Share in poverty relative to different poverty lines in Ghana
Ghana: Share in poverty relative to different poverty lines was 39.0% in 2016. ▼ Falling
Share in poverty relative to different poverty lines in Ghana, 1987–2016
Source: World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Ghana recorded 39.0% for share in poverty relative to different poverty lines in 2016. That is the lowest value across all 7 years on record.
That represents a change of down 35.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share in poverty relative to different poverty lines in Ghana peaked at 80.4% in 1991 and was at its lowest, 39.0%, in 2016.
That places Ghana 13th out of 120 countries with data for 2016, putting it in the top quarter.
Share in poverty relative to different poverty lines in Ghana, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1987 | 78.2% | — |
| 1988 | 77.4% | -1.0% |
| 1991 | 80.4% | +3.8% |
| 1998 | 65.3% | -18.7% |
| 2005 | 60.9% | -6.8% |
| 2012 | 41.8% | -31.4% |
| 2016 | 39.0% | -6.6% |
Ghana compared with similar countries
- Ghana's 39.0% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 9.7%, 4.0× the median. (29 countries reporting)
- Ghana's 39.0% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 38.8%, 1.0× the median. (26 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 77.8% | 77.4% | 78.2% | 2 |
| 1990s | 72.9% | 65.3% | 80.4% | 2 |
| 2000s | 60.9% | 60.9% | 60.9% | 1 |
| 2010s | 40.4% | 39.0% | 41.8% | 2 |
Countries ranked near Ghana
More poverty & inequality data for Ghana
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via the World Bank 1 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 3.4 live births per woman (2023)
- Cereal yield vs. share in extreme poverty 2,688 kg per hectare (2023)
- Cereal yield vs extreme poverty, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Cereal yield vs extreme poverty, annual growth rate 10.43 % change on previous year (2023)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, gaps filled 13.54 (2023)
- Tax revenue as share of GDP vs. income inequality 13.5% (2023)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share in poverty relative to different poverty lines in Ghana?
- Share in poverty relative to different poverty lines in Ghana was 39.0% in 2016, according to World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share in poverty relative to different poverty lines recorded in Ghana?
- The highest recorded value was 80.4% in 1991.
- What is the lowest share in poverty relative to different poverty lines recorded in Ghana?
- The lowest recorded value was 39.0% in 2016.
- How does Ghana rank for share in poverty relative to different poverty lines?
- Ghana ranks 13th out of 120 countries with data for 2016.
- Is share in poverty relative to different poverty lines rising or falling in Ghana?
- Over the last ten years it is down 35.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Ghana 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 Share in poverty relative to different poverty lines. 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 $3 per day.