Distribution of population between different poverty lines in Iceland
Iceland: Distribution of population between different poverty lines was 358,345 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 358,345 people, measured in 2019. That is the highest value across all 17 years on record.
The figure is up 2.4% on the previous year and up 13.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, distribution of population between different poverty lines in Iceland peaked at 358,345 people in 2019 and was at its lowest, 287,576 people, in 2003.
Iceland ranks 116th of 120 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
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 | 287,576 people | — |
| 2004 | 290,408 people | +1.0% |
| 2005 | 295,075 people | +1.6% |
| 2006 | 302,136 people | +2.4% |
| 2007 | 310,532 people | +2.8% |
| 2008 | 316,429 people | +1.9% |
| 2009 | 316,969 people | +0.2% |
| 2010 | 315,760 people | -0.4% |
| 2011 | 316,219 people | +0.1% |
| 2012 | 318,687 people | +0.8% |
| 2013 | 322,890 people | +1.3% |
| 2014 | 326,286 people | +1.1% |
| 2015 | 329,984 people | +1.1% |
| 2016 | 334,696 people | +1.4% |
| 2017 | 342,900 people | +2.5% |
| 2018 | 349,998 people | +2.1% |
| 2019 | 358,345 people | +2.4% |
Iceland compared with similar countries
- Iceland's 358,345 people is below the median for high income countries, which is 9.01 million people, 4% of the median. (42 countries reporting)
- Iceland's 358,345 people is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 5.91 million people, 6% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 302,732 people | 287,576 people | 316,969 people | 7 |
| 2010s | 331,576 people | 315,760 people | 358,345 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 358,345 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 358,345 people in 2019.
- What is the lowest distribution of population between different poverty lines recorded in Iceland?
- The lowest recorded value was 287,576 people in 2003.
- How does Iceland rank for distribution of population between different poverty lines?
- Iceland ranks 116th 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 13.1%. 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 $10 per day.