Proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income in Rwanda
Rwanda: Proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income was 8.1% in 2023. ▼ Falling
Proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income in Rwanda, 2000–2023
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 Rwanda is 8.1%, measured in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 6 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 33.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income in Rwanda peaked at 16.0% in 2005 and was at its lowest, 8.1%, in 2023.
That places Rwanda 97th out of 123 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
Proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income in Rwanda, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 14.1% | — |
| 2005 | 16.0% | +13.5% |
| 2010 | 12.4% | -22.5% |
| 2013 | 12.2% | -1.6% |
| 2016 | 12.5% | +2.5% |
| 2023 | 8.1% | -35.2% |
Rwanda compared with similar countries
- Rwanda's 8.1% is below the median for low income countries, which is 10.5%, 77% of the median. (13 countries reporting)
- Rwanda's 8.1% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 11.1%, 73% of the median. (26 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 15.1% | 14.1% | 16.0% | 2 |
| 2010s | 12.4% | 12.2% | 12.5% | 3 |
| 2020s | 8.1% | 8.1% | 8.1% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Rwanda
- 95 Estonia 8.7% compare
- 96 Belgium 8.3% compare
- 97 Lao People's Democratic Republic 8.1% compare
- 99 Nepal 7.9% compare
- 99 Netherlands 7.9% compare
- 99 Syrian Arab Republic 7.9% compare
More poverty & inequality data for Rwanda
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via the World Bank 2 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 3.7 live births per woman (2023)
- Cereal yield vs. share in extreme poverty 1,784 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 11.15 % change on previous year (2024)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, gaps filled 13.98 (2023)
- Tax revenue as share of GDP vs. income inequality 14.0% (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 Rwanda?
- Proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income in Rwanda was 8.1% 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 Rwanda?
- The highest recorded value was 16.0% in 2005.
- What is the lowest proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income recorded in Rwanda?
- The lowest recorded value was 8.1% in 2023.
- How does Rwanda rank for proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income?
- Rwanda ranks 97th out of 123 countries with data for 2023.
- Is proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income rising or falling in Rwanda?
- Over the last ten years it is down 33.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Rwanda 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.