.2%

Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadistica (INE), Honduras · saved copy

Average monthly income of employed people (2023)

Olancho ranks 13 of 18, highest first.

Rank	Region	Average monthly income of employed people
10	Ocotepeque	L7,286
11	Comayagua	L7,257
12	Paraiso	L7,126
13	Olancho	L7,074
14	Intibuca	L6,850
15	Santa Barbara	L6,683
16	Copan	L6,650

Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadistica (INE), Honduras · saved copy

Monthly household income per person (2023)

Olancho ranks 13 of 18, highest first.

Rank	Region	Monthly household income per person
10	Choluteca	L3,921
11	Copan	L3,797
12	La Paz	L3,563
13	Olancho	L3,503
14	Paraiso	L3,447
15	Intibuca	L3,338
16	Santa Barbara	L3,319

Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadistica (INE), Honduras · saved copy

Remittances as a share of household income (2023)

Olancho ranks 1 of 18, highest first.

Rank	Region	Remittances as a share of household income
1	Olancho	11.6%
2	Valle	10.4%
3	Lempira	9.1%
4	Atlantida	8.8%
5	Comayagua	8.4%
6	Colon	7.4%
7	Ocotepeque	7.2%

Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadistica (INE), Honduras · saved copy

Average monthly income of private-sector employees (2023)

Olancho ranks 13 of 18, highest first.

Rank	Region	Average monthly income of private-sector employees
10	Santa Barbara	L6,464
11	Comayagua	L6,119
12	Copan	L6,113
13	Olancho	L5,742
14	Paraiso	L5,487
15	Gracias A Dios	L5,216
16	La Paz	L4,678

Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadistica (INE), Honduras · saved copy

Homes with electricity (2023)

Olancho ranks 12 of 18, highest first.

Rank	Region	Homes with electricity
9	Comayagua	93.0%
10	Choluteca	90.9%
11	Yoro	90.2%
12	Olancho	85.8%
13	La Paz	84.7%
14	Lempira	84.0%
15	Colon	81.9%

Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadistica (INE), Honduras · saved copy

More on Olancho: overview · health · education and schools · poverty and living standards · Honduras

Sources

Instituto Nacional de Estadistica (INE), Honduras: Encuesta Permanente de Hogares de Propositos Multiples (EPHPM) 2023, consolidated four-quarter base: results by department, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 84490a09493a…)

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