Poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line in World
World: Poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line was 24.9% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line in World, 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 World stood at 24.9%. That is the lowest value across all 40 years on record.
That represents a change of down 1.2% on the previous year and down 12.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line in World peaked at 51.8% in 1984 and was at its lowest, 24.9%, in 2024.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 40 years of available data.
Poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line in World, year by year
| Year | % of population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1984 | 51.8% | — |
| 1985 | 51.1% | -1.4% |
| 1986 | 50.4% | -1.4% |
| 1987 | 49.8% | -1.2% |
| 1988 | 48.5% | -2.6% |
| 1989 | 50.1% | +3.3% |
| 1990 | 49.8% | -0.6% |
| 1991 | 49.5% | -0.6% |
| 1992 | 48.9% | -1.2% |
| 1993 | 48.5% | -0.8% |
| 1994 | 47.2% | -2.7% |
| 1995 | 45.9% | -2.8% |
| 1996 | 44.6% | -2.8% |
| 1997 | 44.2% | -0.9% |
| 1998 | 44.3% | +0.2% |
| 1999 | 43.6% | -1.6% |
| 2000 | 42.6% | -2.3% |
| 2001 | 41.6% | -2.3% |
| 2002 | 40.2% | -3.4% |
| 2003 | 38.8% | -3.5% |
| 2004 | 37.6% | -3.1% |
| 2005 | 36.4% | -3.2% |
| 2006 | 35.5% | -2.5% |
| 2007 | 34.3% | -3.4% |
| 2008 | 33.6% | -2.0% |
| 2009 | 33.0% | -1.8% |
| 2010 | 32.0% | -3.0% |
| 2011 | 31.1% | -2.8% |
| 2012 | 30.5% | -1.9% |
| 2013 | 29.1% | -4.6% |
| 2014 | 28.5% | -2.1% |
| 2015 | 27.9% | -2.1% |
| 2016 | 27.6% | -1.1% |
| 2017 | 27.1% | -1.8% |
| 2018 | 26.6% | -1.8% |
| 2020 | 26.2% | -1.5% |
| 2021 | 25.8% | -1.5% |
| 2022 | 25.5% | -1.2% |
| 2023 | 25.2% | -1.2% |
| 2024 | 24.9% | -1.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 50.3% | 48.5% | 51.8% | 6 |
| 1990s | 46.6% | 43.6% | 49.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 37.4% | 33.0% | 42.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 28.9% | 26.6% | 32.0% | 9 |
| 2020s | 25.5% | 24.9% | 26.2% | 5 |
Countries ranked near World
- 5 Madagascar 69.2% compare
- 6 Niger 60.5% compare
- 7 Uganda 59.8% compare
- 8 Tanzania, United Republic of 51.3% compare
- 9 Kenya 45.5% compare
- 10 Burkina Faso 42.1% compare
- 11 Nigeria 41.8% compare
More poverty & inequality data for World
- Poverty headcount ratio at $3.00 a day (2021 PPP) 10.4% (2024)
- Poverty gap at $3.00 a day (2021 PPP) 3.6% (2024)
- Poverty headcount ratio at $4.20 a day (2021 PPP) 18.9% (2024)
- Poverty headcount ratio at $8.30 a day (2021 PPP) 46.1% (2024)
- Prosperity gap 4.6 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day (2024)
- Poverty gap at $4.20 a day (2021 PPP) 6.7% (2024)
- Poverty gap at $8.30 a day (2021 PPP) 20.1% (2024)
- Proportion of population below international poverty line 10.4% (2024)
- Out-of-pocket expenditure (OOP) per capita in US$ 268.21 (2023)
- Proportion of total government spending on essential services, social 22.4% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line in World?
- Poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line in World was 24.9% 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 World?
- The highest recorded value was 51.8% in 1984.
- What is the lowest poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line recorded in World?
- The lowest recorded value was 24.9% in 2024.
- How does World rank for poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line?
- World ranks 8th out of 14 groups with data for 2024.
- Is poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line rising or falling in World?
- Over the last ten years it is down 12.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this World 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
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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.