Poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line in North America
North America: Poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line was 19.3% in 2024. ▬ Flat
Poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line in North America, 1981–2024
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 North America stood at 19.3%.
The figure is up 1.0% on the previous year and up 6.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line in North America peaked at 19.8% in 1993 and was at its lowest, 16.1%, in 2021.
Poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line in North America, year by year
| Year | % of population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 17.7% | — |
| 1982 | 18.7% | +5.6% |
| 1983 | 19.6% | +4.8% |
| 1984 | 19.3% | -1.5% |
| 1985 | 19.4% | +0.5% |
| 1986 | 19.0% | -2.1% |
| 1987 | 19.0% | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 18.8% | -1.1% |
| 1989 | 18.8% | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 19.0% | +1.1% |
| 1991 | 19.6% | +3.2% |
| 1992 | 19.5% | -0.5% |
| 1993 | 19.8% | +1.5% |
| 1994 | 19.3% | -2.5% |
| 1995 | 18.8% | -2.6% |
| 1996 | 19.1% | +1.6% |
| 1997 | 18.7% | -2.1% |
| 1998 | 19.0% | +1.6% |
| 1999 | 18.8% | -1.1% |
| 2000 | 18.4% | -2.1% |
| 2001 | 18.5% | +0.5% |
| 2002 | 19.0% | +2.7% |
| 2003 | 19.0% | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 18.7% | -1.6% |
| 2005 | 18.8% | +0.5% |
| 2006 | 18.9% | +0.5% |
| 2007 | 19.2% | +1.6% |
| 2008 | 19.2% | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 18.6% | -3.1% |
| 2010 | 18.8% | +1.1% |
| 2011 | 18.9% | +0.5% |
| 2012 | 19.3% | +2.1% |
| 2013 | 19.2% | -0.5% |
| 2014 | 18.2% | -5.2% |
| 2015 | 18.4% | +1.1% |
| 2016 | 18.9% | +2.7% |
| 2017 | 19.3% | +2.1% |
| 2018 | 19.0% | -1.6% |
| 2019 | 19.0% | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 17.4% | -8.4% |
| 2021 | 16.1% | -7.5% |
| 2022 | 18.8% | +16.8% |
| 2023 | 19.1% | +1.6% |
| 2024 | 19.3% | +1.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 18.9% | 17.7% | 19.6% | 9 |
| 1990s | 19.2% | 18.7% | 19.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 18.8% | 18.4% | 19.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 18.9% | 18.2% | 19.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 18.1% | 16.1% | 19.3% | 5 |
Countries ranked near North America
More poverty & inequality data for North America
- Poverty headcount ratio at $3.00 a day (2021 PPP) 0.9% (2024)
- Poverty gap at $3.00 a day (2021 PPP) 0.7% (2024)
- Poverty headcount ratio at $4.20 a day (2021 PPP) 1.1% (2024)
- Poverty headcount ratio at $8.30 a day (2021 PPP) 1.7% (2024)
- Prosperity gap 1.2 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day (2024)
- Poverty gap at $4.20 a day (2021 PPP) 0.8% (2024)
- Poverty gap at $8.30 a day (2021 PPP) 1.1% (2024)
- Population living in slums 0.2% (2022)
Frequently asked questions
- What is poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line in North America?
- Poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line in North America was 19.3% 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 North America?
- The highest recorded value was 19.8% in 1993.
- What is the lowest poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line recorded in North America?
- The lowest recorded value was 16.1% in 2021.
- How does North America rank for poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line?
- North America ranks 12th out of 14 groups with data for 2024.
- Is poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line rising or falling in North America?
- Over the last ten years it is up 6.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this North America 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.