Proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income in France
France: Proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income was 11.9% in 2023. ▬ Flat
Proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income 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 %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income in France is 11.9%, measured in 2023.
That represents a change of down 0.8% on the previous year and up 21.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income in France peaked at 12.3% in 1996 and was at its lowest, 8.6%, in 2005.
France ranks 58th of 123 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income in France, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 11.2% | — |
| 1975 | 10.7% | -4.5% |
| 1979 | 11.3% | +5.6% |
| 1984 | 11.4% | +0.9% |
| 1990 | 11.0% | -3.5% |
| 1996 | 12.3% | +11.8% |
| 1997 | 12.1% | -1.6% |
| 1998 | 11.6% | -4.1% |
| 1999 | 11.6% | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 11.6% | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 11.5% | -0.9% |
| 2002 | 10.4% | -9.6% |
| 2003 | 8.9% | -14.4% |
| 2004 | 8.8% | -1.1% |
| 2005 | 8.6% | -2.3% |
| 2006 | 9.3% | +8.1% |
| 2007 | 9.2% | -1.1% |
| 2008 | 9.8% | +6.5% |
| 2009 | 11.1% | +13.3% |
| 2010 | 10.3% | -7.2% |
| 2011 | 9.9% | -3.9% |
| 2012 | 10.1% | +2.0% |
| 2013 | 9.8% | -3.0% |
| 2014 | 10.1% | +3.1% |
| 2015 | 10.8% | +6.9% |
| 2016 | 10.4% | -3.7% |
| 2017 | 10.1% | -2.9% |
| 2018 | 10.0% | -1.0% |
| 2019 | 11.6% | +16.0% |
| 2020 | 11.1% | -4.3% |
| 2021 | 12.0% | +8.1% |
| 2022 | 12.0% | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 11.9% | -0.8% |
France compared with similar countries
- France's 11.9% is above the median for high income countries, which is 11.6%, 1.0× the median. (42 countries reporting)
- France's 11.9% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 11.0%, 1.1× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 11.1% | 10.7% | 11.3% | 3 |
| 1980s | 11.4% | 11.4% | 11.4% | 1 |
| 1990s | 11.7% | 11.0% | 12.3% | 5 |
| 2000s | 9.9% | 8.6% | 11.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 10.3% | 9.8% | 11.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 11.8% | 11.1% | 12.0% | 4 |
Countries ranked near France
- 56 Croatia 12.1% compare
- 57 China 12.0% compare
- 58 Switzerland 11.9% compare
- 60 Morocco 11.7% compare
- 60 United Kingdom 11.7% 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 proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income in France?
- Proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income in France was 11.9% 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 proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income recorded in France?
- The highest recorded value was 12.3% in 1996.
- What is the lowest proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income recorded in France?
- The lowest recorded value was 8.6% in 2005.
- How does France rank for proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income?
- France ranks 58th out of 123 countries with data for 2023.
- Is proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income rising or falling in France?
- Over the last ten years it is up 21.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- 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 Proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
The percentage of people in the population who live in households whose per capita income or consumption is below half of the median income or consumption per capita. The median is measured at 2021 Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) using the Poverty and Inequality Platform (http://www.pip.worldbank.org). For some countries, medians are not reported due to grouped and/or confidential data. The reference year is the year in which the underlying household survey data was collected. In cases for which the data collection period bridged two calendar years, the first year in which data were collected is reported.