Relative poverty: Share of population below 40% of the median in South Africa
South Africa: Relative poverty: Share of population below 40% of the median was 13.1% in 2022. ▼ Falling
Relative poverty: Share of population below 40% of the median in South Africa, 1993–2022
Source: World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2022, relative poverty: share of population below 40% of the median in South Africa stood at 13.1%.
The figure is down 15.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, relative poverty: share of population below 40% of the median in South Africa peaked at 17.8% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 12.7%, in 2005.
That places South Africa 9th out of 120 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the top 10%.
Relative poverty: Share of population below 40% of the median in South Africa, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1993 | 17.6% | — |
| 2000 | 17.8% | +1.3% |
| 2005 | 12.7% | -28.5% |
| 2008 | 15.3% | +20.4% |
| 2010 | 15.5% | +1.2% |
| 2014 | 15.2% | -2.3% |
| 2022 | 13.1% | -13.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 17.6% | 17.6% | 17.6% | 1 |
| 2000s | 15.3% | 12.7% | 17.8% | 3 |
| 2010s | 15.3% | 15.2% | 15.5% | 2 |
| 2020s | 13.1% | 13.1% | 13.1% | 1 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More poverty & inequality data for South Africa
- 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 2.22 live births per woman (2023)
- Cereal yield vs. share in extreme poverty 4,562 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 -20.01 % change on previous year (2024)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, gaps filled 28.13 (2022)
- Tax revenue as share of GDP vs. income inequality 28.1% (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 South Africa?
- Relative poverty: share of population below 40% of the median in South Africa was 13.1% in 2022, 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 South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 17.8% in 2000.
- What is the lowest relative poverty: share of population below 40% of the median recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 12.7% in 2005.
- How does South Africa rank for relative poverty: share of population below 40% of the median?
- South Africa ranks 9th out of 120 countries with data for 2022.
- Is relative poverty: share of population below 40% of the median rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 15.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Africa 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.