China vs United Kingdom: Proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income

China
12.0%
in 2022
United Kingdom
11.7%
in 2021
China rank
58th
United Kingdom rank
61st

Proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income over time

  • China
  • United Kingdom
5101520196819952022

How they compare

China currently reports 12.0% against 11.7% in United Kingdom, a difference of 0.3%.

The two have swapped places 3 times across 22 shared years of data; in 1981 it was China ahead.

China ranks 58th and United Kingdom ranks 61st of 130 countries.

Across the 5 decades both report, China averaged higher in 3 and United Kingdom in 1.

Head to head by decade

Decade China United Kingdom Difference Ahead
1980s 9.6% 9.2% 0.4% China
1990s 11.1% 12.9% 1.8% United Kingdom
2000s 17.2% 12.4% 4.8% China
2010s 15.8% 11.9% 3.9% China
2020s 11.6% 11.6% 0.0%

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income, China or United Kingdom?
China, at 12.0% against 11.7% in United Kingdom as of 2022.
What is the difference in proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income between China and United Kingdom?
0.3%, with China ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for China and United Kingdom?
22 years are reported by both, from 1981 to 2021.
How do China and United Kingdom rank globally for proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income?
China ranks 58th and United Kingdom ranks 61st of 130 countries.
Where does this data come from?
United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as Proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income (%). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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China vs United Kingdom: Proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income. Statizoid, drawing on United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database. Retrieved 18 September 2026, from https://infrastructure.statizoid.com/compare/proportion-of-people-living-below-50-percent-of-median-income-percent-2/china/united-kingdom/

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About this data

Indicator
Proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income (%)
Source
United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database
Licence
UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested)
Coverage
131 places, 2,510 data points, 1963–2025
Last refreshed