Proportion of population living below the national poverty line in Italy

Italy: Proportion of population living below the national poverty line was 20.1% in 2021. ▲ Rising

Latest (2021)
20.1%
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
29th
of 73 countries
All-time high
20.6%
in 2015
All-time low
18.4%
in 2008
Years of data
19
2003–2021

Proportion of population living below the national poverty line in Italy, 2003–2021

051015202003201220212003: 18.9 %2004: 19.2 %2005: 19.3 %2006: 19.5 %2007: 18.9 %2008: 18.4 %2009: 18.7 %2010: 19.8 %2011: 19.5 %2012: 19.3 %2013: 19.4 %2014: 19.9 %2015: 20.6 %2016: 20.3 %2017: 20.3 %2018: 20.1 %2019: 20 %2020: 20.1 %2021: 20.1 %

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

Analysis

Italy recorded 20.1% for proportion of population living below the national poverty line in 2021.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 3.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, proportion of population living below the national poverty line in Italy peaked at 20.6% in 2015 and was at its lowest, 18.4%, in 2008.

That places Italy 29th out of 73 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 19 years of available data.

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

Annual values for Proportion of population living below the national poverty line (%) in Italy, 2003 to 2021.
Year % Change
2003 18.9%
2004 19.2% +1.6%
2005 19.3% +0.5%
2006 19.5% +1.0%
2007 18.9% -3.1%
2008 18.4% -2.6%
2009 18.7% +1.6%
2010 19.8% +5.9%
2011 19.5% -1.5%
2012 19.3% -1.0%
2013 19.4% +0.5%
2014 19.9% +2.6%
2015 20.6% +3.5%
2016 20.3% -1.5%
2017 20.3% +0.0%
2018 20.1% -1.0%
2019 20.0% -0.5%
2020 20.1% +0.5%
2021 20.1% +0.0%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 19.0% 18.4% 19.5% 7
2010s 19.9% 19.3% 20.6% 10
2020s 20.1% 20.1% 20.1% 2

Countries ranked near Italy

  1. 26 Ecuador 21.4% compare
  2. 27 Lithuania 20.9% compare
  3. 28 Spain 20.2% compare
  4. 30 Montenegro 20.0% compare
  5. 31 Albania 19.7% compare
  6. 31 Serbia 19.7% compare

See the full ranking of 73 places →

More poverty & inequality data for Italy

All data for Italy →

Frequently asked questions

What is proportion of population living below the national poverty line in Italy?
Proportion of population living below the national poverty line in Italy was 20.1% in 2021, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
What is the highest proportion of population living below the national poverty line recorded in Italy?
The highest recorded value was 20.6% in 2015.
What is the lowest proportion of population living below the national poverty line recorded in Italy?
The lowest recorded value was 18.4% in 2008.
How does Italy rank for proportion of population living below the national poverty line?
Italy ranks 29th out of 73 countries with data for 2021.
Is proportion of population living below the national poverty line rising or falling in Italy?
Over the last ten years it is up 3.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Italy 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 Italy. Statizoid, drawing on United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database. Retrieved 08 September 2026, from https://poverty.statizoid.com/stat/proportion-of-population-living-below-the-national-poverty-line-percent/italy/

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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