Share of population living in extreme poverty in India
India: Share of population living in extreme poverty was 9.0% in 2018. ▼ Falling
Share of population living in extreme poverty in India, 1820–2018
Source: Michalis Moatsos (2021) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2018, share of population living in extreme poverty in India stood at 9.0%. That is the lowest value across all 21 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 60.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population living in extreme poverty in India peaked at 70.0% in 1870 and was at its lowest, 9.0%, in 2018.
India ranks 5th of 25 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 21 years of available data.
Share of population living in extreme poverty in India, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1820 | 65.0% | — |
| 1830 | 65.0% | +0.0% |
| 1840 | 65.0% | +0.0% |
| 1850 | 65.0% | +0.0% |
| 1860 | 67.0% | +3.1% |
| 1870 | 70.0% | +4.5% |
| 1880 | 68.0% | -2.9% |
| 1890 | 63.0% | -7.4% |
| 1900 | 61.0% | -3.2% |
| 1910 | 51.0% | -16.4% |
| 1920 | 57.0% | +11.8% |
| 1930 | 48.0% | -15.8% |
| 1940 | 53.0% | +10.4% |
| 1950 | 61.0% | +15.1% |
| 1960 | 66.0% | +8.2% |
| 1970 | 67.0% | +1.5% |
| 1980 | 49.0% | -26.9% |
| 1990 | 47.0% | -4.1% |
| 2000 | 32.0% | -31.9% |
| 2010 | 23.0% | -28.1% |
| 2018 | 9.0% | -60.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1820s | 65.0% | 65.0% | 65.0% | 1 |
| 1830s | 65.0% | 65.0% | 65.0% | 1 |
| 1840s | 65.0% | 65.0% | 65.0% | 1 |
| 1850s | 65.0% | 65.0% | 65.0% | 1 |
| 1860s | 67.0% | 67.0% | 67.0% | 1 |
| 1870s | 70.0% | 70.0% | 70.0% | 1 |
| 1880s | 68.0% | 68.0% | 68.0% | 1 |
| 1890s | 63.0% | 63.0% | 63.0% | 1 |
| 1900s | 61.0% | 61.0% | 61.0% | 1 |
| 1910s | 51.0% | 51.0% | 51.0% | 1 |
| 1920s | 57.0% | 57.0% | 57.0% | 1 |
| 1930s | 48.0% | 48.0% | 48.0% | 1 |
| 1940s | 53.0% | 53.0% | 53.0% | 1 |
| 1950s | 61.0% | 61.0% | 61.0% | 1 |
| 1960s | 66.0% | 66.0% | 66.0% | 1 |
| 1970s | 67.0% | 67.0% | 67.0% | 1 |
| 1980s | 49.0% | 49.0% | 49.0% | 1 |
| 1990s | 47.0% | 47.0% | 47.0% | 1 |
| 2000s | 32.0% | 32.0% | 32.0% | 1 |
| 2010s | 16.0% | 9.0% | 23.0% | 2 |
Countries ranked near India
More poverty & inequality data for India
- 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 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 share of population living in extreme poverty in India?
- Share of population living in extreme poverty in India was 9.0% in 2018, according to Michalis Moatsos (2021) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of population living in extreme poverty recorded in India?
- The highest recorded value was 70.0% in 1870.
- What is the lowest share of population living in extreme poverty recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 9.0% in 2018.
- How does India rank for share of population living in extreme poverty?
- India ranks 5th out of 25 countries with data for 2018.
- Is share of population living in extreme poverty rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is down 60.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this India data come from?
- The figures come from Michalis Moatsos (2021) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of population living in extreme poverty. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of the population unable to meet basic needs (including minimal nutrition and adequately heated shelter) according to prices of locally-available goods and services at the time..