Poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line in France
France: Poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line was 13.2% in 2023. ▼ Falling
Poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line in France, 1970–2023
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
France recorded 13.2% for poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line in 2023.
The figure is up 15.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line in France peaked at 14.9% in 1970 and was at its lowest, 10.6%, in 2005.
That places France 98th out of 123 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 33 years of available data.
Poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line in France, year by year
| Year | % of population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 14.9% | — |
| 1975 | 13.5% | -9.4% |
| 1979 | 13.8% | +2.2% |
| 1984 | 13.9% | +0.7% |
| 1990 | 12.9% | -7.2% |
| 1996 | 14.2% | +10.1% |
| 1997 | 13.9% | -2.1% |
| 1998 | 13.5% | -2.9% |
| 1999 | 13.5% | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 13.4% | -0.7% |
| 2001 | 13.3% | -0.7% |
| 2002 | 12.1% | -9.0% |
| 2003 | 10.8% | -10.7% |
| 2004 | 10.7% | -0.9% |
| 2005 | 10.6% | -0.9% |
| 2006 | 11.0% | +3.8% |
| 2007 | 11.0% | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 11.3% | +2.7% |
| 2009 | 12.5% | +10.6% |
| 2010 | 12.0% | -4.0% |
| 2011 | 11.5% | -4.2% |
| 2012 | 11.5% | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 11.4% | -0.9% |
| 2014 | 11.4% | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 11.8% | +3.5% |
| 2016 | 11.6% | -1.7% |
| 2017 | 11.7% | +0.9% |
| 2018 | 11.2% | -4.3% |
| 2019 | 13.0% | +16.1% |
| 2020 | 12.7% | -2.3% |
| 2021 | 13.2% | +3.9% |
| 2022 | 13.2% | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 13.2% | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 14.1% | 13.5% | 14.9% | 3 |
| 1980s | 13.9% | 13.9% | 13.9% | 1 |
| 1990s | 13.6% | 12.9% | 14.2% | 5 |
| 2000s | 11.7% | 10.6% | 13.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 11.7% | 11.2% | 13.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 13.1% | 12.7% | 13.2% | 4 |
Countries ranked near France
- 95 Russian Federation 13.7% compare
- 96 Germany 13.3% compare
- 96 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 13.3% compare
- 99 Portugal 13.1% compare
- 100 Switzerland 12.8% compare
- 101 Australia 12.6% compare
More poverty & inequality data for France
- 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 1.64 live births per woman (2023)
- Cereal yield vs. share in extreme poverty 6,281 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 -13.65 % change on previous year (2024)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, gaps filled 43.81 (2023)
- Tax revenue as share of GDP vs. income inequality 43.8% (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 societal poverty line in France?
- Poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line in France was 13.2% 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 societal poverty line recorded in France?
- The highest recorded value was 14.9% in 1970.
- What is the lowest poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line recorded in France?
- The lowest recorded value was 10.6% in 2005.
- How does France rank for poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line?
- France ranks 98th out of 123 countries with data for 2023.
- Is poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line rising or falling in France?
- Over the last ten years it is up 15.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this France 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.
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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.