Kenya vs South Asia: Poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line

Kenya
45.5%
in 2022
South Asia
20.0%
in 2024
Kenya rank
9th
South Asia rank
10th

Poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line over time

  • Kenya
  • South Asia
0204060198120022024

How they compare

Kenya currently reports 45.5% against 20.0% in South Asia, a difference of 25.5%.

That makes Kenya's figure about 2.3 times South Asia's.

The two have swapped places 1 time across 6 shared years of data; in 1992 it was South Asia ahead.

Kenya ranks 9th and South Asia ranks 10th of 123 countries.

Across the 3 decades both report, Kenya averaged higher in 2 and South Asia in 1.

Head to head by decade

Decade Kenya South Asia Difference Ahead
1990s 39.0% 48.4% 9.4% South Asia
2000s 44.6% 44.0% 0.6% Kenya
2020s 45.4% 23.5% 21.9% Kenya

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line, Kenya or South Asia?
Kenya, at 45.5% against 20.0% in South Asia as of 2022.
What is the difference in poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line between Kenya and South Asia?
25.5%, with Kenya ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Kenya and South Asia?
6 years are reported by both, from 1992 to 2022.
How do Kenya and South Asia rank globally for poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line?
Kenya ranks 9th and South Asia ranks 10th of 123 countries.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank, Poverty and Inequality Platform. Data are based on primary household survey data obtained from government statistical agencies and World Bank country departments. Data for high-income econ, published as Poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line (% of population). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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Kenya vs South Asia: Poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line. Statizoid, drawing on World Bank, Poverty and Inequality Platform. Data are based on primary household survey data obtained from government statistical agencies and World Bank country departments. Data for high-income econ. Retrieved 14 September 2026, from https://poverty.statizoid.com/compare/poverty-headcount-ratio-at-societal-poverty-line-percent-of-population/kenya/south-asia/

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About this data

Indicator
Poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line (% of population)
Unit
% of population
Source
World Bank, Poverty and Inequality Platform. Data are based on primary household survey data obtained from government statistical agencies and World Bank country departments. Data for high-income econ
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
137 places, 2,860 data points, 1963–2025
Last refreshed

The poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line is the percentage of a population living in poverty according to the World Bank's Societal Poverty Line. The Societal Poverty Line is expressed in purchasing power adjusted 2021 U.S. dollars and defined as max($3.00, $1.30 + 0.5*Median). This means that when the national median is sufficiently low, the Societal Poverty line is equivalent to the extreme poverty line, $3.00. For countries with a sufficiently high national median, the Societal Poverty Line grows as countries’ median income grows.