Share of population living on less than the upper-middle income poverty line: 2011 vs. 2017 prices in India
India: Share of population living on less than the upper-middle income poverty line: 2011 vs. 2017 prices was 77.3% in 2021. ▼ Falling
Share of population living on less than the upper-middle income poverty line: 2011 vs. 2017 prices in India, 1977–2021
Source: World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
India recorded 77.3% for share of population living on less than the upper-middle income poverty line: 2011 vs. 2017 prices in 2021.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 2.3% on the previous year and down 12.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population living on less than the upper-middle income poverty line: 2011 vs. 2017 prices in India peaked at 97.2% in 1977 and was at its lowest, 76.5%, in 2019.
That places India 20th out of 119 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 14 years of available data.
Share of population living on less than the upper-middle income poverty line: 2011 vs. 2017 prices in India, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1977 | 97.2% | — |
| 1983 | 96.6% | -0.6% |
| 1987 | 95.8% | -0.9% |
| 1993 | 95.7% | -0.1% |
| 2004 | 93.3% | -2.4% |
| 2009 | 91.6% | -1.8% |
| 2011 | 87.9% | -4.1% |
| 2015 | 86.7% | -1.4% |
| 2016 | 86.4% | -0.3% |
| 2017 | 82.6% | -4.4% |
| 2018 | 79.3% | -4.0% |
| 2019 | 76.5% | -3.5% |
| 2020 | 79.2% | +3.5% |
| 2021 | 77.3% | -2.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 97.2% | 97.2% | 97.2% | 1 |
| 1980s | 96.2% | 95.8% | 96.6% | 2 |
| 1990s | 95.7% | 95.7% | 95.7% | 1 |
| 2000s | 92.5% | 91.6% | 93.3% | 2 |
| 2010s | 83.2% | 76.5% | 87.9% | 6 |
| 2020s | 78.2% | 77.3% | 79.2% | 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 on less than the upper-middle income poverty line: 2011 vs. 2017 prices in India?
- Share of population living on less than the upper-middle income poverty line: 2011 vs. 2017 prices in India was 77.3% in 2021, according to World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of population living on less than the upper-middle income poverty line: 2011 vs. 2017 prices recorded in India?
- The highest recorded value was 97.2% in 1977.
- What is the lowest share of population living on less than the upper-middle income poverty line: 2011 vs. 2017 prices recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 76.5% in 2019.
- How does India rank for share of population living on less than the upper-middle income poverty line: 2011 vs. 2017 prices?
- India ranks 20th out of 119 countries with data for 2021.
- Is share of population living on less than the upper-middle income poverty line: 2011 vs. 2017 prices rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is down 12.0%. 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 (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of population living on less than the upper-middle income poverty line: 2011 vs. 2017 prices. 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 $5.50 per day.