Distribution of population between different poverty lines in Bulgaria
Bulgaria: Distribution of population between different poverty lines was 2.05 million people in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Distribution of population between different poverty lines in Bulgaria, 1992–2023
Source: World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
The most recent figure for distribution of population between different poverty lines in Bulgaria is 2.05 million people, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 19 years on record.
That represents a change of up 19.8% on the previous year and up 242.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, distribution of population between different poverty lines in Bulgaria peaked at 2.05 million people in 2023 and was at its lowest, 130,251 people, in 2006.
Bulgaria ranks 40th of 120 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Distribution of population between different poverty lines in Bulgaria, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1992 | 828,396 people | — |
| 2006 | 130,251 people | -84.3% |
| 2007 | 432,952 people | +232.4% |
| 2008 | 492,739 people | +13.8% |
| 2009 | 495,784 people | +0.6% |
| 2010 | 446,668 people | -9.9% |
| 2011 | 335,261 people | -24.9% |
| 2012 | 406,949 people | +21.4% |
| 2013 | 596,568 people | +46.6% |
| 2014 | 675,858 people | +13.3% |
| 2015 | 648,155 people | -4.1% |
| 2016 | 859,277 people | +32.6% |
| 2017 | 822,278 people | -4.3% |
| 2018 | 1.20 million people | +46.1% |
| 2019 | 1.31 million people | +8.9% |
| 2020 | 1.53 million people | +16.6% |
| 2021 | 1.62 million people | +6.4% |
| 2022 | 1.71 million people | +5.3% |
| 2023 | 2.05 million people | +19.8% |
Bulgaria compared with similar countries
- Bulgaria's 2.05 million people is below the median for high income countries, which is 4.96 million people, 41% of the median. (42 countries reporting)
- Bulgaria's 2.05 million people is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 1.67 million people, 1.2× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Distribution of population between different poverty lines in Bulgaria changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | +232.4% | 130,251 people | 432,952 people |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 828,396 people | 828,396 people | 828,396 people | 1 |
| 2000s | 387,932 people | 130,251 people | 495,784 people | 4 |
| 2010s | 730,039 people | 335,261 people | 1.31 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.73 million people | 1.53 million people | 2.05 million people | 4 |
Countries ranked near Bulgaria
More poverty & inequality data for Bulgaria
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via the World Bank 8 surveys (2025)
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via 0 surveys per person (2025)
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via 0 surveys per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Fertility rate vs. share living in extreme poverty 1.75 live births per woman (2023)
- Cereal yield vs. share in extreme poverty 5,224 kg per hectare (2023)
- Cereal yield vs extreme poverty, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Cereal yield vs extreme poverty, annual growth rate 1.41 % change on previous year (2023)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, gaps filled 29.97 (2023)
- Tax revenue as share of GDP vs. income inequality 30.0% (2023)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is distribution of population between different poverty lines in Bulgaria?
- Distribution of population between different poverty lines in Bulgaria was 2.05 million people in 2023, according to World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest distribution of population between different poverty lines recorded in Bulgaria?
- The highest recorded value was 2.05 million people in 2023.
- What is the lowest distribution of population between different poverty lines recorded in Bulgaria?
- The lowest recorded value was 130,251 people in 2006.
- How does Bulgaria rank for distribution of population between different poverty lines?
- Bulgaria ranks 40th out of 120 countries with data for 2023.
- Is distribution of population between different poverty lines rising or falling in Bulgaria?
- Over the last ten years it is up 242.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Bulgaria data come from?
- The figures come from World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Distribution of population between different poverty lines. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 19 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Number of people living in households with an income or consumption above $40 per day.