Income share held by lowest 20% in India
India: Income share held by lowest 20% was 11.1% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Income share held by lowest 20% in India, 1977–2023
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 lowest 20% in India is 11.1%, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 9 years on record.
That represents a change of up 6.7% on the previous year and up 14.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, income share held by lowest 20% in India peaked at 11.1% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 9.1%, in 1977.
That places India 1st out of 123 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.
Income share held by lowest 20% in India, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1977 | 9.1% | — |
| 1983 | 9.6% | +5.5% |
| 1987 | 9.7% | +1.0% |
| 1993 | 10.2% | +5.2% |
| 2004 | 10.0% | -2.0% |
| 2009 | 10.0% | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 9.7% | -3.0% |
| 2022 | 10.4% | +7.2% |
| 2023 | 11.1% | +6.7% |
India compared with similar countries
- India's 11.1% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 7.3%, 1.5× the median. (29 countries reporting)
- India's 11.1% is above the median for South Asia, which is 8.8%, 1.3× the median. (5 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 9.1% | 9.1% | 9.1% | 1 |
| 1980s | 9.6% | 9.6% | 9.7% | 2 |
| 1990s | 10.2% | 10.2% | 10.2% | 1 |
| 2000s | 10.0% | 10.0% | 10.0% | 2 |
| 2010s | 9.7% | 9.7% | 9.7% | 1 |
| 2020s | 10.8% | 10.4% | 11.1% | 2 |
Countries ranked near India
More poverty & inequality data for India
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via the World Bank 2 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 1.98 live births per woman (2023)
- Cereal yield vs. share in extreme poverty 3,632 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 0.8468 % change on previous year (2024)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, gaps filled 17.32 (2023)
- Tax revenue as share of GDP vs. income inequality 17.3% (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 lowest 20% in India?
- Income share held by lowest 20% in India was 11.1% 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 lowest 20% recorded in India?
- The highest recorded value was 11.1% in 2023.
- What is the lowest income share held by lowest 20% recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 9.1% in 1977.
- How does India rank for income share held by lowest 20%?
- India ranks 1st out of 123 countries with data for 2023.
- Is income share held by lowest 20% rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is up 14.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this India 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 lowest 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.