Relative poverty: Share of population below 40% of the median in Switzerland
Switzerland: Relative poverty: Share of population below 40% of the median was 5.2% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Relative poverty: Share of population below 40% of the median in Switzerland, 1982–2023
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 Switzerland is 5.2%, measured in 2023.
That represents a change of down 16.0% on the previous year and up 18.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, relative poverty: share of population below 40% of the median in Switzerland peaked at 6.2% in 2022 and was at its lowest, 3.9%, in 2002.
That places Switzerland 67th out of 120 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 23 years of available data.
Relative poverty: Share of population below 40% of the median in Switzerland, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1982 | 4.1% | — |
| 1992 | 5.6% | +36.6% |
| 2000 | 4.5% | -19.6% |
| 2002 | 3.9% | -13.3% |
| 2004 | 3.9% | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 5.9% | +50.5% |
| 2007 | 5.2% | -10.6% |
| 2008 | 5.5% | +5.0% |
| 2009 | 5.0% | -9.9% |
| 2010 | 5.1% | +2.2% |
| 2011 | 5.3% | +4.4% |
| 2012 | 4.1% | -23.3% |
| 2013 | 4.4% | +8.0% |
| 2014 | 4.7% | +7.5% |
| 2015 | 4.8% | +2.3% |
| 2016 | 5.6% | +16.6% |
| 2017 | 5.2% | -7.9% |
| 2018 | 5.7% | +10.8% |
| 2019 | 6.0% | +4.0% |
| 2020 | 5.6% | -5.7% |
| 2021 | 5.5% | -2.5% |
| 2022 | 6.2% | +12.9% |
| 2023 | 5.2% | -16.0% |
Switzerland compared with similar countries
- Switzerland's 5.2% is below the median for high income countries, which is 6.5%, 80% of the median. (42 countries reporting)
- Switzerland's 5.2% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 5.6%, 93% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 4.1% | 4.1% | 4.1% | 1 |
| 1990s | 5.6% | 5.6% | 5.6% | 1 |
| 2000s | 4.8% | 3.9% | 5.9% | 7 |
| 2010s | 5.1% | 4.1% | 6.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.6% | 5.2% | 6.2% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Switzerland
- 64 United Kingdom 5.6% compare
- 65 Tunisia 5.5% compare
- 66 Madagascar 5.5% compare
- 68 Malawi 5.2% compare
- 69 China 5.1% compare
- 70 Mauritania 5.0% compare
More poverty & inequality data for Switzerland
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via the World Bank 8 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 1.43 live births per woman (2023)
- Cereal yield vs. share in extreme poverty 5,706 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 -6.17 % change on previous year (2023)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, gaps filled 26.79 (2023)
- Tax revenue as share of GDP vs. income inequality 26.8% (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 Switzerland?
- Relative poverty: share of population below 40% of the median in Switzerland was 5.2% in 2023, 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 Switzerland?
- The highest recorded value was 6.2% in 2022.
- What is the lowest relative poverty: share of population below 40% of the median recorded in Switzerland?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.9% in 2002.
- How does Switzerland rank for relative poverty: share of population below 40% of the median?
- Switzerland ranks 67th out of 120 countries with data for 2023.
- Is relative poverty: share of population below 40% of the median rising or falling in Switzerland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 18.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Switzerland 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.