Poverty headcount ratio at national poverty lines in Switzerland
Switzerland: Poverty headcount ratio at national poverty lines was 15.8% in 2021. ▬ Flat
Poverty headcount ratio at national poverty lines in Switzerland, 2006–2021
Source: World Bank, Poverty and Inequality Platform. Data are compiled from official government sources or are computed by World Bank staff using national (i.e. country–specific) poverty lines., World Bank (W. Measured in % of population.
Analysis
Switzerland recorded 15.8% for poverty headcount ratio at national poverty lines in 2021.
The figure is up 7.5% on the previous year and down 0.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, poverty headcount ratio at national poverty lines in Switzerland peaked at 16.0% in 2018 and was at its lowest, 13.8%, in 2013.
That places Switzerland 44th out of 70 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the middle of the range.
Poverty headcount ratio at national poverty lines in Switzerland, year by year
| Year | % of population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 15.0% | — |
| 2007 | 15.7% | +4.7% |
| 2008 | 15.6% | -0.6% |
| 2009 | 15.0% | -3.8% |
| 2010 | 15.0% | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 15.9% | +6.0% |
| 2012 | 14.5% | -8.8% |
| 2013 | 13.8% | -4.8% |
| 2014 | 15.6% | +13.0% |
| 2015 | 14.7% | -5.8% |
| 2016 | 15.5% | +5.4% |
| 2017 | 14.6% | -5.8% |
| 2018 | 16.0% | +9.6% |
| 2019 | 15.5% | -3.1% |
| 2020 | 14.7% | -5.2% |
| 2021 | 15.8% | +7.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 15.3% | 15.0% | 15.7% | 4 |
| 2010s | 15.1% | 13.8% | 16.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 15.2% | 14.7% | 15.8% | 2 |
Countries ranked near Switzerland
More poverty & inequality data for Switzerland
- 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 1.43 live births per woman (2023)
- Cereal yield vs. share in extreme poverty 5,706 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 -6.17 % change on previous year (2023)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, gaps filled 26.79 (2023)
- Tax revenue as share of GDP vs. income inequality 26.8% (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 national poverty lines in Switzerland?
- Poverty headcount ratio at national poverty lines in Switzerland was 15.8% in 2021, according to World Bank, Poverty and Inequality Platform. Data are compiled from official government sources or are computed by World Bank staff using national (i.e. country–specific) poverty lines., World Bank (W.
- What is the highest poverty headcount ratio at national poverty lines recorded in Switzerland?
- The highest recorded value was 16.0% in 2018.
- What is the lowest poverty headcount ratio at national poverty lines recorded in Switzerland?
- The lowest recorded value was 13.8% in 2013.
- How does Switzerland rank for poverty headcount ratio at national poverty lines?
- Switzerland ranks 44th out of 70 countries with data for 2021.
- Is poverty headcount ratio at national poverty lines rising or falling in Switzerland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Switzerland data come from?
- The figures come from World Bank, Poverty and Inequality Platform. Data are compiled from official government sources or are computed by World Bank staff using national (i.e. country–specific) poverty lines., World Bank (W, published as part of Poverty headcount ratio at national poverty lines (% of population). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
National poverty headcount ratio is the percentage of the population living below the national poverty line(s). National estimates are based on population-weighted subgroup estimates from household surveys. For economies for which the data are from EU-SILC, the reported year is the income reference year, which is the year before the survey year.