Switzerland vs United Kingdom: Proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income (%)

Switzerland
11.6%
in 2023
United Kingdom
11.7%
in 2021
Switzerland rank
61st
United Kingdom rank
59th

Proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income (%) over time

  • Switzerland
  • United Kingdom
468101214196819952023

How they compare

United Kingdom currently reports 11.7% against 11.6% in Switzerland, a difference of 0.1%.

The two have swapped places 1 time across 21 shared years of data; in 1982 it was Switzerland ahead.

Switzerland ranks 61st and United Kingdom ranks 59th of 123 countries.

Across the 5 decades both report, Switzerland averaged higher in 1 and United Kingdom in 4.

Head to head by decade

Decade Switzerland United Kingdom Difference Ahead
1980s 9.1% 8.5% 0.6% Switzerland
1990s 10.0% 13.1% 3.1% United Kingdom
2000s 10.1% 12.3% 2.1% United Kingdom
2010s 10.7% 11.9% 1.2% United Kingdom
2020s 10.8% 11.6% 0.8% United Kingdom

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income, Switzerland or United Kingdom?
United Kingdom, at 11.7% against 11.6% in Switzerland as of 2021.
What is the difference in proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income between Switzerland and United Kingdom?
0.1%, with United Kingdom ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Switzerland and United Kingdom?
21 years are reported by both, from 1982 to 2021.
How do Switzerland and United Kingdom rank globally for proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income?
Switzerland ranks 61st and United Kingdom ranks 59th 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 Proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income (%). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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Switzerland vs United Kingdom: Proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income. 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 08 November 2026, from https://poverty.statizoid.com/compare/proportion-of-people-living-below-50-percent-of-median-income-percent/switzerland/united-kingdom/

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About this data

Indicator
Proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income (%)
Unit
%
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
123 places, 2,304 data points, 1963–2025
Last refreshed

The percentage of people in the population who live in households whose per capita income or consumption is below half of the median income or consumption per capita. The median is measured at 2021 Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) using the Poverty and Inequality Platform (http://www.pip.worldbank.org). For some countries, medians are not reported due to grouped and/or confidential data. The reference year is the year in which the underlying household survey data was collected. In cases for which the data collection period bridged two calendar years, the first year in which data were collected is reported.