Income share held by highest 10% in China
China: Income share held by highest 10% was 28.4% in 2022. ▲ Rising
Income share held by highest 10% in China, 1981–2022
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
The most recent figure for income share held by highest 10% in China is 28.4%, measured in 2022.
That represents a change of up 0.4% on the previous year and down 9.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, income share held by highest 10% in China peaked at 32.6% in 2010 and was at its lowest, 21.3%, in 1984.
That places China 47th out of 123 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 23 years of available data.
Income share held by highest 10% in China, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 21.7% | — |
| 1984 | 21.3% | -1.8% |
| 1987 | 22.4% | +5.2% |
| 1990 | 25.8% | +15.2% |
| 1993 | 26.6% | +3.1% |
| 1996 | 27.4% | +3.0% |
| 1999 | 29.4% | +7.3% |
| 2002 | 31.4% | +6.8% |
| 2005 | 30.8% | -1.9% |
| 2008 | 31.9% | +3.6% |
| 2010 | 32.6% | +2.2% |
| 2011 | 31.7% | -2.8% |
| 2012 | 31.4% | -0.9% |
| 2013 | 30.2% | -3.8% |
| 2014 | 29.7% | -1.7% |
| 2015 | 29.4% | -1.0% |
| 2016 | 29.3% | -0.3% |
| 2017 | 29.8% | +1.7% |
| 2018 | 29.4% | -1.3% |
| 2019 | 29.5% | +0.3% |
| 2020 | 29.4% | -0.3% |
| 2021 | 28.3% | -3.7% |
| 2022 | 28.4% | +0.4% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 28.4% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 28.5%, 99% of the median. (38 countries reporting)
- China's 28.4% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 28.1%, 1.0× the median. (11 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 21.8% | 21.3% | 22.4% | 3 |
| 1990s | 27.3% | 25.8% | 29.4% | 4 |
| 2000s | 31.4% | 30.8% | 31.9% | 3 |
| 2010s | 30.3% | 29.3% | 32.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 28.7% | 28.3% | 29.4% | 3 |
Countries ranked near China
More poverty & inequality data for China
- 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 0.999 live births per woman (2023)
- Cereal yield vs. share in extreme poverty 6,418 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 0.5767 % change on previous year (2023)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, gaps filled 22.1 (2023)
- Tax revenue as share of GDP vs. income inequality 22.1% (2023)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is income share held by highest 10% in China?
- Income share held by highest 10% in China was 28.4% 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 highest 10% recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 32.6% in 2010.
- What is the lowest income share held by highest 10% recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 21.3% in 1984.
- How does China rank for income share held by highest 10%?
- China ranks 47th out of 123 countries with data for 2022.
- Is income share held by highest 10% rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is down 9.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this China 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 highest 10%. 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.