Relative poverty: Share of population below 50% of the median in India
India: Relative poverty: Share of population below 50% of the median was 2.4% in 2023. ▼ Falling
Relative poverty: Share of population below 50% of the median in India, 1977–2023
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 50% of the median in India is 2.4%, measured in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 9 years on record.
That represents a change of down 29.6% on the previous year and down 35.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, relative poverty: share of population below 50% of the median in India peaked at 7.2% in 1977 and was at its lowest, 2.4%, in 2023.
India ranks 119th of 120 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
Relative poverty: Share of population below 50% of the median in India, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1977 | 7.2% | — |
| 1983 | 6.5% | -9.8% |
| 1987 | 4.8% | -25.6% |
| 1993 | 3.6% | -24.7% |
| 2004 | 3.0% | -16.9% |
| 2009 | 3.3% | +10.8% |
| 2011 | 3.7% | +10.5% |
| 2022 | 3.4% | -7.8% |
| 2023 | 2.4% | -29.6% |
India compared with similar countries
- India's 2.4% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 10.8%, 22% of the median. (29 countries reporting)
- India's 2.4% is below the median for South Asia, which is 7.9%, 30% of the median. (5 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 7.2% | 7.2% | 7.2% | 1 |
| 1980s | 5.7% | 4.8% | 6.5% | 2 |
| 1990s | 3.6% | 3.6% | 3.6% | 1 |
| 2000s | 3.2% | 3.0% | 3.3% | 2 |
| 2010s | 3.7% | 3.7% | 3.7% | 1 |
| 2020s | 2.9% | 2.4% | 3.4% | 2 |
Countries ranked near India
- 116 Egypt 4.4% compare
- 117 Belarus 3.9% compare
- 118 Kazakhstan 3.1% compare
- 120 Azerbaijan 0.9% compare
More poverty & inequality data for India
- 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 1.98 live births per woman (2023)
- Cereal yield vs. share in extreme poverty 3,632 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 0.8468 % change on previous year (2024)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, gaps filled 17.32 (2023)
- Tax revenue as share of GDP vs. income inequality 17.3% (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 India?
- Relative poverty: share of population below 50% of the median in India was 2.4% 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 India?
- The highest recorded value was 7.2% in 1977.
- What is the lowest relative poverty: share of population below 50% of the median recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.4% in 2023.
- How does India rank for relative poverty: share of population below 50% of the median?
- India ranks 119th out of 120 countries with data for 2023.
- Is relative poverty: share of population below 50% of the median rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is down 35.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this India 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.
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About this data
Percentage of population living in households with an income or consumption below 50% of the median.