Poverty headcount ratio at $4.20 a day (2021 PPP) in El Salvador
El Salvador: Poverty headcount ratio at $4.20 a day (2021 PPP) was 8.6% in 2023. ▼ Falling
Poverty headcount ratio at $4.20 a day (2021 PPP) in El Salvador, 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. Measured in % of population.
Analysis
In 2023, poverty headcount ratio at $4.20 a day (2021 ppp) in El Salvador stood at 8.6%.
That represents a change of down 10.4% on the previous year and down 46.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, poverty headcount ratio at $4.20 a day (2021 ppp) in El Salvador peaked at 41.4% in 1991 and was at its lowest, 7.7%, in 2019.
El Salvador ranks 48th of 123 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 29 years of available data.
Poverty headcount ratio at $4.20 a day (2021 PPP) in El Salvador, year by year
| Year | % of population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 | 34.6% | — |
| 1991 | 41.4% | +19.7% |
| 1995 | 31.7% | -23.4% |
| 1996 | 33.3% | +5.0% |
| 1998 | 36.2% | +8.7% |
| 1999 | 32.6% | -9.9% |
| 2000 | 27.7% | -15.0% |
| 2001 | 29.6% | +6.9% |
| 2002 | 29.6% | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 29.9% | +1.0% |
| 2004 | 25.9% | -13.4% |
| 2005 | 26.1% | +0.8% |
| 2006 | 23.0% | -11.9% |
| 2007 | 18.9% | -17.8% |
| 2008 | 23.5% | +24.3% |
| 2009 | 22.9% | -2.6% |
| 2010 | 22.1% | -3.5% |
| 2011 | 20.7% | -6.3% |
| 2012 | 18.0% | -13.0% |
| 2013 | 16.2% | -10.0% |
| 2014 | 15.6% | -3.7% |
| 2015 | 13.0% | -16.7% |
| 2016 | 13.5% | +3.8% |
| 2017 | 11.1% | -17.8% |
| 2018 | 10.2% | -8.1% |
| 2019 | 7.7% | -24.5% |
| 2021 | 9.8% | +27.3% |
| 2022 | 9.6% | -2.0% |
| 2023 | 8.6% | -10.4% |
El Salvador compared with similar countries
- El Salvador's 8.6% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 4.2%, 2.1× the median. (38 countries reporting)
- El Salvador's 8.6% is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 5.7%, 1.5× the median. (20 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 34.6% | 34.6% | 34.6% | 1 |
| 1990s | 35.0% | 31.7% | 41.4% | 5 |
| 2000s | 25.7% | 18.9% | 29.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 14.8% | 7.7% | 22.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 9.3% | 8.6% | 9.8% | 3 |
Countries ranked near El Salvador
More poverty & inequality data for El Salvador
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via the World Bank 7 surveys (2025)
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via 0 surveys per person (2025)
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via 0 surveys per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Fertility rate vs. share living in extreme poverty 1.77 live births per woman (2023)
- Cereal yield vs. share in extreme poverty 2,819 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 1.53 % change on previous year (2024)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, gaps filled 20.61 (2023)
- Tax revenue as share of GDP vs. income inequality 20.6% (2023)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is poverty headcount ratio at $4.20 a day (2021 ppp) in El Salvador?
- Poverty headcount ratio at $4.20 a day (2021 ppp) in El Salvador was 8.6% 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 poverty headcount ratio at $4.20 a day (2021 ppp) recorded in El Salvador?
- The highest recorded value was 41.4% in 1991.
- What is the lowest poverty headcount ratio at $4.20 a day (2021 ppp) recorded in El Salvador?
- The lowest recorded value was 7.7% in 2019.
- How does El Salvador rank for poverty headcount ratio at $4.20 a day (2021 ppp)?
- El Salvador ranks 48th out of 123 countries with data for 2023.
- Is poverty headcount ratio at $4.20 a day (2021 ppp) rising or falling in El Salvador?
- Over the last ten years it is down 46.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this El Salvador 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 Poverty headcount ratio at $4.20 a day (2021 PPP) (% of population). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Poverty headcount ratio at $4.20 a day is the percentage of the population living on less than $4.20 a day at 2021 international prices.