India’s First District-Level Labour Data: Check Top Districts in Employment and Workforce
India’s first district-level labour market data has been released by the National Statistical Office (NSO). Check the districts with the highest Labour Force Participation Rate and Female Labour Force Participation, along with youth NEET data and other key findings.
The National Statistical Office (NSO) has released India’s first district level labour market data, providing detailed information on various labour force indicators across the country. The report, titled Labour Market Snapshot of Selected Districts, was released on Friday, September 18, 2026.
It provides data on several key indicators, including labour force participation, employment, unemployment and youth participation, along with female labour force participation and other key findings from selected districts.
The data covers the 100 most populous districts of the country, with Surat in Gujarat emerging as the leading district in both labour force participation and employment.
What Is District-Level Labour Market Data?
The district level data has been generated for the first time in the survey, providing a more detailed overview of labour force participation in the country. Earlier, the method used NSS Regions (groups of districts used as geographical units for statistical purposes) but the method did not provide district-level estimates.
The latest release covers several key indicators, including labour force participation, employment and unemployment, along with other important labour market data. Below are the key indicators used in the survey.
| Indicator | Meaning |
| LFPR | Percentage of the population aged 15 years and above that is part of the labour force, either working or seeking/available for work. |
| WPR | Percentage of the population aged 15 years and above that is employed. |
| UR | Percentage of unemployed people among the total labour force. |
| NEET | Percentage of youth aged 15–29 years who are not in employment, education or training. |
Which District Has the Highest LFPR?
Among the 100 most populous districts, Surat recorded the highest LFPR at 68.6%. Araria and Salem followed closely.
| Rank | District | State | LFPR |
| 1 | Surat | Gujarat | 68.6% |
| 2 | Araria | Bihar | 68.0% |
| 3 | Salem | Tamil Nadu | 67.8% |
The figures show the share of people aged 15 years and above who were part of the labour force, meaning they were working or seeking or available for work.
Which District Has the Highest WPR?
Surat also recorded the highest Worker Population Ratio (WPR) among the 100 most populous districts at 67.8%.
| Rank | District | State | WPR |
| 1 | Surat | Gujarat | 67.8% |
| 2 | Araria | Bihar | 67.4% |
| 3 | Banaskantha | Gujarat | 66.6% |
The WPR measures the share of the population that is employed.
Which District Has the Highest Female LFPR?
This report also gives the district with the highest value for LFPR and WPR for females among the 10 largest districts by population in each state, based on female population.
The highest LFPR for females was recorded in Hamirpur of Himachal Pradesh at 80.9%, while their highest WPR was 80.0%.
| State | District | Female LFPR | Female WPR |
| Himachal Pradesh | Hamirpur | 80.9% | 80.0% |
| Odisha | Mayurbhanj | 71.8% | 71.2% |
| Jammu & Kashmir | Budgam | 71.4% | 69.6% |
| Chhattisgarh | Surguja | 69.0% | 68.0% |
| Assam | Tinsukia | 66.1% | 64.6% |
| Telangana | Jagtial | 63.2% | 62.5% |
| Rajasthan | Dausa | 60.9% | 59.6% |
| Madhya Pradesh | Dhar | 59.6% | 59.5% |
| Andhra Pradesh | Sri Satya Sai | 59.1% | 56.7% |
Which Capital District Has the Highest LFPR?
This report also highlights comparisons between the state capitals. Shimla had the highest LFPR of 70.0%, as well as the highest WPR at 65.1%.
| Rank | Capital District | State | LFPR | WPR |
| 1 | Shimla | Himachal Pradesh | 70.0% | 65.1% |
| 2 | Thiruvananthapuram | Kerala | 64.4% | 63.2% |
| 3 | Raipur | Chhattisgarh | 61.5% | 59.4% |
Thiruvananthapuram followed Shimla with an LFPR of 64.4%, while Raipur recorded 61.5%.
What Does the Data Say About Youth NEET?
The report also gives information on the percentage of youth aged 15-29 years who are not employed, in education or training (NEET) among the 100 largest districts. Ernakulam had the lowest NEET percentage of 9.6%, followed by Coimbatore and Bengaluru Urban.
| Rank | District | State | Youth NEET |
| 1 | Ernakulam | Kerala | 9.6% |
| 2 | Coimbatore | Tamil Nadu | 14.5% |
| 3 | Bengaluru Urban | Karnataka | 15.0% |
Note: All the above data is sourced from mospi.gov.in
Varun Verma is an education and sports journalist with over three years of experience in journalism, with a strong focus on cricket . He has previously worked with SportsYaari and CricketTimes.com, where he developed a strong news sense and a knack for storytelling while covering breaking news and major sporting events. He holds a PG Diploma in English Journalism from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), New Delhi. Beyond sports, his interests include geopolitics, Indian polity and government policies. Inspired by the grit and passion of Ben Stokes, he strives to bring the same depth in his life.
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