Income share held by fourth 20% in South Africa
South Africa: Income share held by fourth 20% was 19.1% in 2022. ▬ Flat
Income share held by fourth 20% in South Africa, 1993–2022
Source: World Bank, Poverty and Inequality Platform. Data are based on primary household survey data obtained from government statistical agencies and World Bank country departments. Data for high-income econ.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 19.1% for income share held by fourth 20% in 2022. That is the highest value across all 7 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 13.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, income share held by fourth 20% in South Africa peaked at 19.1% in 2022 and was at its lowest, 14.1%, in 2005.
That places South Africa 121st out of 123 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the bottom quarter.
Income share held by fourth 20% in South Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1993 | 18.2% | — |
| 2000 | 18.8% | +3.3% |
| 2005 | 14.1% | -25.0% |
| 2008 | 16.3% | +15.6% |
| 2010 | 16.9% | +3.7% |
| 2014 | 17.6% | +4.1% |
| 2022 | 19.1% | +8.5% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 19.1% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 22.1%, 87% of the median. (38 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 19.1% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 21.6%, 88% of the median. (26 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 18.2% | 18.2% | 18.2% | 1 |
| 2000s | 16.4% | 14.1% | 18.8% | 3 |
| 2010s | 17.2% | 16.9% | 17.6% | 2 |
| 2020s | 19.1% | 19.1% | 19.1% | 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 share held by fourth 20% in South Africa?
- Income share held by fourth 20% in South Africa was 19.1% in 2022, according to World Bank, Poverty and Inequality Platform. Data are based on primary household survey data obtained from government statistical agencies and World Bank country departments. Data for high-income econ.
- What is the highest income share held by fourth 20% recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 19.1% in 2022.
- What is the lowest income share held by fourth 20% recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 14.1% in 2005.
- How does South Africa rank for income share held by fourth 20%?
- South Africa ranks 121st out of 123 countries with data for 2022.
- Is income share held by fourth 20% rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 13.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from World Bank, Poverty and Inequality Platform. Data are based on primary household survey data obtained from government statistical agencies and World Bank country departments. Data for high-income econ, published as part of Income share held by fourth 20%. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Percentage share of income or consumption is the share that accrues to subgroups of population indicated by deciles or quintiles. Percentage shares by quintile may not sum to 100 because of rounding.