Proportion of population living below the national poverty line in Bulgaria

Bulgaria: Proportion of population living below the national poverty line was 21.7% in 2023. ▼ Falling

Latest (2023)
21.7%
Change on year
up 5.3%
World rank
23rd
of 73 countries
All-time high
23.8%
in 2019
All-time low
20.6%
in 2022
Years of data
9
2015–2023

Proportion of population living below the national poverty line in Bulgaria, 2015–2023

05101520252015201920232015: 22.9 %2016: 23.4 %2017: 22 %2018: 22.6 %2019: 23.8 %2020: 22.1 %2021: 22.9 %2022: 20.6 %2023: 21.7 %

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

Analysis

The most recent figure for proportion of population living below the national poverty line in Bulgaria is 21.7%, measured in 2023.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 5.3% on the previous year and down 5.2% over ten years.

Over the whole period, proportion of population living below the national poverty line in Bulgaria peaked at 23.8% in 2019 and was at its lowest, 20.6%, in 2022.

That places Bulgaria 23rd out of 73 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.

Proportion of population living below the national poverty line in Bulgaria, year by year

Annual values for Proportion of population living below the national poverty line (%) in Bulgaria, 2015 to 2023.
Year % Change
2015 22.9%
2016 23.4% +2.2%
2017 22.0% -6.0%
2018 22.6% +2.7%
2019 23.8% +5.3%
2020 22.1% -7.1%
2021 22.9% +3.6%
2022 20.6% -10.0%
2023 21.7% +5.3%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2010s 22.9% 22.0% 23.8% 5
2020s 21.8% 20.6% 22.9% 4

Countries ranked near Bulgaria

  1. 21 North Macedonia 21.9% compare
  2. 21 Pakistan 21.9%
  3. 23 Armenia 21.7% compare
  4. 23 Panama 21.7% compare
  5. 26 Ecuador 21.4% compare

See the full ranking of 73 places →

More poverty & inequality data for Bulgaria

All data for Bulgaria →

Frequently asked questions

What is proportion of population living below the national poverty line in Bulgaria?
Proportion of population living below the national poverty line in Bulgaria was 21.7% in 2023, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
What is the highest proportion of population living below the national poverty line recorded in Bulgaria?
The highest recorded value was 23.8% in 2019.
What is the lowest proportion of population living below the national poverty line recorded in Bulgaria?
The lowest recorded value was 20.6% in 2022.
How does Bulgaria rank for proportion of population living below the national poverty line?
Bulgaria ranks 23rd out of 73 countries with data for 2023.
Is proportion of population living below the national poverty line rising or falling in Bulgaria?
Over the last ten years it is down 5.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Bulgaria data come from?
The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Proportion of population living below the national poverty line (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Proportion of population living below the national poverty line in Bulgaria. Statizoid, drawing on United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database. Retrieved 07 September 2026, from https://poverty.statizoid.com/stat/proportion-of-population-living-below-the-national-poverty-line-percent/bulgaria/

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About this data

Indicator
Proportion of population living below the national poverty line (%)
Unit
%
Source
United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database
Licence
UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested)
Coverage
73 places, 1,043 data points, 1985–2025
Last refreshed