unemployment in + place/sector
Location or area affected
Use in for a country, region, or industry.
Unemployment in rural areas is falling.
Which prepositions go with “unemployment”?
The noun “unemployment” is usually discussed with prepositions such as among, in, and of. Some combinations with to, with, or for are possible only in broader sentence structures.
Quick answer
Common combinations with “unemployment”
Use unemployment among or unemployment of to talk about affected groups, and unemployment in for places or sectors. To, with, and for are usually linked to other parts of the sentence rather than fixed combinations with unemployment.
Youth unemployment in the region has increased.
The unemployment of factory workers caused concern.
High unemployment among graduates remains a problem.
The unemployment of factory workers caused concern.
High unemployment among graduates remains a problem.
Choose the pattern by meaning
These forms are not interchangeable. Choose the construction by meaning, not by which preposition appears most often.
unemployment among + group
Affected social group
Among introduces the people experiencing unemployment.
Unemployment among young adults is high.
unemployment of + group
State affecting a specific group
Of is formal and often used in reports or academic writing.
The unemployment of skilled workers worried economists.
unemployment rate for + group
Rates connected to a group
For is common with unemployment rate rather than unemployment alone.
The unemployment rate for teenagers declined slightly.
See the difference in context
The same subject can take different constructions because each sentence answers a different question.
Construction
Example
Meaning
unemployment in
Unemployment in the city has risen.
describes location or sector
unemployment of
The unemployment of miners became a political issue.
formal reference to affected people
unemployment for
Support for unemployment benefits increased.
for usually belongs to another noun such as benefits, not unemployment itself
unemployment with
The region struggled with unemployment.
with is linked to the verb struggled, not a fixed noun pattern
unemployment to
The reforms led to unemployment.
to belongs to the verb phrase led to
unemployment among
Unemployment among graduates remains high.
standard way to name an affected group
Common mistakes
Some combinations appear in real text but do not mean what learners often assume.
Using unemployment to a place
Use in for locations.
✕ unemployment to the region ✓ unemployment in the regionUsing with unemployment as a noun pattern
With usually connects to a verb or adjective.
✕ the with unemployment problem ✓ the unemployment problemUsing unemployment for workers
Use among or of before groups of people.
✕ unemployment for workers ✓ unemployment among workersLeaving out a needed preposition
The noun often needs a preposition before the affected area or group.
✕ unemployment young people ✓ unemployment among young peopleQuick practice
Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.
1. Unemployment ___ graduates remains high.
2. The report examined unemployment ___ coastal towns.
3. The reforms led ___ unemployment.
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Frequently asked questions
Is unemployment of correct English?
Yes. It is formal but grammatical, especially in economic or academic writing.
Can I say unemployment with young people?
Not as a fixed noun pattern. Use unemployment among young people instead.
What preposition is most common with unemployment?
In and among are very common because they describe places and affected groups.
Related preposition guides
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