Distribution of population between different poverty lines in France
France: Distribution of population between different poverty lines was 50.87 million people in 2023. ▲ Rising
Distribution of population between different poverty lines in France, 1970–2023
Source: World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
France recorded 50.87 million people for distribution of population between different poverty lines in 2023.
The figure is down 0.2% on the previous year and up 5.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, distribution of population between different poverty lines in France peaked at 51.43 million people in 2018 and was at its lowest, 10.82 million people, in 1970.
That places France 5th out of 120 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 33 years of available data.
Distribution of population between different poverty lines in France, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 10.82 million people | — |
| 1975 | 16.90 million people | +56.3% |
| 1979 | 22.16 million people | +31.1% |
| 1984 | 25.49 million people | +15.0% |
| 1990 | 29.31 million people | +15.0% |
| 1996 | 33.64 million people | +14.8% |
| 1997 | 34.12 million people | +1.4% |
| 1998 | 35.27 million people | +3.4% |
| 1999 | 36.00 million people | +2.1% |
| 2000 | 37.16 million people | +3.2% |
| 2001 | 38.48 million people | +3.5% |
| 2002 | 39.99 million people | +3.9% |
| 2003 | 37.14 million people | -7.1% |
| 2004 | 38.76 million people | +4.4% |
| 2005 | 39.28 million people | +1.3% |
| 2006 | 38.93 million people | -0.9% |
| 2007 | 46.37 million people | +19.1% |
| 2008 | 46.46 million people | +0.2% |
| 2009 | 47.54 million people | +2.3% |
| 2010 | 47.06 million people | -1.0% |
| 2011 | 47.55 million people | +1.1% |
| 2012 | 47.91 million people | +0.7% |
| 2013 | 48.26 million people | +0.7% |
| 2014 | 48.66 million people | +0.8% |
| 2015 | 49.48 million people | +1.7% |
| 2016 | 50.65 million people | +2.3% |
| 2017 | 50.47 million people | -0.3% |
| 2018 | 51.43 million people | +1.9% |
| 2019 | 49.57 million people | -3.6% |
| 2020 | 50.85 million people | +2.6% |
| 2021 | 50.59 million people | -0.5% |
| 2022 | 50.98 million people | +0.8% |
| 2023 | 50.87 million people | -0.2% |
France compared with similar countries
- France's 50.87 million people is above the median for high income countries, which is 4.96 million people, 10.3× the median. (42 countries reporting)
- France's 50.87 million people is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 1.67 million people, 30.5× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Distribution of population between different poverty lines in France 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 | +56.3% | 10.82 million people | 16.90 million people |
| 1979 | +31.1% | 16.90 million people | 22.16 million people |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 16.63 million people | 10.82 million people | 22.16 million people | 3 |
| 1980s | 25.49 million people | 25.49 million people | 25.49 million people | 1 |
| 1990s | 33.67 million people | 29.31 million people | 36.00 million people | 5 |
| 2000s | 41.01 million people | 37.14 million people | 47.54 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 49.10 million people | 47.06 million people | 51.43 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 50.82 million people | 50.59 million people | 50.98 million people | 4 |
Countries ranked near France
More poverty & inequality data for France
- 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 1.64 live births per woman (2023)
- Cereal yield vs. share in extreme poverty 6,281 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 -13.65 % change on previous year (2024)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, gaps filled 43.81 (2023)
- Tax revenue as share of GDP vs. income inequality 43.8% (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 France?
- Distribution of population between different poverty lines in France was 50.87 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 France?
- The highest recorded value was 51.43 million people in 2018.
- What is the lowest distribution of population between different poverty lines recorded in France?
- The lowest recorded value was 10.82 million people in 1970.
- How does France rank for distribution of population between different poverty lines?
- France ranks 5th out of 120 countries with data for 2023.
- Is distribution of population between different poverty lines rising or falling in France?
- Over the last ten years it is up 5.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this France 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 — 33 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.