Poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line in Low income

Low income: Poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line was 55.1% in 2023. ▼ Falling

Latest (2023)
55.1%
Change on year
down 0.2%
Rank
1st
of 14 groups
All-time high
69.6%
in 1995
All-time low
52.4%
in 2014
Years of data
27
1995–2023

Poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line in Low income, 1995–2023

02040601995200920231995: 69.6 % of population1996: 68.9 % of population1997: 68.6 % of population1998: 68.9 % of population1999: 67.9 % of population2000: 66.9 % of population2001: 65.3 % of population2002: 65.8 % of population2003: 64 % of population2004: 60.6 % of population2005: 59 % of population2006: 58.4 % of population2007: 57.5 % of population2008: 56.3 % of population2009: 56.4 % of population2010: 54.9 % of population2011: 54.4 % of population2012: 53.3 % of population2013: 52.7 % of population2014: 52.4 % of population2015: 53.4 % of population2016: 53.9 % of population2017: 54 % of population2020: 55.3 % of population2021: 55.8 % of population2022: 55.2 % of population2023: 55.1 % of population

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 societal poverty line in Low income stood at 55.1%.

That represents a change of down 0.2% on the previous year and up 4.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line in Low income peaked at 69.6% in 1995 and was at its lowest, 52.4%, in 2014.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 27 years of available data.

Poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line in Low income, year by year

Annual values for Poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line (% of population) in Low income, 1995 to 2023.
Year % of population Change
1995 69.6%
1996 68.9% -1.0%
1997 68.6% -0.4%
1998 68.9% +0.4%
1999 67.9% -1.5%
2000 66.9% -1.5%
2001 65.3% -2.4%
2002 65.8% +0.8%
2003 64.0% -2.7%
2004 60.6% -5.3%
2005 59.0% -2.6%
2006 58.4% -1.0%
2007 57.5% -1.5%
2008 56.3% -2.1%
2009 56.4% +0.2%
2010 54.9% -2.7%
2011 54.4% -0.9%
2012 53.3% -2.0%
2013 52.7% -1.1%
2014 52.4% -0.6%
2015 53.4% +1.9%
2016 53.9% +0.9%
2017 54.0% +0.2%
2020 55.3% +2.4%
2021 55.8% +0.9%
2022 55.2% -1.1%
2023 55.1% -0.2%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 68.8% 67.9% 69.6% 5
2000s 61.0% 56.3% 66.9% 10
2010s 53.6% 52.4% 54.9% 8
2020s 55.4% 55.1% 55.8% 4

Countries ranked near Low income

  1. 1 Mozambique 81.4% compare
  2. 2 Malawi 75.4% compare
  3. 3 Burundi 74.2% compare
  4. 4 Zambia 71.7% compare

See the full ranking of 137 places →

More poverty & inequality data for Low income

All data for Low income →

Frequently asked questions

What is poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line in Low income?
Poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line in Low income was 55.1% 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 Low income?
The highest recorded value was 69.6% in 1995.
What is the lowest poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line recorded in Low income?
The lowest recorded value was 52.4% in 2014.
How does Low income rank for poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line?
Low income ranks 1st out of 14 groups with data for 2023.
Is poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line rising or falling in Low income?
Over the last ten years it is up 4.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Low 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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Poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line in Low income. Statizoid, drawing on 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. Retrieved 09 September 2026, from https://poverty.statizoid.com/stat/poverty-headcount-ratio-at-societal-poverty-line-percent-of-population/low-income/

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About this data

Indicator
Poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line (% of population)
Unit
% of population
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
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
137 places, 2,860 data points, 1963–2025
Last refreshed

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.