Malta vs Sweden: Share of population living below national poverty lines

Malta
16.7%
in 2021
Sweden
16.1%
in 2022
Malta rank
38th
Sweden rank
41st

Share of population living below national poverty lines over time

  • Malta
  • Sweden
051015200420132022

How they compare

Malta currently reports 16.7% against 16.1% in Sweden, a difference of 0.6%.

The two have swapped places 4 times across 15 shared years of data; in 2007 it was Malta ahead.

Malta ranks 38th and Sweden ranks 41st of 70 countries.

Malta has averaged higher in every one of the 3 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade Malta Sweden Difference Ahead
2000s 15.2% 14.2% 1.0% Malta
2010s 16.3% 16.0% 0.3% Malta
2020s 16.8% 15.8% 0.9% Malta

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher share of population living below national poverty lines, Malta or Sweden?
Malta, at 16.7% against 16.1% in Sweden as of 2021.
What is the difference in share of population living below national poverty lines between Malta and Sweden?
0.6%, with Malta ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Malta and Sweden?
15 years are reported by both, from 2007 to 2021.
How do Malta and Sweden rank globally for share of population living below national poverty lines?
Malta ranks 38th and Sweden ranks 41st of 70 countries.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as Share of population living below national poverty lines. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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Malta vs Sweden: Share of population living below national poverty lines. Statizoid, drawing on World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 10 September 2026, from https://poverty.statizoid.com/compare/share-of-population-living-in-poverty-by-national-poverty-lines/malta/sweden/

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<a href="https://poverty.statizoid.com/compare/share-of-population-living-in-poverty-by-national-poverty-lines/malta/sweden/">Malta vs Sweden: Share of population living below national poverty lines</a> — Statizoid

About this data

Indicator
Share of population living below national poverty lines
Unit
% of population
Source
World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
70 places, 986 data points, 1985–2025
Last refreshed

National poverty headcount ratio is the percentage of the population living below the national poverty lines. National estimates are based on population-weighted subgroup estimates from household surveys.