Relative poverty: Share of population below 50% of the median in China
China: Relative poverty: Share of population below 50% of the median was 12.2% in 2022. ▲ Rising
Relative poverty: Share of population below 50% of the median in China, 1981–2022
Source: World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
China recorded 12.2% for relative poverty: share of population below 50% of the median in 2022.
That represents a change of up 3.9% on the previous year and down 34.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, relative poverty: share of population below 50% of the median in China peaked at 19.5% in 2010 and was at its lowest, 8.7%, in 1981.
China ranks 52nd of 120 countries on this measure, 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 50% of the median in China, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 8.7% | — |
| 1984 | 9.0% | +3.3% |
| 1987 | 11.5% | +27.6% |
| 1990 | 8.8% | -23.2% |
| 1993 | 9.5% | +7.6% |
| 1996 | 11.7% | +23.1% |
| 1999 | 14.0% | +19.6% |
| 2002 | 17.2% | +22.6% |
| 2005 | 16.2% | -5.6% |
| 2008 | 19.0% | +17.3% |
| 2010 | 19.5% | +2.9% |
| 2011 | 18.2% | -7.1% |
| 2012 | 18.6% | +2.4% |
| 2013 | 15.5% | -16.6% |
| 2014 | 15.8% | +1.8% |
| 2015 | 15.2% | -3.9% |
| 2016 | 14.9% | -1.8% |
| 2017 | 15.2% | +2.4% |
| 2018 | 14.9% | -2.1% |
| 2019 | 14.0% | -6.3% |
| 2020 | 12.1% | -13.2% |
| 2021 | 11.7% | -3.4% |
| 2022 | 12.2% | +3.9% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 12.2% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 13.4%, 91% of the median. (35 countries reporting)
- China's 12.2% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 11.3%, 1.1× the median. (11 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 9.7% | 8.7% | 11.5% | 3 |
| 1990s | 11.0% | 8.8% | 14.0% | 4 |
| 2000s | 17.4% | 16.2% | 19.0% | 3 |
| 2010s | 16.2% | 14.0% | 19.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 12.0% | 11.7% | 12.2% | 3 |
Countries ranked near China
More poverty & inequality data for China
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via the World Bank 7 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 0.999 live births per woman (2023)
- Cereal yield vs. share in extreme poverty 6,418 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 0.5767 % change on previous year (2023)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, gaps filled 22.1 (2023)
- Tax revenue as share of GDP vs. income inequality 22.1% (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 50% of the median in China?
- Relative poverty: share of population below 50% of the median in China was 12.2% 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 50% of the median recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 19.5% in 2010.
- What is the lowest relative poverty: share of population below 50% of the median recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 8.7% in 1981.
- How does China rank for relative poverty: share of population below 50% of the median?
- China ranks 52nd out of 120 countries with data for 2022.
- Is relative poverty: share of population below 50% of the median rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is down 34.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this China 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 50% 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 50% of the median.