Distribution of population between different poverty lines in El Salvador
El Salvador: Distribution of population between different poverty lines was 292,567 people in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
292,567 people
Change on year
down 10.5%
World rank
56th
of 120 countries
All-time high
1.59 million people
in 1991
All-time low
185,676 people
in 2019
Years of data
29
1989–2023
Distribution of population between different poverty lines in El Salvador, 1989–2023
Source: World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
In 2023, distribution of population between different poverty lines in El Salvador stood at 292,567 people.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 10.5% on the previous year and down 33.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, distribution of population between different poverty lines in El Salvador peaked at 1.59 million people in 1991 and was at its lowest, 185,676 people, in 2019.
That places El Salvador 56th out of 120 countries with data for 2023, 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 El Salvador, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 | 1.31 million people | — |
| 1991 | 1.59 million people | +21.2% |
| 1995 | 1.11 million people | -30.0% |
| 1996 | 1.23 million people | +10.8% |
| 1998 | 1.55 million people | +25.6% |
| 1999 | 1.33 million people | -14.4% |
| 2000 | 1.10 million people | -17.4% |
| 2001 | 1.16 million people | +5.6% |
| 2002 | 1.17 million people | +1.0% |
| 2003 | 1.26 million people | +7.4% |
| 2004 | 979,672 people | -22.0% |
| 2005 | 986,816 people | +0.7% |
| 2006 | 757,426 people | -23.2% |
| 2007 | 552,341 people | -27.1% |
| 2008 | 761,371 people | +37.8% |
| 2009 | 747,358 people | -1.8% |
| 2010 | 689,385 people | -7.8% |
| 2011 | 614,693 people | -10.8% |
| 2012 | 522,397 people | -15.0% |
| 2013 | 438,398 people | -16.1% |
| 2014 | 428,531 people | -2.3% |
| 2015 | 327,824 people | -23.5% |
| 2016 | 358,087 people | +9.2% |
| 2017 | 282,778 people | -21.0% |
| 2018 | 252,966 people | -10.5% |
| 2019 | 185,676 people | -26.6% |
| 2021 | 320,978 people | +72.9% |
| 2022 | 327,003 people | +1.9% |
| 2023 | 292,567 people | -10.5% |
El Salvador compared with similar countries
- El Salvador's 292,567 people is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 88,601 people, 3.3× the median. (35 countries reporting)
- El Salvador's 292,567 people is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 345,579 people, 85% of the median. (18 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 1.31 million people | 1.31 million people | 1.31 million people | 1 |
| 1990s | 1.36 million people | 1.11 million people | 1.59 million people | 5 |
| 2000s | 946,472 people | 552,341 people | 1.26 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 410,074 people | 185,676 people | 689,385 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 313,516 people | 292,567 people | 327,003 people | 3 |
Countries ranked near El Salvador
More poverty & inequality data for El Salvador
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via the World Bank 7 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 1.77 live births per woman (2023)
- Cereal yield vs. share in extreme poverty 2,819 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 1.53 % change on previous year (2024)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, gaps filled 20.61 (2023)
- Tax revenue as share of GDP vs. income inequality 20.6% (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 El Salvador?
- Distribution of population between different poverty lines in El Salvador was 292,567 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 El Salvador?
- The highest recorded value was 1.59 million people in 1991.
- What is the lowest distribution of population between different poverty lines recorded in El Salvador?
- The lowest recorded value was 185,676 people in 2019.
- How does El Salvador rank for distribution of population between different poverty lines?
- El Salvador ranks 56th out of 120 countries with data for 2023.
- Is distribution of population between different poverty lines rising or falling in El Salvador?
- Over the last ten years it is down 33.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this El Salvador 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
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About this data
Number of people living in households with an income or consumption below $3 per day.