The share and number of people living in extreme poverty in India
India: The share and number of people living in extreme poverty was 5.3% in 2022. ▼ Falling
The share and number of people living in extreme poverty in India, 1977–2022
Source: World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2022, the share and number of people living in extreme poverty in India stood at 5.3%. That is the lowest value across all 8 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 80.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, the share and number of people living in extreme poverty in India peaked at 59.7% in 1977 and was at its lowest, 5.3%, in 2022.
India ranks 38th of 120 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The share and number of people living in extreme poverty 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% |
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 | 5.3% | 5.3% | 5.3% | 1 |
Countries ranked near India
- 35 Nicaragua 6.6% compare
- 36 Tajikistan 6.1% compare
- 37 Bangladesh 5.9% compare
- 39 Peru 5.1% compare
- 40 El Salvador 4.6% compare
- 41 Georgia 4.2% compare
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 the share and number of people living in extreme poverty in India?
- The share and number of people living in extreme poverty in India was 5.3% in 2022, according to World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest the share and number of people living in extreme poverty recorded in India?
- The highest recorded value was 59.7% in 1977.
- What is the lowest the share and number of people living in extreme poverty recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.3% in 2022.
- How does India rank for the share and number of people living in extreme poverty?
- India ranks 38th out of 120 countries with data for 2022.
- Is the share and number of people living in extreme poverty rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is down 80.6%. 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 The share and number of people living in extreme poverty. 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.