Share of population living with less than $3 and $4.20 per day in India
India: Share of population living with less than $3 and $4.20 per day was 2.6% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Share of population living with less than $3 and $4.20 per day in India, 1977–2023
Source: World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of population living with less than $3 and $4.20 per day in India is 2.6%, measured in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 9 years on record.
That represents a change of down 51.0% on the previous year and down 90.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population living with less than $3 and $4.20 per day in India peaked at 59.7% in 1977 and was at its lowest, 2.6%, in 2023.
That places India 48th out of 120 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
Share of population living with less than $3 and $4.20 per day in India, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1977 | 59.7% | — |
| 1983 | 50.9% | -14.8% |
| 1987 | 51.8% | +1.8% |
| 1993 | 47.5% | -8.3% |
| 2004 | 46.4% | -2.2% |
| 2009 | 34.6% | -25.5% |
| 2011 | 27.1% | -21.5% |
| 2022 | 5.3% | -80.6% |
| 2023 | 2.6% | -51.0% |
India compared with similar countries
- India's 2.6% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 9.7%, 26% of the median. (29 countries reporting)
- India's 2.6% is above the median for South Asia, which is 2.6%, 1.0× the median. (5 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 59.7% | 59.7% | 59.7% | 1 |
| 1980s | 51.3% | 50.9% | 51.8% | 2 |
| 1990s | 47.5% | 47.5% | 47.5% | 1 |
| 2000s | 40.5% | 34.6% | 46.4% | 2 |
| 2010s | 27.1% | 27.1% | 27.1% | 1 |
| 2020s | 3.9% | 2.6% | 5.3% | 2 |
Countries ranked near India
More poverty & inequality data for India
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via the World Bank 2 surveys (2025)
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via 0 surveys per person (2025)
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via 0 surveys per US$ 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 share of population living with less than $3 and $4.20 per day in India?
- Share of population living with less than $3 and $4.20 per day in India was 2.6% in 2023, according to World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of population living with less than $3 and $4.20 per day recorded in India?
- The highest recorded value was 59.7% in 1977.
- What is the lowest share of population living with less than $3 and $4.20 per day recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.6% in 2023.
- How does India rank for share of population living with less than $3 and $4.20 per day?
- India ranks 48th out of 120 countries with data for 2023.
- Is share of population living with less than $3 and $4.20 per day rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is down 90.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- 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 Share of population living with less than $3 and $4.20 per day. 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 $3 per day.