Relative poverty: Share of population below 60% of the median in India
India: Relative poverty: Share of population below 60% of the median was 7.1% in 2023. ▼ Falling
Relative poverty: Share of population below 60% 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
In 2023, relative poverty: share of population below 60% of the median in India stood at 7.1%. That is the lowest value across all 9 years on record.
That represents a change of down 21.4% on the previous year and down 26.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, relative poverty: share of population below 60% of the median in India peaked at 13.9% in 1977 and was at its lowest, 7.1%, in 2023.
That places India 119th out of 120 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
Relative poverty: Share of population below 60% of the median in India, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1977 | 13.9% | — |
| 1983 | 13.3% | -3.7% |
| 1987 | 12.3% | -7.9% |
| 1993 | 9.2% | -25.0% |
| 2004 | 8.8% | -4.2% |
| 2009 | 9.1% | +3.4% |
| 2011 | 9.6% | +5.3% |
| 2022 | 9.0% | -6.4% |
| 2023 | 7.1% | -21.4% |
India compared with similar countries
- India's 7.1% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 18.1%, 39% of the median. (29 countries reporting)
- India's 7.1% is below the median for South Asia, which is 15.6%, 45% of the median. (5 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 13.9% | 13.9% | 13.9% | 1 |
| 1980s | 12.8% | 12.3% | 13.3% | 2 |
| 1990s | 9.2% | 9.2% | 9.2% | 1 |
| 2000s | 9.0% | 8.8% | 9.1% | 2 |
| 2010s | 9.6% | 9.6% | 9.6% | 1 |
| 2020s | 8.0% | 7.1% | 9.0% | 2 |
Countries ranked near India
- 116 Belarus 10.5% compare
- 117 Egypt 10.3% compare
- 118 Kazakhstan 7.8% compare
- 120 Azerbaijan 5.2% 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 60% of the median in India?
- Relative poverty: share of population below 60% of the median in India was 7.1% 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 60% of the median recorded in India?
- The highest recorded value was 13.9% in 1977.
- What is the lowest relative poverty: share of population below 60% of the median recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 7.1% in 2023.
- How does India rank for relative poverty: share of population below 60% of the median?
- India ranks 119th out of 120 countries with data for 2023.
- Is relative poverty: share of population below 60% of the median rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is down 26.4%. 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 60% 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 60% of the median.