Economy, jobs and prices in Sicily, Italy: official figures
GDP per person was 24,500 purchasing power standards (PPS) in 2024, 61% of the EU average; 20th highest of 21 regions in Italy. PPS adjust for price differences between countries.
How big is the economy of Sicily?
The regional economy produced €112.0 billion of output (GDP at market prices) in 2024, 5.1% of Italy's GDP.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyWhat is the unemployment rate in Sicily?
The unemployment rate (age 15 to 74) was 12.2% in 2025, against 6.1% for Italy and 6.0% across the EU; 2nd highest of 21 regions in Italy.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyWhat is youth unemployment in Sicily?
Youth unemployment (age 15 to 24) was 33.8% in 2025, against 20.6% for Italy; 2nd highest of 18 regions in Italy.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow much does Sicily spend on research and development?
Spending on research and development came to 0.92% of GDP in 2024 (1.41% nationally).
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow much undeclared work is there in Sicily?
Undeclared work accounted for 13.7% of employment in Sicily in 2022, against 9.7% nationally (3rd highest of 21 regions and autonomous provinces).
Source: Istat (Italian National Institute of Statistics) · saved copyHow many workers in Sicily are low paid?
Low pay affected 16.1% of employees in Sicily in 2020, meaning an hourly wage below two-thirds of the national median (Italy 10.1%); 3rd highest of 21 regions and autonomous provinces, down from 18.2% in 2015.
Source: Istat (Italian National Institute of Statistics) · saved copyWhat is the real unemployment rate in Sicily?
In 2025, 27.2% of the potential labour force aged 15-74 in Sicily was unemployed or available but not looking for work (Italy 12.6%); 2nd highest of 21 regions and autonomous provinces, down from 39.2% in 2020.
Source: Istat (Italian National Institute of Statistics) · saved copyAre young graduates leaving Sicily?
Graduate brain drain: in 2023 the net flow of young Italian graduates (25-39) in Sicily was -34.5 per 1,000 resident graduates (Italy -6.2), 4th worst of 21 regions and autonomous provinces.
Source: Istat (Italian National Institute of Statistics) · saved copyHow many part-time workers in Sicily want a full-time job?
Involuntary part-time affected 11.5% of workers in Sicily in 2025, against 7.7% nationally (2nd highest of 21 regions and autonomous provinces), down from 17.0% in 2020.
Source: Istat (Italian National Institute of Statistics) · saved copyHow many workers in Sicily are stuck on temporary contracts?
31.8% of people on temporary contracts in Sicily had been in fixed-term work for at least five years in 2025 (Italy 21.3%), down from 33.4% in 2020.
Source: Istat (Italian National Institute of Statistics) · saved copyAre graduates in Sicily overqualified for their jobs?
18.4% of employed graduates aged 25 to 64 in Sicily held jobs that did not need a degree in 2025 (Italy 20.9%), up from 17.8% in 2020.
Source: Istat (Italian National Institute of Statistics) · saved copyHow dangerous is work in Sicily?
Workplace accidents causing death or permanent disability ran at 13.4 per 10,000 people in work in Sicily in 2022 (Italy 11.0).
Source: Istat (Italian National Institute of Statistics) · saved copyHow many high-skilled jobs are there in Sicily?
Knowledge workers, graduates in scientific and technical occupations, made up 18.0% of employment in Sicily in 2025 (Italy 19.2%), up from 17.0% in 2020.
Source: Istat (Italian National Institute of Statistics) · saved copyHow many people in Sicily are long-term unemployed?
In 2025, 7.6% of the labour force in Sicily had been unemployed for 12 months or more, compared with 3.1% nationally and 1.9% in the EU; 2nd highest of 18 regions in Italy. In 2015 it was 14.1%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyWhat is the unemployment rate for women in Sicily?
The unemployment rate for women in Sicily was 14.3% in 2025, compared with 6.8% nationally and 6.2% in the EU; 2nd highest of 20 regions in Italy. In 2015 it was 22.7%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many women in Sicily are in work?
The employment rate for women aged 20 to 64 reached 37.5% in 2025, compared with 58.0% nationally and 71.3% in the EU; 2nd lowest of 21 regions in Italy. In 2015 it was 30.5%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyIs the economy of Sicily growing?
Output (gross value added, after inflation) changed by 1.8% in 2024, compared with 0.7% nationally; the highest of 21 regions in Italy. In 2014 it was -2.5%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many cars are there in Sicily?
There were 733 passenger cars per 1,000 people in 2024, compared with 701 nationally; 9th highest of 21 regions in Italy. In 2014 it was 626.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyWhat is the average salary in Sicily?
Average compensation per employee (pay plus employer social contributions) was €21,837 in 2023, against €25,343 across Italy; 4th lowest of 21 regions in Italy.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many tourists visit Sicily?
Visitors spent 23.4 million nights in tourist accommodation in 2025, 56% of them by visitors from abroad.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyWhat is the main industry in Sicily?
The largest part of the economy of Sicily in 2024 was public administration, education, health and other services, at 29.9% of gross value added, followed by finance, property and business services (26.3%).
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow industrial is Sicily?
Factories, mines and energy produced 8.4% of the value added in Sicily in 2024, against 19.0% for Italy.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow fast is the economy of Sicily growing?
Gross value added rose from €76.1 billion in 2015 to €100.1 billion in 2024 in current prices, an increase of 32% before inflation.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyWhat jobs do people do in Sicily?
Of the 1,647,700 jobs located in Sicily in 2024, 36% in public services, education, health and other services, 8% in industry and 7.5% in farming, forestry and fishing.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyAre jobs growing in Sicily?
The number of people working in Sicily rose by 9.4% between 2015 and 2024, to 1,647,700.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow Sicily compares with other regions
Workers in irregular (undeclared) jobs (%) (2022)
Sicily ranks 3 of 21, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Workers in irregular (undeclared) jobs (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Calabria | 17.0% |
| 2 | Campania | 14.2% |
| 3 | Sicily | 13.7% |
| 4 | Apulia | 12.6% |
| 5 | Molise | 12.4% |
| 6 | Basilicata | 12.0% |
| 7 | Lazio | 11.8% |
Employees with low hourly pay (%) (2020)
Sicily ranks 3 of 21, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Employees with low hourly pay (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Calabria | 19.0% |
| 2 | Apulia | 17.6% |
| 3 | Sicily | 16.1% |
| 4 | Campania | 15.1% |
| 5 | Basilicata | 14.2% |
| 6 | Lazio | 10.8% |
| 7 | Abruzzo | 10.8% |
Labour non-participation rate, 15-74 (%) (2025)
Sicily ranks 2 of 21, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Labour non-participation rate, 15-74 (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Campania | 27.3% |
| 2 | Sicily | 27.2% |
| 3 | Calabria | 26.1% |
| 4 | Apulia | 21.5% |
| 5 | Basilicata | 18.1% |
| 6 | Sardinia | 18.0% |
| 7 | Molise | 15.5% |
Net migration of Italian graduates aged 25-39 (per 1,000 graduates) (2023)
Sicily ranks 18 of 21, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Net migration of Italian graduates aged 25-39 (per 1,000 graduates) |
|---|---|---|
| 15 | Abruzzo | -18.3 |
| 16 | Campania | -29.7 |
| 17 | Apulia | -33.2 |
| 18 | Sicily | -34.5 |
| 19 | Molise | -40.9 |
| 20 | Calabria | -43.1 |
| 21 | Basilicata | -50.2 |
Involuntary part-time workers (%) (2025)
Sicily ranks 2 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)
Sicily ranks 2 of 18, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Long-term unemployment (% of labour force) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Campania | 8.1% |
| 2 | Sicily | 7.6% |
| 3 | Apulia | 6.1% |
| 4 | Calabria | 5.4% |
| 5 | Molise | 4.3% |
| 6 | Sardinia | 3.9% |
| 7 | Abruzzo | 3.3% |
Unemployment rate, women (2025)
Sicily ranks 2 of 20, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Unemployment rate, women |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Campania | 15.8% |
| 2 | Sicily | 14.3% |
| 3 | Apulia | 11.5% |
| 4 | Calabria | 10.7% |
| 5 | Sardinia | 9.0% |
| 6 | Abruzzo | 7.1% |
| 7 | Piedmont | 6.8% |
Employment rate, women aged 20-64 (2025)
Sicily ranks 20 of 21, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Employment rate, women aged 20-64 |
|---|---|---|
| 15 | Sardinia | 54.7% |
| 16 | Molise | 50.7% |
| 17 | Basilicata | 49.0% |
| 18 | Apulia | 40.9% |
| 19 | Calabria | 37.7% |
| 20 | Sicily | 37.5% |
| 21 | Campania | 36.8% |
Real growth in gross value added (2024)
Sicily ranks 1 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)
Sicily ranks 9 of 21, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Passenger cars per 1,000 people |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | Calabria | 750 |
| 7 | Tuscany | 744 |
| 8 | Basilicata | 738 |
| 9 | Sicily | 733 |
| 10 | Abruzzo | 728 |
| 11 | Piedmont | 723 |
| 12 | Sardinia | 719 |
Compensation per employee (euros) (2023)
Sicily ranks 18 of 21, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Compensation per employee (euros) |
|---|---|---|
| 15 | Molise | €22,370 |
| 16 | Sardinia | €22,123 |
| 17 | Basilicata | €21,966 |
| 18 | Sicily | €21,837 |
| 19 | Campania | €21,531 |
| 20 | Apulia | €20,854 |
| 21 | Calabria | €20,406 |
Nights spent in tourist accommodation (2025)
Sicily ranks 8 of 21, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Nights spent in tourist accommodation |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | Emilia-Romagna | 44.2 million |
| 6 | Provincia Autonoma di Bolzano/Bozen | 38.2 million |
| 7 | Campania | 24.0 million |
| 8 | Sicily | 23.4 million |
| 9 | Apulia | 22.7 million |
| 10 | Provincia Autonoma di Trento | 22.7 million |
| 11 | Sardinia | 21.7 million |
Share of output from industry (manufacturing, mining and energy) (2024)
Sicily ranks 20 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)
Sicily ranks 13 of 21, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Share of output from finance, property and business services |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | Abruzzo | 26.9% |
| 11 | Umbria | 26.7% |
| 12 | Veneto | 26.3% |
| 13 | Sicily | 26.3% |
| 14 | Apulia | 26.1% |
| 15 | Sardinia | 25.9% |
| 16 | Marche | 25.8% |
Share of output from public administration, education, health and other services (2024)
Sicily ranks 1 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 Sicily: overview · health · education and schools · poverty and living standards · government budget · government and politics · Italy
Sources
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset nama_10r_2gdp: GDP per person (purchasing power standards), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 c21f724d14a6…)
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