Proportion of population below international poverty line in Northern America

Northern America: Proportion of population below international poverty line was 0.9% in 2024. ▲ Rising

Latest (2024)
0.9%
Change on year
down 18.2%
Rank
33rd
of 42 groups
All-time high
1.2%
in 2014
All-time low
0.3%
in 2020
Years of data
44
1981–2024

Proportion of population below international poverty line in Northern America, 1981–2024

0.20.40.60.811.21981200220241981: 0.6 %1982: 0.7 %1983: 0.7 %1984: 0.6 %1985: 0.6 %1986: 0.6 %1987: 0.5 %1988: 0.5 %1989: 0.5 %1990: 0.5 %1991: 0.6 %1992: 0.6 %1993: 0.7 %1994: 0.7 %1995: 0.6 %1996: 0.6 %1997: 0.7 %1998: 0.8 %1999: 0.7 %2000: 0.7 %2001: 0.8 %2002: 0.8 %2003: 0.9 %2004: 0.9 %2005: 0.9 %2006: 0.9 %2007: 0.9 %2008: 1 %2009: 0.9 %2010: 1 %2011: 1 %2012: 1 %2013: 1 %2014: 1.2 %2015: 1.1 %2016: 1 %2017: 1.1 %2018: 1 %2019: 0.9 %2020: 0.3 %2021: 0.3 %2022: 1.2 %2023: 1.1 %2024: 0.9 %

Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database. Measured in %.

Analysis

The most recent figure for proportion of population below international poverty line in Northern America is 0.9%, measured in 2024.

That represents a change of down 18.2% on the previous year and down 25.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, proportion of population below international poverty line in Northern America peaked at 1.2% in 2014 and was at its lowest, 0.3%, in 2020.

Northern America ranks 33rd of 42 groups on this measure, in the bottom quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 44 years of available data.

Proportion of population below international poverty line in Northern America, year by year

Annual values for Proportion of population below international poverty line (%) in Northern America, 1981 to 2024.
Year % Change
1981 0.6%
1982 0.7% +16.7%
1983 0.7% +0.0%
1984 0.6% -14.3%
1985 0.6% +0.0%
1986 0.6% +0.0%
1987 0.5% -16.7%
1988 0.5% +0.0%
1989 0.5% +0.0%
1990 0.5% +0.0%
1991 0.6% +20.0%
1992 0.6% +0.0%
1993 0.7% +16.7%
1994 0.7% +0.0%
1995 0.6% -14.3%
1996 0.6% +0.0%
1997 0.7% +16.7%
1998 0.8% +14.3%
1999 0.7% -12.5%
2000 0.7% +0.0%
2001 0.8% +14.3%
2002 0.8% +0.0%
2003 0.9% +12.5%
2004 0.9% +0.0%
2005 0.9% +0.0%
2006 0.9% +0.0%
2007 0.9% +0.0%
2008 1.0% +11.1%
2009 0.9% -10.0%
2010 1.0% +11.1%
2011 1.0% +0.0%
2012 1.0% +0.0%
2013 1.0% +0.0%
2014 1.2% +20.0%
2015 1.1% -8.3%
2016 1.0% -9.1%
2017 1.1% +10.0%
2018 1.0% -9.1%
2019 0.9% -10.0%
2020 0.3% -66.7%
2021 0.3% +0.0%
2022 1.2% +300.0%
2023 1.1% -8.3%
2024 0.9% -18.2%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 0.6% 0.5% 0.7% 9
1990s 0.7% 0.5% 0.8% 10
2000s 0.9% 0.7% 1.0% 10
2010s 1.0% 0.9% 1.2% 10
2020s 0.8% 0.3% 1.2% 5

Countries ranked near Northern America

  1. 30 Honduras 15.7% compare
  2. 31 Guinea 11.7% compare
  3. 32 Mauritania 10.2% compare
  4. 33 Guatemala 9.7% compare
  5. 33 Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) 9.7% compare
  6. 35 Colombia 8.5% compare
  7. 36 Lao People's Democratic Republic 7.1% compare
  8. 36 Lao People's Democratic Republic 7.1% compare

See the full ranking of 174 places →

More poverty & inequality data for Northern America

All data for Northern America →

Frequently asked questions

What is proportion of population below international poverty line in Northern America?
Proportion of population below international poverty line in Northern America was 0.9% in 2024, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
What is the highest proportion of population below international poverty line recorded in Northern America?
The highest recorded value was 1.2% in 2014.
What is the lowest proportion of population below international poverty line recorded in Northern America?
The lowest recorded value was 0.3% in 2020.
How does Northern America rank for proportion of population below international poverty line?
Northern America ranks 33rd out of 42 groups with data for 2024.
Is proportion of population below international poverty line rising or falling in Northern America?
Over the last ten years it is down 25.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Northern America data come from?
The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Proportion of population below international poverty line (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Proportion of population below international poverty line in Northern America. Statizoid, drawing on United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database. Retrieved 05 September 2026, from https://poverty.statizoid.com/stat/proportion-of-population-below-international-poverty-line-percent/northern-america/

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About this data

Indicator
Proportion of population below international poverty line (%)
Unit
%
Source
United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database
Licence
UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested)
Coverage
174 places, 4,024 data points, 1963–2025
Last refreshed