Income share held by highest 20% in Iceland
Iceland: Income share held by highest 20% was 36.3% in 2019. ▼ Falling
Income share held by highest 20% in Iceland, 2003–2019
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
Iceland recorded 36.3% for income share held by highest 20% in 2019.
The figure is up 1.4% on the previous year and down 4.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, income share held by highest 20% in Iceland peaked at 40.8% in 2008 and was at its lowest, 35.3%, in 2013.
That places Iceland 113th out of 123 countries with data for 2019, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 17 years of available data.
Income share held by highest 20% in Iceland, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 36.6% | — |
| 2004 | 37.7% | +3.0% |
| 2005 | 38.5% | +2.1% |
| 2006 | 39.5% | +2.6% |
| 2007 | 38.9% | -1.5% |
| 2008 | 40.8% | +4.9% |
| 2009 | 38.1% | -6.6% |
| 2010 | 36.0% | -5.5% |
| 2011 | 36.2% | +0.6% |
| 2012 | 36.3% | +0.3% |
| 2013 | 35.3% | -2.8% |
| 2014 | 37.3% | +5.7% |
| 2015 | 36.4% | -2.4% |
| 2016 | 36.7% | +0.8% |
| 2017 | 35.9% | -2.2% |
| 2018 | 35.8% | -0.3% |
| 2019 | 36.3% | +1.4% |
Iceland compared with similar countries
- Iceland's 36.3% is below the median for high income countries, which is 39.9%, 91% of the median. (42 countries reporting)
- Iceland's 36.3% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 39.1%, 93% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 38.6% | 36.6% | 40.8% | 7 |
| 2010s | 36.2% | 35.3% | 37.3% | 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 income share held by highest 20% in Iceland?
- Income share held by highest 20% in Iceland was 36.3% in 2019, 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 20% recorded in Iceland?
- The highest recorded value was 40.8% in 2008.
- What is the lowest income share held by highest 20% recorded in Iceland?
- The lowest recorded value was 35.3% in 2013.
- How does Iceland rank for income share held by highest 20%?
- Iceland ranks 113th out of 123 countries with data for 2019.
- Is income share held by highest 20% rising or falling in Iceland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 4.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Iceland 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 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.