Relative poverty: Share of population below 50% of the median in France
France: Relative poverty: Share of population below 50% of the median was 11.9% in 2023. ▬ Flat
Relative poverty: Share of population below 50% of the median in France, 1970–2023
Source: World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
France recorded 11.9% for relative poverty: share of population below 50% of the median in 2023.
The figure is down 0.8% on the previous year and up 21.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, relative poverty: share of population below 50% of the median in France peaked at 12.3% in 1996 and was at its lowest, 8.6%, in 2005.
France ranks 55th of 120 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Relative poverty: Share of population below 50% of the median in France, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 11.2% | — |
| 1975 | 10.7% | -4.5% |
| 1979 | 11.3% | +5.6% |
| 1984 | 11.4% | +0.9% |
| 1990 | 11.0% | -3.5% |
| 1996 | 12.3% | +11.8% |
| 1997 | 12.1% | -1.6% |
| 1998 | 11.6% | -4.1% |
| 1999 | 11.6% | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 11.6% | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 11.5% | -0.9% |
| 2002 | 10.4% | -9.6% |
| 2003 | 8.9% | -14.9% |
| 2004 | 8.8% | -0.5% |
| 2005 | 8.6% | -1.8% |
| 2006 | 9.3% | +7.6% |
| 2007 | 9.2% | -1.5% |
| 2008 | 9.8% | +6.7% |
| 2009 | 11.1% | +13.9% |
| 2010 | 10.3% | -7.8% |
| 2011 | 9.9% | -3.4% |
| 2012 | 10.1% | +2.3% |
| 2013 | 9.8% | -3.4% |
| 2014 | 10.1% | +2.6% |
| 2015 | 10.8% | +7.0% |
| 2016 | 10.4% | -3.5% |
| 2017 | 10.1% | -2.8% |
| 2018 | 10.0% | -0.4% |
| 2019 | 11.6% | +14.9% |
| 2020 | 11.1% | -3.8% |
| 2021 | 12.0% | +8.3% |
| 2022 | 12.0% | -0.3% |
| 2023 | 11.9% | -0.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 11.1% | 10.7% | 11.3% | 3 |
| 1980s | 11.4% | 11.4% | 11.4% | 1 |
| 1990s | 11.7% | 11.0% | 12.3% | 5 |
| 2000s | 9.9% | 8.6% | 11.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 10.3% | 9.8% | 11.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 11.8% | 11.1% | 12.0% | 4 |
Countries ranked near France
More poverty & inequality data for France
- 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 1.64 live births per woman (2023)
- Cereal yield vs. share in extreme poverty 6,281 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 -13.65 % change on previous year (2024)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, gaps filled 43.81 (2023)
- Tax revenue as share of GDP vs. income inequality 43.8% (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 50% of the median in France?
- Relative poverty: share of population below 50% of the median in France was 11.9% 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 50% of the median recorded in France?
- The highest recorded value was 12.3% in 1996.
- What is the lowest relative poverty: share of population below 50% of the median recorded in France?
- The lowest recorded value was 8.6% in 2005.
- How does France rank for relative poverty: share of population below 50% of the median?
- France ranks 55th out of 120 countries with data for 2023.
- Is relative poverty: share of population below 50% of the median rising or falling in France?
- Over the last ten years it is up 21.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this France 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.