Distribution of population between different poverty lines in Iceland
Iceland: Distribution of population between different poverty lines was 300,615 people in 2019. ▲ Rising
Distribution of population between different poverty lines in Iceland, 2003–2019
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 Iceland is 300,615 people, measured in 2019. That is the highest value across all 17 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 5.7% on the previous year and up 29.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, distribution of population between different poverty lines in Iceland peaked at 300,615 people in 2019 and was at its lowest, 191,637 people, in 2003.
Iceland ranks 75th of 120 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 17 years of available data.
Distribution of population between different poverty lines in Iceland, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 191,637 people | — |
| 2004 | 194,364 people | +1.4% |
| 2005 | 202,948 people | +4.4% |
| 2006 | 235,426 people | +16.0% |
| 2007 | 251,886 people | +7.0% |
| 2008 | 254,918 people | +1.2% |
| 2009 | 232,922 people | -8.6% |
| 2010 | 215,928 people | -7.3% |
| 2011 | 211,848 people | -1.9% |
| 2012 | 220,144 people | +3.9% |
| 2013 | 230,878 people | +4.9% |
| 2014 | 236,115 people | +2.3% |
| 2015 | 260,200 people | +10.2% |
| 2016 | 275,858 people | +6.0% |
| 2017 | 295,174 people | +7.0% |
| 2018 | 284,314 people | -3.7% |
| 2019 | 300,615 people | +5.7% |
Iceland compared with similar countries
- Iceland's 300,615 people is below the median for high income countries, which is 4.96 million people, 6% of the median. (42 countries reporting)
- Iceland's 300,615 people is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 1.67 million people, 18% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 223,443 people | 191,637 people | 254,918 people | 7 |
| 2010s | 253,107 people | 211,848 people | 300,615 people | 10 |
Countries ranked near Iceland
More poverty & inequality data for Iceland
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via the World Bank 4 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 1.54 live births per woman (2023)
- Cereal yield vs. share in extreme poverty 2,430 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 -18.09 % change on previous year (2023)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, gaps filled 35.57 (2023)
- Tax revenue as share of GDP vs. income inequality 35.6% (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 Iceland?
- Distribution of population between different poverty lines in Iceland was 300,615 people in 2019, 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 Iceland?
- The highest recorded value was 300,615 people in 2019.
- What is the lowest distribution of population between different poverty lines recorded in Iceland?
- The lowest recorded value was 191,637 people in 2003.
- How does Iceland rank for distribution of population between different poverty lines?
- Iceland ranks 75th out of 120 countries with data for 2019.
- Is distribution of population between different poverty lines rising or falling in Iceland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 29.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Iceland 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 — 17 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.