Relative poverty: Share of population below 40% of the median in Ghana
Ghana: Relative poverty: Share of population below 40% of the median was 13.8% in 2016. ▲ Rising
Relative poverty: Share of population below 40% of the median in Ghana, 1987–2016
Source: World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for relative poverty: share of population below 40% of the median in Ghana is 13.8%, measured in 2016. That is the highest value across all 7 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 21.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, relative poverty: share of population below 40% of the median in Ghana peaked at 13.8% in 2016 and was at its lowest, 6.9%, in 1991.
Ghana ranks 7th of 120 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
Relative poverty: Share of population below 40% of the median in Ghana, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1987 | 8.1% | — |
| 1988 | 7.3% | -10.3% |
| 1991 | 6.9% | -5.2% |
| 1998 | 10.0% | +45.9% |
| 2005 | 11.3% | +12.5% |
| 2012 | 10.7% | -4.9% |
| 2016 | 13.8% | +28.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 7.7% | 7.3% | 8.1% | 2 |
| 1990s | 8.5% | 6.9% | 10.0% | 2 |
| 2000s | 11.3% | 11.3% | 11.3% | 1 |
| 2010s | 12.3% | 10.7% | 13.8% | 2 |
Countries ranked near Ghana
- 4 Brazil 14.8% compare
- 5 Zambia 14.6% compare
- 6 Israel 14.2% compare
- 8 Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of 13.6% compare
- 9 South Africa 13.1% compare
- 10 North Macedonia 13.1% compare
More poverty & inequality data for Ghana
- 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 3.4 live births per woman (2023)
- Cereal yield vs. share in extreme poverty 2,688 kg per hectare (2023)
- Cereal yield vs extreme poverty, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Cereal yield vs extreme poverty, annual growth rate 10.43 % change on previous year (2023)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, gaps filled 13.54 (2023)
- Tax revenue as share of GDP vs. income inequality 13.5% (2023)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is relative poverty: share of population below 40% of the median in Ghana?
- Relative poverty: share of population below 40% of the median in Ghana was 13.8% in 2016, according to World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest relative poverty: share of population below 40% of the median recorded in Ghana?
- The highest recorded value was 13.8% in 2016.
- What is the lowest relative poverty: share of population below 40% of the median recorded in Ghana?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.9% in 1991.
- How does Ghana rank for relative poverty: share of population below 40% of the median?
- Ghana ranks 7th out of 120 countries with data for 2016.
- Is relative poverty: share of population below 40% of the median rising or falling in Ghana?
- Over the last ten years it is up 21.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Ghana data come from?
- The figures come from World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Relative poverty: Share of population below 40% of the median. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Percentage of population living in households with an income or consumption below 40% of the median.