Economy, jobs and prices in Sardinia, Italy: official figures
GDP per person was 29,000 purchasing power standards (PPS) in 2024, 73% of the EU average; 17th highest of 21 regions in Italy. PPS adjust for price differences between countries.
How big is the economy of Sardinia?
The regional economy produced €43.5 billion of output (GDP at market prices) in 2024, 2.0% of Italy's GDP.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyWhat is the unemployment rate in Sardinia?
The unemployment rate (age 15 to 74) was 9.3% in 2025, against 6.1% for Italy and 6.0% across the EU; 5th highest of 21 regions in Italy.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyWhat is youth unemployment in Sardinia?
Youth unemployment (age 15 to 24) was 24.6% in 2025, against 20.6% for Italy; 6th highest of 18 regions in Italy.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow much does Sardinia spend on research and development?
Spending on research and development came to 0.85% of GDP in 2024 (1.41% nationally).
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow much undeclared work is there in Sardinia?
Istat estimates that 11.4% of people in work in Sardinia were in irregular, undeclared jobs in 2022 (Italy 9.7%): 8th highest of 21 regions and autonomous provinces.
Source: Istat (Italian National Institute of Statistics) · saved copyHow many workers in Sardinia are low paid?
10.7% of employees in Sardinia earned less than two-thirds of the median hourly wage in 2020 (Italy 10.1%), 8th highest of 21 regions and autonomous provinces, up from 10.1% in 2015.
Source: Istat (Italian National Institute of Statistics) · saved copyWhat is the real unemployment rate in Sardinia?
The labour non-participation rate, which adds people available to work but not searching to the unemployed, was 18.0% in Sardinia in 2025 (Italy 12.6%), 6th highest of 21 regions and autonomous provinces, down from 27.0% in 2020.
Source: Istat (Italian National Institute of Statistics) · saved copyAre young graduates leaving Sardinia?
Sardinia had a net migration rate of -16.4 per 1,000 resident Italian graduates aged 25 to 39 in 2023 (Italy -6.2), counting moves to and from other regions and abroad: 8th worst of 21 regions and autonomous provinces.
Source: Istat (Italian National Institute of Statistics) · saved copyHow many part-time workers in Sardinia want a full-time job?
12.4% of people in work in Sardinia were in part-time jobs because they could not find full-time work in 2025 (Italy 7.7%), the highest of 21 regions and autonomous provinces, down from 15.9% in 2020.
Source: Istat (Italian National Institute of Statistics) · saved copyHow many workers in Sardinia are stuck on temporary contracts?
18.9% of people on temporary contracts in Sardinia had been in fixed-term work for at least five years in 2025 (Italy 21.3%), up from 18.0% in 2020.
Source: Istat (Italian National Institute of Statistics) · saved copyAre graduates in Sardinia overqualified for their jobs?
19.7% of employed graduates aged 25 to 64 in Sardinia held jobs that did not need a degree in 2025 (Italy 20.9%), up from 19.3% in 2020.
Source: Istat (Italian National Institute of Statistics) · saved copyHow dangerous is work in Sardinia?
Workplace accidents causing death or permanent disability ran at 12.4 per 10,000 people in work in Sardinia in 2022 (Italy 11.0).
Source: Istat (Italian National Institute of Statistics) · saved copyHow many high-skilled jobs are there in Sardinia?
Knowledge workers, graduates in scientific and technical occupations, made up 18.0% of employment in Sardinia in 2025 (Italy 19.2%), down from 18.3% in 2020.
Source: Istat (Italian National Institute of Statistics) · saved copyHow many people in Sardinia are long-term unemployed?
In 2025, 3.9% of the labour force in Sardinia had been unemployed for 12 months or more, compared with 3.1% nationally and 1.9% in the EU; 6th highest of 18 regions in Italy. In 2015 it was 9.4%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyWhat is the unemployment rate for women in Sardinia?
The unemployment rate for women in Sardinia was 9.0% in 2025, compared with 6.8% nationally and 6.2% in the EU; 5th highest of 20 regions in Italy. In 2015 it was 18.3%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many women in Sardinia are in work?
54.7% of women aged 20 to 64 were in work in 2025, compared with 58.0% nationally and 71.3% in the EU; 7th lowest of 21 regions in Italy. In 2015 it was 45.2%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyIs the economy of Sardinia growing?
Output (gross value added, after inflation) changed by 1.2% in 2024, compared with 0.7% nationally; 4th highest of 21 regions in Italy. In 2014 it was -0.7%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many cars are there in Sardinia?
Residents of Sardinia owned 719 cars per 1,000 people in 2024, compared with 701 nationally; 10th lowest of 21 regions in Italy. In 2014 it was 610.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyWhat is the average salary in Sardinia?
Average compensation per employee (pay plus employer social contributions) was €22,123 in 2023, against €25,343 across Italy; 6th lowest of 21 regions in Italy.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many tourists visit Sardinia?
Visitors spent 21.7 million nights in tourist accommodation in 2025, 56% of them by visitors from abroad.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyWhat is the main industry in Sardinia?
The largest part of the economy of Sardinia in 2024 was public administration, education, health and other services, at 28.7% of gross value added, followed by finance, property and business services (25.9%).
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow industrial is Sardinia?
Factories, mines and energy produced 8.8% of the value added in Sardinia in 2024, against 19.0% for Italy.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow fast is the economy of Sardinia growing?
Gross value added rose from €29.8 billion in 2015 to €38.9 billion in 2024 in current prices, an increase of 30% before inflation.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyWhat jobs do people do in Sardinia?
Of the 648,000 jobs located in Sardinia in 2024, 36% in public services, education, health and other services, 8% in industry and 5.9% in farming, forestry and fishing.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyAre jobs growing in Sardinia?
The number of people working in Sardinia rose by 10.5% between 2015 and 2024, to 648,000.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow Sardinia compares with other regions
Workers in irregular (undeclared) jobs (%) (2022)
Sardinia ranks 8 of 21, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Workers in irregular (undeclared) jobs (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | Molise | 12.4% |
| 6 | Basilicata | 12.0% |
| 7 | Lazio | 11.8% |
| 8 | Sardinia | 11.4% |
| 9 | Abruzzo | 10.8% |
| 10 | Umbria | 9.5% |
| 11 | Liguria | 9.3% |
Employees with low hourly pay (%) (2020)
Sardinia ranks 8 of 21, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Employees with low hourly pay (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | Basilicata | 14.2% |
| 6 | Lazio | 10.8% |
| 7 | Abruzzo | 10.8% |
| 8 | Sardinia | 10.7% |
| 9 | Umbria | 9.5% |
| 10 | Molise | 9.4% |
| 11 | Piedmont | 9.2% |
Labour non-participation rate, 15-74 (%) (2025)
Sardinia ranks 6 of 21, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Labour non-participation rate, 15-74 (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | Calabria | 26.1% |
| 4 | Apulia | 21.5% |
| 5 | Basilicata | 18.1% |
| 6 | Sardinia | 18.0% |
| 7 | Molise | 15.5% |
| 8 | Abruzzo | 12.0% |
| 9 | Lazio | 10.7% |
Net migration of Italian graduates aged 25-39 (per 1,000 graduates) (2023)
Sardinia ranks 14 of 21, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Net migration of Italian graduates aged 25-39 (per 1,000 graduates) |
|---|---|---|
| 11 | Valle d’Aosta/Vallée d’Aoste | -13.0 |
| 12 | Marche | -13.7 |
| 13 | Umbria | -14.7 |
| 14 | Sardinia | -16.4 |
| 15 | Abruzzo | -18.3 |
| 16 | Campania | -29.7 |
| 17 | Apulia | -33.2 |
Involuntary part-time workers (%) (2025)
Sardinia ranks 1 of 21, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Involuntary part-time workers (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sardinia | 12.4% |
| 2 | Sicily | 11.5% |
| 3 | Molise | 10.4% |
| 4 | Basilicata | 9.9% |
| 5 | Calabria | 9.4% |
| 6 | Tuscany | 9.0% |
| 7 | Campania | 8.8% |
Long-term unemployment (% of labour force) (2025)
Sardinia ranks 6 of 18, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Long-term unemployment (% of labour force) |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | Apulia | 6.1% |
| 4 | Calabria | 5.4% |
| 5 | Molise | 4.3% |
| 6 | Sardinia | 3.9% |
| 7 | Abruzzo | 3.3% |
| 8 | Lazio | 2.9% |
| 9 | Piedmont | 2.7% |
Unemployment rate, women (2025)
Sardinia ranks 5 of 20, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Unemployment rate, women |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | Sicily | 14.3% |
| 3 | Apulia | 11.5% |
| 4 | Calabria | 10.7% |
| 5 | Sardinia | 9.0% |
| 6 | Abruzzo | 7.1% |
| 7 | Piedmont | 6.8% |
| 8 | Molise | 6.8% |
Employment rate, women aged 20-64 (2025)
Sardinia ranks 15 of 21, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Employment rate, women aged 20-64 |
|---|---|---|
| 12 | Veneto | 65.5% |
| 13 | Lazio | 60.5% |
| 14 | Abruzzo | 56.6% |
| 15 | Sardinia | 54.7% |
| 16 | Molise | 50.7% |
| 17 | Basilicata | 49.0% |
| 18 | Apulia | 40.9% |
Real growth in gross value added (2024)
Sardinia ranks 4 of 21, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Real growth in gross value added |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sicily | 1.8% |
| 2 | Lombardy | 1.2% |
| 3 | Lazio | 1.2% |
| 4 | Sardinia | 1.2% |
| 5 | Piedmont | 1.1% |
| 6 | Valle d’Aosta/Vallée d’Aoste | 1.1% |
| 7 | Friuli-Venezia Giulia | 1.0% |
Passenger cars per 1,000 people (2024)
Sardinia ranks 12 of 21, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Passenger cars per 1,000 people |
|---|---|---|
| 9 | Sicily | 733 |
| 10 | Abruzzo | 728 |
| 11 | Piedmont | 723 |
| 12 | Sardinia | 719 |
| 13 | Marche | 718 |
| 14 | Lazio | 701 |
| 15 | Friuli-Venezia Giulia | 695 |
Compensation per employee (euros) (2023)
Sardinia ranks 16 of 21, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Compensation per employee (euros) |
|---|---|---|
| 13 | Marche | €23,132 |
| 14 | Abruzzo | €22,582 |
| 15 | Molise | €22,370 |
| 16 | Sardinia | €22,123 |
| 17 | Basilicata | €21,966 |
| 18 | Sicily | €21,837 |
| 19 | Campania | €21,531 |
Nights spent in tourist accommodation (2025)
Sardinia ranks 11 of 21, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Nights spent in tourist accommodation |
|---|---|---|
| 8 | Sicily | 23.4 million |
| 9 | Apulia | 22.7 million |
| 10 | Provincia Autonoma di Trento | 22.7 million |
| 11 | Sardinia | 21.7 million |
| 12 | Piedmont | 18.2 million |
| 13 | Liguria | 16.0 million |
| 14 | Marche | 11.8 million |
Share of output from industry (manufacturing, mining and energy) (2024)
Sardinia ranks 19 of 21, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Share of output from industry (manufacturing, mining and energy) |
|---|---|---|
| 15 | Valle d’Aosta/Vallée d’Aoste | 13.0% |
| 16 | Campania | 12.8% |
| 17 | Apulia | 12.3% |
| 18 | Lazio | 10.3% |
| 19 | Sardinia | 8.8% |
| 20 | Sicily | 8.4% |
| 21 | Calabria | 7.1% |
Share of output from finance, property and business services (2024)
Sardinia ranks 15 of 21, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Share of output from finance, property and business services |
|---|---|---|
| 12 | Veneto | 26.3% |
| 13 | Sicily | 26.3% |
| 14 | Apulia | 26.1% |
| 15 | Sardinia | 25.9% |
| 16 | Marche | 25.8% |
| 17 | Campania | 25.6% |
| 18 | Molise | 25.2% |
Share of output from public administration, education, health and other services (2024)
Sardinia ranks 3 of 21, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Share of output from public administration, education, health and other services |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sicily | 29.9% |
| 2 | Calabria | 29.5% |
| 3 | Sardinia | 28.7% |
| 4 | Valle d’Aosta/Vallée d’Aoste | 27.0% |
| 5 | Molise | 26.6% |
| 6 | Apulia | 25.7% |
| 7 | Lazio | 24.1% |
More on Sardinia: overview · health · education and schools · poverty and living standards · government budget · government and politics · Italy
Sources
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