Distribution of population between different poverty lines in Costa Rica
Costa Rica: Distribution of population between different poverty lines was 1.32 million people in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Distribution of population between different poverty lines in Costa Rica, 1981–2025
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 Costa Rica is 1.32 million people, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 39 years on record.
That represents a change of up 14.0% on the previous year and up 51.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, distribution of population between different poverty lines in Costa Rica peaked at 1.32 million people in 2025 and was at its lowest, 0 people, in 1986.
That places Costa Rica 46th out of 120 countries with data for 2025, putting it 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 Costa Rica, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 9,704 people | — |
| 1986 | 0 people | -100.0% |
| 1989 | 68,393 people | — |
| 1990 | 81,488 people | +19.1% |
| 1991 | 66,395 people | -18.5% |
| 1992 | 76,733 people | +15.6% |
| 1993 | 129,385 people | +68.6% |
| 1994 | 175,980 people | +36.0% |
| 1995 | 147,664 people | -16.1% |
| 1996 | 153,823 people | +4.2% |
| 1997 | 164,448 people | +6.9% |
| 1998 | 233,767 people | +42.2% |
| 1999 | 240,341 people | +2.8% |
| 2000 | 233,152 people | -3.0% |
| 2001 | 447,955 people | +92.1% |
| 2002 | 455,251 people | +1.6% |
| 2003 | 469,042 people | +3.0% |
| 2004 | 401,681 people | -14.4% |
| 2005 | 443,395 people | +10.4% |
| 2006 | 474,387 people | +7.0% |
| 2007 | 546,660 people | +15.2% |
| 2008 | 588,084 people | +7.6% |
| 2009 | 678,676 people | +15.4% |
| 2010 | 735,835 people | +8.4% |
| 2011 | 789,216 people | +7.3% |
| 2012 | 861,335 people | +9.1% |
| 2013 | 929,798 people | +7.9% |
| 2014 | 864,045 people | -7.1% |
| 2015 | 873,639 people | +1.1% |
| 2016 | 907,065 people | +3.8% |
| 2017 | 960,930 people | +5.9% |
| 2018 | 948,899 people | -1.3% |
| 2019 | 957,789 people | +0.9% |
| 2020 | 807,032 people | -15.7% |
| 2021 | 931,225 people | +15.4% |
| 2022 | 916,578 people | -1.6% |
| 2023 | 1.02 million people | +11.3% |
| 2024 | 1.16 million people | +13.7% |
| 2025 | 1.32 million people | +14.0% |
Costa Rica compared with similar countries
- Costa Rica's 1.32 million people is below the median for high income countries, which is 4.96 million people, 27% of the median. (42 countries reporting)
- Costa Rica's 1.32 million people is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 1.09 million people, 1.2× the median. (18 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Distribution of population between different poverty lines in Costa Rica 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | -100.0% | 9,704 people | 0 people |
| 2001 | +92.1% | 233,152 people | 447,955 people |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 26,032 people | 0 people | 68,393 people | 3 |
| 1990s | 147,002 people | 66,395 people | 240,341 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 473,828 people | 233,152 people | 678,676 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 882,855 people | 735,835 people | 960,930 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.03 million people | 807,032 people | 1.32 million people | 6 |
Countries ranked near Costa Rica
More poverty & inequality data for Costa Rica
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via the World Bank 10 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 1.33 live births per woman (2023)
- Cereal yield vs. share in extreme poverty 3,807 kg per hectare (2024)
- Cereal yield vs extreme poverty, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Cereal yield vs extreme poverty, annual growth rate -14.41 % change on previous year (2024)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, gaps filled 24.93 (2023)
- Tax revenue as share of GDP vs. income inequality 24.9% (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 Costa Rica?
- Distribution of population between different poverty lines in Costa Rica was 1.32 million people in 2025, 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 Costa Rica?
- The highest recorded value was 1.32 million people in 2025.
- What is the lowest distribution of population between different poverty lines recorded in Costa Rica?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 people in 1986.
- How does Costa Rica rank for distribution of population between different poverty lines?
- Costa Rica ranks 46th out of 120 countries with data for 2025.
- Is distribution of population between different poverty lines rising or falling in Costa Rica?
- Over the last ten years it is up 51.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Costa Rica 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 — 39 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.