Relative poverty: Share of population below 40% of the median in Malawi
Malawi: Relative poverty: Share of population below 40% of the median was 5.2% in 2019. ▲ Rising
Relative poverty: Share of population below 40% of the median in Malawi, 1997–2019
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 Malawi is 5.2%, measured in 2019.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 20.6% on the previous year and down 37.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, relative poverty: share of population below 40% of the median in Malawi peaked at 8.3% in 2010 and was at its lowest, 4.3%, in 2016.
That places Malawi 68th out of 120 countries with data for 2019, putting it in the middle of the range.
Relative poverty: Share of population below 40% of the median in Malawi, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 4.6% | — |
| 2004 | 4.3% | -7.1% |
| 2010 | 8.3% | +92.2% |
| 2016 | 4.3% | -48.1% |
| 2019 | 5.2% | +20.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 4.6% | 4.6% | 4.6% | 1 |
| 2000s | 4.3% | 4.3% | 4.3% | 1 |
| 2010s | 5.9% | 4.3% | 8.3% | 3 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
- 65 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 5.6% compare
- 66 Tunisia 5.5% compare
- 67 Madagascar 5.5% compare
- 69 Mauritania 5.0% compare
- 70 Poland 5.0% compare
- 71 Burundi 5.0% compare
More poverty & inequality data for Malawi
- 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 3.65 live births per woman (2023)
- Cereal yield vs. share in extreme poverty 1,857 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 -4.49 % change on previous year (2023)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, gaps filled 15.06 (2023)
- Tax revenue as share of GDP vs. income inequality 15.1% (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 Malawi?
- Relative poverty: share of population below 40% of the median in Malawi was 5.2% in 2019, 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 Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 8.3% in 2010.
- What is the lowest relative poverty: share of population below 40% of the median recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.3% in 2016.
- How does Malawi rank for relative poverty: share of population below 40% of the median?
- Malawi ranks 68th out of 120 countries with data for 2019.
- Is relative poverty: share of population below 40% of the median rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is down 37.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Malawi 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.