Proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income in South Africa
South Africa: Proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income was 20.4% in 2022. ▼ Falling
Proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income in South Africa, 1993–2022
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
South Africa recorded 20.4% for proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income in 2022.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 10.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income in South Africa peaked at 25.4% in 1993 and was at its lowest, 20.3%, in 2005.
South Africa ranks 10th of 123 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
Proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income in South Africa, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1993 | 25.4% | — |
| 2000 | 25.4% | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 20.3% | -20.1% |
| 2008 | 23.1% | +13.8% |
| 2010 | 22.7% | -1.7% |
| 2014 | 22.3% | -1.8% |
| 2022 | 20.4% | -8.5% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 20.4% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 14.8%, 1.4× the median. (38 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 20.4% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 11.1%, 1.8× the median. (26 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 25.4% | 25.4% | 25.4% | 1 |
| 2000s | 22.9% | 20.3% | 25.4% | 3 |
| 2010s | 22.5% | 22.3% | 22.7% | 2 |
| 2020s | 20.4% | 20.4% | 20.4% | 1 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More poverty & inequality data for South Africa
- 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 2.22 live births per woman (2023)
- Cereal yield vs. share in extreme poverty 4,562 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 -20.01 % change on previous year (2024)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, gaps filled 28.13 (2022)
- Tax revenue as share of GDP vs. income inequality 28.1% (2022)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2022)
Frequently asked questions
- What is proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income in South Africa?
- Proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income in South Africa was 20.4% in 2022, 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 South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 25.4% in 1993.
- What is the lowest proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 20.3% in 2005.
- How does South Africa rank for proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income?
- South Africa ranks 10th out of 123 countries with data for 2022.
- Is proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 10.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Africa 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.