Poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line in China
China: Poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line was 19.4% in 2022. ◆ Volatile
Poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line in China, 1981–2022
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
China recorded 19.4% for poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line in 2022.
The figure is up 3.2% on the previous year and down 37.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line in China peaked at 97.0% in 1981 and was at its lowest, 18.8%, in 2021.
China ranks 69th of 123 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line in China, year by year
| Year | % of population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 97.0% | — |
| 1984 | 91.3% | -5.9% |
| 1987 | 81.1% | -11.2% |
| 1990 | 83.1% | +2.5% |
| 1993 | 77.3% | -7.0% |
| 1996 | 62.6% | -19.0% |
| 1999 | 58.5% | -6.5% |
| 2002 | 47.8% | -18.3% |
| 2005 | 39.0% | -18.4% |
| 2008 | 36.8% | -5.6% |
| 2010 | 35.1% | -4.6% |
| 2011 | 32.3% | -8.0% |
| 2012 | 31.2% | -3.4% |
| 2013 | 27.2% | -12.8% |
| 2014 | 26.2% | -3.7% |
| 2015 | 24.9% | -5.0% |
| 2016 | 24.0% | -3.6% |
| 2017 | 23.9% | -0.4% |
| 2018 | 22.9% | -4.2% |
| 2019 | 21.8% | -4.8% |
| 2020 | 20.6% | -5.5% |
| 2021 | 18.8% | -8.7% |
| 2022 | 19.4% | +3.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 89.8% | 81.1% | 97.0% | 3 |
| 1990s | 70.4% | 58.5% | 83.1% | 4 |
| 2000s | 41.2% | 36.8% | 47.8% | 3 |
| 2010s | 26.9% | 21.8% | 35.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 19.6% | 18.8% | 20.6% | 3 |
Countries ranked near China
More poverty & inequality data for China
- 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 0.999 live births per woman (2023)
- Cereal yield vs. share in extreme poverty 6,418 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 0.5767 % change on previous year (2023)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, gaps filled 22.1 (2023)
- Tax revenue as share of GDP vs. income inequality 22.1% (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 societal poverty line in China?
- Poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line in China was 19.4% in 2022, 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 societal poverty line recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 97.0% in 1981.
- What is the lowest poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 18.8% in 2021.
- How does China rank for poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line?
- China ranks 69th out of 123 countries with data for 2022.
- Is poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is down 37.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this China 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 societal poverty line (% of population). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 23 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
The poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line is the percentage of a population living in poverty according to the World Bank's Societal Poverty Line. The Societal Poverty Line is expressed in purchasing power adjusted 2021 U.S. dollars and defined as max($3.00, $1.30 + 0.5*Median). This means that when the national median is sufficiently low, the Societal Poverty line is equivalent to the extreme poverty line, $3.00. For countries with a sufficiently high national median, the Societal Poverty Line grows as countries’ median income grows.