Relative poverty: Share of population below 40% of the median in Laos
Laos: Relative poverty: Share of population below 40% of the median was 3.4% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Relative poverty: Share of population below 40% of the median in Laos, 1992–2024
Source: World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2024, relative poverty: share of population below 40% of the median in Laos stood at 3.4%.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 13.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, relative poverty: share of population below 40% of the median in Laos peaked at 4.0% in 2012 and was at its lowest, 2.0%, in 2002.
Laos ranks 95th of 120 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
Relative poverty: Share of population below 40% of the median in Laos, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1992 | 2.6% | — |
| 1997 | 2.9% | +8.7% |
| 2002 | 2.0% | -31.6% |
| 2007 | 2.9% | +50.5% |
| 2012 | 4.0% | +34.8% |
| 2018 | 3.9% | -1.4% |
| 2024 | 3.4% | -12.4% |
Laos compared with similar countries
- Laos's 3.4% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 5.0%, 68% of the median. (29 countries reporting)
- Laos's 3.4% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 5.1%, 67% of the median. (11 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 2.7% | 2.6% | 2.9% | 2 |
| 2000s | 2.4% | 2.0% | 2.9% | 2 |
| 2010s | 3.9% | 3.9% | 4.0% | 2 |
| 2020s | 3.4% | 3.4% | 3.4% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Laos
More poverty & inequality data for Laos
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via the World Bank 2 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 2.42 live births per woman (2023)
- Cereal yield vs. share in extreme poverty 4,196 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 2.31 % change on previous year (2024)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, gaps filled 10.62 (2022)
- Tax revenue as share of GDP vs. income inequality 10.6% (2022)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2022)
Frequently asked questions
- What is relative poverty: share of population below 40% of the median in Laos?
- Relative poverty: share of population below 40% of the median in Laos was 3.4% in 2024, 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 Laos?
- The highest recorded value was 4.0% in 2012.
- What is the lowest relative poverty: share of population below 40% of the median recorded in Laos?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.0% in 2002.
- How does Laos rank for relative poverty: share of population below 40% of the median?
- Laos ranks 95th out of 120 countries with data for 2024.
- Is relative poverty: share of population below 40% of the median rising or falling in Laos?
- Over the last ten years it is down 13.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Laos 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.
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About this data
Percentage of population living in households with an income or consumption below 40% of the median.