Income share held by highest 20% in Romania
Romania: Income share held by highest 20% was 36.9% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Income share held by highest 20% in Romania, 1989–2023
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 20% in Romania is 36.9%, measured in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 3.7% on the previous year and down 11.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, income share held by highest 20% in Romania peaked at 45.0% in 2006 and was at its lowest, 33.3%, in 1989.
Romania ranks 110th of 123 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 31 years of available data.
Income share held by highest 20% in Romania, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 | 33.3% | — |
| 1992 | 34.8% | +4.5% |
| 1994 | 37.3% | +7.2% |
| 1995 | 39.2% | +5.1% |
| 1997 | 38.9% | -0.8% |
| 1998 | 39.1% | +0.5% |
| 1999 | 38.0% | -2.8% |
| 2000 | 37.9% | -0.3% |
| 2001 | 38.0% | +0.3% |
| 2002 | 38.5% | +1.3% |
| 2003 | 38.4% | -0.3% |
| 2004 | 38.4% | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 38.4% | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 45.0% | +17.2% |
| 2007 | 43.3% | -3.8% |
| 2008 | 42.3% | -2.3% |
| 2009 | 41.5% | -1.9% |
| 2010 | 41.1% | -1.0% |
| 2011 | 41.2% | +0.2% |
| 2012 | 41.8% | +1.5% |
| 2013 | 41.6% | -0.5% |
| 2014 | 40.7% | -2.2% |
| 2015 | 40.7% | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 39.6% | -2.7% |
| 2017 | 41.0% | +3.5% |
| 2018 | 41.2% | +0.5% |
| 2019 | 40.4% | -1.9% |
| 2020 | 40.0% | -1.0% |
| 2021 | 39.9% | -0.3% |
| 2022 | 38.3% | -4.0% |
| 2023 | 36.9% | -3.7% |
Romania compared with similar countries
- Romania's 36.9% is below the median for high income countries, which is 39.9%, 92% of the median. (42 countries reporting)
- Romania's 36.9% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 39.1%, 94% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 33.3% | 33.3% | 33.3% | 1 |
| 1990s | 37.9% | 34.8% | 39.2% | 6 |
| 2000s | 40.2% | 37.9% | 45.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 40.9% | 39.6% | 41.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 38.8% | 36.9% | 40.0% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Romania
More poverty & inequality data for Romania
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via the World Bank 8 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 1.71 live births per woman (2023)
- Cereal yield vs. share in extreme poverty 4,021 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 10.64 % change on previous year (2023)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, gaps filled 27.54 (2022)
- Tax revenue as share of GDP vs. income inequality 27.5% (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 highest 20% in Romania?
- Income share held by highest 20% in Romania was 36.9% in 2023, 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 Romania?
- The highest recorded value was 45.0% in 2006.
- What is the lowest income share held by highest 20% recorded in Romania?
- The lowest recorded value was 33.3% in 1989.
- How does Romania rank for income share held by highest 20%?
- Romania ranks 110th out of 123 countries with data for 2023.
- Is income share held by highest 20% rising or falling in Romania?
- Over the last ten years it is down 11.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Romania 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.