Relative poverty: Share of population below 50% of the median in Uganda
Uganda: Relative poverty: Share of population below 50% of the median was 13.2% in 2023. ▼ Falling
Relative poverty: Share of population below 50% of the median in Uganda, 1989–2023
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 Uganda is 13.2%, measured in 2023.
That represents a change of up 8.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, relative poverty: share of population below 50% of the median in Uganda peaked at 20.1% in 1989 and was at its lowest, 11.2%, in 1996.
That places Uganda 43rd out of 120 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 11 years of available data.
Relative poverty: Share of population below 50% of the median in Uganda, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 | 20.1% | — |
| 1992 | 13.9% | -30.9% |
| 1996 | 11.2% | -19.4% |
| 1999 | 14.2% | +26.5% |
| 2002 | 12.9% | -9.0% |
| 2005 | 12.8% | -0.3% |
| 2009 | 12.7% | -1.1% |
| 2012 | 12.2% | -4.3% |
| 2016 | 13.1% | +7.7% |
| 2019 | 13.4% | +2.0% |
| 2023 | 13.2% | -1.3% |
Uganda compared with similar countries
- Uganda's 13.2% is above the median for low income countries, which is 10.5%, 1.3× the median. (13 countries reporting)
- Uganda's 13.2% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 11.1%, 1.2× the median. (26 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 20.1% | 20.1% | 20.1% | 1 |
| 1990s | 13.1% | 11.2% | 14.2% | 3 |
| 2000s | 12.8% | 12.7% | 12.9% | 3 |
| 2010s | 12.9% | 12.2% | 13.4% | 3 |
| 2020s | 13.2% | 13.2% | 13.2% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Uganda
More poverty & inequality data for Uganda
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via the World Bank 3 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 4.28 live births per woman (2023)
- Cereal yield vs. share in extreme poverty 1,920 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 -1.96 % change on previous year (2024)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, gaps filled 12.46 (2023)
- Tax revenue as share of GDP vs. income inequality 12.5% (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 Uganda?
- Relative poverty: share of population below 50% of the median in Uganda was 13.2% 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 50% of the median recorded in Uganda?
- The highest recorded value was 20.1% in 1989.
- What is the lowest relative poverty: share of population below 50% of the median recorded in Uganda?
- The lowest recorded value was 11.2% in 1996.
- How does Uganda rank for relative poverty: share of population below 50% of the median?
- Uganda ranks 43rd out of 120 countries with data for 2023.
- Is relative poverty: share of population below 50% of the median rising or falling in Uganda?
- Over the last ten years it is up 8.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Uganda 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.