Relative poverty: Share of population below 50% of the median in Israel

Israel: Relative poverty: Share of population below 50% of the median was 21.0% in 2022. ▲ Rising

Latest (2022)
21.0%
Change on year
up 7.7%
World rank
6th
of 120 countries
All-time high
23.4%
in 2009
All-time low
13.7%
in 1992
Years of data
26
1979–2022

Relative poverty: Share of population below 50% of the median in Israel, 1979–2022

05101520251979200020221979: 14.7 %1986: 15.5 %1992: 13.7 %1997: 17.5 %2001: 18.3 %2002: 19.7 %2003: 20.7 %2004: 22.5 %2005: 21.8 %2006: 22.2 %2007: 22.4 %2008: 21.5 %2009: 23.4 %2010: 23.1 %2011: 21.8 %2012: 21.9 %2013: 20.2 %2014: 21.2 %2015: 20.6 %2016: 21.1 %2017: 20.4 %2018: 20.4 %2019: 20.5 %2020: 20.1 %2021: 19.5 %2022: 21 %

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 50% of the median in Israel stood at 21.0%.

The figure is up 7.7% on the previous year and down 4.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, relative poverty: share of population below 50% of the median in Israel peaked at 23.4% in 2009 and was at its lowest, 13.7%, in 1992.

Israel ranks 6th of 120 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 26 years of available data.

Relative poverty: Share of population below 50% of the median in Israel, year by year

Annual values for Relative poverty: Share of population below 50% of the median in Israel, 1979 to 2022.
Year % Change
1979 14.7%
1986 15.5% +5.4%
1992 13.7% -11.6%
1997 17.5% +27.7%
2001 18.3% +4.6%
2002 19.7% +7.7%
2003 20.7% +5.1%
2004 22.5% +8.7%
2005 21.8% -3.1%
2006 22.2% +1.8%
2007 22.4% +0.9%
2008 21.5% -4.0%
2009 23.4% +8.8%
2010 23.1% -1.3%
2011 21.8% -5.6%
2012 21.9% +0.5%
2013 20.2% -7.8%
2014 21.2% +5.0%
2015 20.6% -2.8%
2016 21.1% +2.4%
2017 20.4% -3.3%
2018 20.4% +0.0%
2019 20.5% +0.5%
2020 20.1% -2.0%
2021 19.5% -3.0%
2022 21.0% +7.7%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 14.7% 14.7% 14.7% 1
1980s 15.5% 15.5% 15.5% 1
1990s 15.6% 13.7% 17.5% 2
2000s 21.4% 18.3% 23.4% 9
2010s 21.1% 20.2% 23.1% 10
2020s 20.2% 19.5% 21.0% 3

Countries ranked near Israel

  1. 3 Colombia 22.7% compare
  2. 4 Zambia 21.9% compare
  3. 5 Brazil 21.2% compare
  4. 7 Ghana 20.6% compare
  5. 8 Botswana 20.4% compare
  6. 9 South Africa 20.4% compare

See the full ranking of 120 places →

More poverty & inequality data for Israel

All data for Israel →

Frequently asked questions

What is relative poverty: share of population below 50% of the median in Israel?
Relative poverty: share of population below 50% of the median in Israel was 21.0% 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 Israel?
The highest recorded value was 23.4% in 2009.
What is the lowest relative poverty: share of population below 50% of the median recorded in Israel?
The lowest recorded value was 13.7% in 1992.
How does Israel rank for relative poverty: share of population below 50% of the median?
Israel ranks 6th out of 120 countries with data for 2022.
Is relative poverty: share of population below 50% of the median rising or falling in Israel?
Over the last ten years it is down 4.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Israel 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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Relative poverty: Share of population below 50% of the median in Israel. Statizoid, drawing on World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Retrieved 06 September 2026, from https://poverty.statizoid.com/stat/relative-poverty-share-of-people-below-50-of-the-median/israel/

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About this data

Indicator
Relative poverty: Share of population below 50% of the median
Unit
%
Source
World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
120 places, 2,148 data points, 1963–2025
Last refreshed

Percentage of population living in households with an income or consumption below 50% of the median.