Poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line in Low & middle income
Low & middle income: Poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line was 26.9% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line in Low & middle income, 1984–2024
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 2024, poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line in Low & middle income stood at 26.9%. That is the lowest value across all 41 years on record.
The figure is down 1.1% on the previous year and down 14.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line in Low & middle income peaked at 62.7% in 1984 and was at its lowest, 26.9%, in 2024.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 41 years of available data.
Poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line in Low & middle income, year by year
| Year | % of population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1984 | 62.7% | — |
| 1985 | 61.6% | -1.8% |
| 1986 | 60.6% | -1.6% |
| 1987 | 59.7% | -1.5% |
| 1988 | 57.9% | -3.0% |
| 1989 | 59.8% | +3.3% |
| 1990 | 59.3% | -0.8% |
| 1991 | 58.7% | -1.0% |
| 1992 | 57.7% | -1.7% |
| 1993 | 57.0% | -1.2% |
| 1994 | 55.1% | -3.3% |
| 1995 | 53.5% | -2.9% |
| 1996 | 51.6% | -3.6% |
| 1997 | 51.3% | -0.6% |
| 1998 | 51.4% | +0.2% |
| 1999 | 50.3% | -2.1% |
| 2000 | 49.1% | -2.4% |
| 2001 | 47.9% | -2.4% |
| 2002 | 46.1% | -3.8% |
| 2003 | 44.3% | -3.9% |
| 2004 | 42.7% | -3.6% |
| 2005 | 41.2% | -3.5% |
| 2006 | 40.1% | -2.7% |
| 2007 | 38.6% | -3.7% |
| 2008 | 37.7% | -2.3% |
| 2009 | 37.0% | -1.9% |
| 2010 | 35.8% | -3.2% |
| 2011 | 34.6% | -3.4% |
| 2012 | 33.8% | -2.3% |
| 2013 | 32.1% | -5.0% |
| 2014 | 31.4% | -2.2% |
| 2015 | 30.7% | -2.2% |
| 2016 | 30.2% | -1.6% |
| 2017 | 29.7% | -1.7% |
| 2018 | 29.0% | -2.4% |
| 2019 | 28.5% | -1.7% |
| 2020 | 28.6% | +0.4% |
| 2021 | 28.1% | -1.7% |
| 2022 | 27.7% | -1.4% |
| 2023 | 27.2% | -1.8% |
| 2024 | 26.9% | -1.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 60.4% | 57.9% | 62.7% | 6 |
| 1990s | 54.6% | 50.3% | 59.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 42.5% | 37.0% | 49.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 31.6% | 28.5% | 35.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 27.7% | 26.9% | 28.6% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Low & middle income
More poverty & inequality data for Low & middle income
- Poverty headcount ratio at $3.00 a day (2021 PPP) 12.5% (2024)
- Poverty gap at $3.00 a day (2021 PPP) 4.2% (2024)
- Poverty headcount ratio at $4.20 a day (2021 PPP) 22.8% (2024)
- Poverty headcount ratio at $8.30 a day (2021 PPP) 55.4% (2024)
- Prosperity gap 5.4 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day (2024)
- Poverty gap at $4.20 a day (2021 PPP) 8.0% (2024)
- Poverty gap at $8.30 a day (2021 PPP) 24.2% (2024)
- Multidimensional poverty headcount ratio (World Bank) 18.9% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line in Low & middle income?
- Poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line in Low & middle income was 26.9% in 2024, 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 Low & middle income?
- The highest recorded value was 62.7% in 1984.
- What is the lowest poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line recorded in Low & middle income?
- The lowest recorded value was 26.9% in 2024.
- How does Low & middle income rank for poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line?
- Low & middle income ranks 5th out of 14 groups with data for 2024.
- Is poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line rising or falling in Low & middle income?
- Over the last ten years it is down 14.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Low & middle income 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.