Distribution of population between different poverty lines in Mexico
Mexico: Distribution of population between different poverty lines was 2.15 million people in 2024. ▼ Falling
Distribution of population between different poverty lines in Mexico, 1984–2024
Source: World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
Mexico recorded 2.15 million people for distribution of population between different poverty lines in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 20 years on record.
The figure is down 28.1% on the previous year and down 75.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, distribution of population between different poverty lines in Mexico peaked at 20.92 million people in 1998 and was at its lowest, 2.15 million people, in 2024.
That places Mexico 33rd out of 120 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 20 years of available data.
Distribution of population between different poverty lines in Mexico, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1984 | 10.99 million people | — |
| 1989 | 12.00 million people | +9.2% |
| 1992 | 11.46 million people | -4.5% |
| 1994 | 12.18 million people | +6.3% |
| 1996 | 20.06 million people | +64.6% |
| 1998 | 20.92 million people | +4.3% |
| 2000 | 16.12 million people | -23.0% |
| 2002 | 13.00 million people | -19.3% |
| 2004 | 11.53 million people | -11.3% |
| 2005 | 12.34 million people | +7.0% |
| 2006 | 9.70 million people | -21.4% |
| 2008 | 11.13 million people | +14.7% |
| 2010 | 9.55 million people | -14.1% |
| 2012 | 8.52 million people | -10.9% |
| 2014 | 8.62 million people | +1.2% |
| 2016 | 5.42 million people | -37.1% |
| 2018 | 4.85 million people | -10.6% |
| 2020 | 5.40 million people | +11.2% |
| 2022 | 3.00 million people | -44.5% |
| 2024 | 2.15 million people | -28.1% |
Mexico compared with similar countries
- Mexico's 2.15 million people is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 88,601 people, 24.3× the median. (35 countries reporting)
- Mexico's 2.15 million people is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 345,579 people, 6.2× the median. (18 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 11.50 million people | 10.99 million people | 12.00 million people | 2 |
| 1990s | 16.16 million people | 11.46 million people | 20.92 million people | 4 |
| 2000s | 12.30 million people | 9.70 million people | 16.12 million people | 6 |
| 2010s | 7.39 million people | 4.85 million people | 9.55 million people | 5 |
| 2020s | 3.52 million people | 2.15 million people | 5.40 million people | 3 |
Countries ranked near Mexico
More poverty & inequality data for Mexico
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via the World Bank 5 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 1.91 live births per woman (2023)
- Cereal yield vs. share in extreme poverty 4,262 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 7.9 % change on previous year (2023)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, gaps filled 14.27 (2023)
- Tax revenue as share of GDP vs. income inequality 14.3% (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 Mexico?
- Distribution of population between different poverty lines in Mexico was 2.15 million people in 2024, 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 Mexico?
- The highest recorded value was 20.92 million people in 1998.
- What is the lowest distribution of population between different poverty lines recorded in Mexico?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.15 million people in 2024.
- How does Mexico rank for distribution of population between different poverty lines?
- Mexico ranks 33rd out of 120 countries with data for 2024.
- Is distribution of population between different poverty lines rising or falling in Mexico?
- Over the last ten years it is down 75.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Mexico 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 — 20 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 below $3 per day.