Income inequality: Gini coefficient before and after tax (Luxembourg) in South Africa
South Africa: Income inequality: Gini coefficient before and after tax (Luxembourg) was 0.6201 in 2023. ▼ Falling
Income inequality: Gini coefficient before and after tax in South Africa, 2008–2023
Source: Luxembourg Income Study (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 0.6201 for income inequality: gini coefficient before and after tax in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, income inequality: gini coefficient before and after tax in South Africa peaked at 0.6644 in 2010 and was at its lowest, 0.6163, in 2017.
South Africa ranks 1st of 48 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
Income inequality: Gini coefficient before and after tax (Luxembourg) in South Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 0.6575 | — |
| 2010 | 0.6644 | +1.0% |
| 2012 | 0.621 | -6.5% |
| 2015 | 0.6234 | +0.4% |
| 2017 | 0.6163 | -1.1% |
| 2023 | 0.6201 | +0.6% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 0.6201 is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 0.4106, 1.5× the median. (10 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 0.6575 | 0.6575 | 0.6575 | 1 |
| 2010s | 0.6313 | 0.6163 | 0.6644 | 4 |
| 2020s | 0.6201 | 0.6201 | 0.6201 | 1 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More poverty & inequality data for South Africa
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via the World Bank 1 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 2.22 live births per woman (2023)
- Cereal yield vs. share in extreme poverty 4,562 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 -20.01 % change on previous year (2024)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, gaps filled 28.13 (2022)
- Tax revenue as share of GDP vs. income inequality 28.1% (2022)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2022)
Frequently asked questions
- What is income inequality: gini coefficient before and after tax in South Africa?
- Income inequality: gini coefficient before and after tax in South Africa was 0.6201 in 2023, according to Luxembourg Income Study (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest income inequality: gini coefficient before and after tax recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 0.6644 in 2010.
- What is the lowest income inequality: gini coefficient before and after tax recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.6163 in 2017.
- How does South Africa rank for income inequality: gini coefficient before and after tax?
- South Africa ranks 1st out of 48 countries with data for 2023.
- Is income inequality: gini coefficient before and after tax rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Luxembourg Income Study (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Income inequality: Gini coefficient before and after tax. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
The Gini coefficient measures inequality on a scale from 0 to 1. Higher values indicate higher inequality. Inequality is measured here in terms of income after taxes and benefits.