Proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income in Guatemala
Guatemala: Proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income was 19.1% in 2023. ▼ Falling
Proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income in Guatemala, 1986–2023
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 Guatemala is 19.1%, measured in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 7 years on record.
That represents a change of down 2.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income in Guatemala peaked at 27.8% in 1989 and was at its lowest, 19.1%, in 2023.
Guatemala ranks 15th of 123 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
Proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income in Guatemala, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1986 | 25.5% | — |
| 1989 | 27.8% | +9.0% |
| 1998 | 23.8% | -14.4% |
| 2000 | 21.4% | -10.1% |
| 2006 | 24.5% | +14.5% |
| 2014 | 19.6% | -20.0% |
| 2023 | 19.1% | -2.6% |
Guatemala compared with similar countries
- Guatemala's 19.1% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 14.8%, 1.3× the median. (38 countries reporting)
- Guatemala's 19.1% is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 18.0%, 1.1× the median. (20 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 26.6% | 25.5% | 27.8% | 2 |
| 1990s | 23.8% | 23.8% | 23.8% | 1 |
| 2000s | 22.9% | 21.4% | 24.5% | 2 |
| 2010s | 19.6% | 19.6% | 19.6% | 1 |
| 2020s | 19.1% | 19.1% | 19.1% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Guatemala
- 12 Costa Rica 20.0% compare
- 13 Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of 19.9% compare
- 14 Argentina 19.6% compare
- 16 United States of America 18.9% compare
- 17 Cameroon 18.8% compare
- 18 North Macedonia 18.4% compare
More poverty & inequality data for Guatemala
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via the World Bank 1 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 2.31 live births per woman (2023)
- Cereal yield vs. share in extreme poverty 1,822 kg per hectare (2023)
- Cereal yield vs extreme poverty, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Cereal yield vs extreme poverty, annual growth rate -5.65 % change on previous year (2023)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, gaps filled 12.3 (2023)
- Tax revenue as share of GDP vs. income inequality 12.3% (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 Guatemala?
- Proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income in Guatemala was 19.1% 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 proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income recorded in Guatemala?
- The highest recorded value was 27.8% in 1989.
- What is the lowest proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income recorded in Guatemala?
- The lowest recorded value was 19.1% in 2023.
- How does Guatemala rank for proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income?
- Guatemala ranks 15th out of 123 countries with data for 2023.
- Is proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income rising or falling in Guatemala?
- Over the last ten years it is down 2.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Guatemala 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.