Proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income in Ethiopia

Ethiopia: Proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income was 8.9% in 2021. ▲ Rising

Latest (2021)
8.9%
World rank
96th
of 130 countries
All-time high
12.4%
in 2015
All-time low
5.2%
in 2004
Years of data
6
1995–2021

Proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income in Ethiopia, 1995–2021

02.557.51012.51995200820211995: 10.41999: 6.12004: 5.22010: 9.42015: 12.42021: 8.9

Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.

Analysis

In 2021, proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income in Ethiopia stood at 8.9%.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 5.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income in Ethiopia peaked at 12.4% in 2015 and was at its lowest, 5.2%, in 2004.

That places Ethiopia 96th out of 130 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the middle of the range.

Proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income in Ethiopia, year by year

Annual values for Proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income (%) in Ethiopia, 1995 to 2021.
Year Value Change
1995 10.4%
1999 6.1% -41.3%
2004 5.2% -14.8%
2010 9.4% +80.8%
2015 12.4% +31.9%
2021 8.9% -28.2%

Ethiopia compared with similar countries

  • Ethiopia's 8.9% is below the median for low income countries, which is 10.5%, 85% of the median. (13 countries reporting)
  • Ethiopia's 8.9% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 11.1%, 80% of the median. (25 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 8.2% 6.1% 10.4% 2
2000s 5.2% 5.2% 5.2% 1
2010s 10.9% 9.4% 12.4% 2
2020s 8.9% 8.9% 8.9% 1

Countries ranked near Ethiopia

  1. 94 Guinea-Bissau 9.1% compare
  2. 94 Kenya 9.1% compare
  3. 97 Bhutan 8.8% compare
  4. 97 Poland 8.8% compare
  5. 99 Estonia 8.7% compare

See the full ranking of 131 places →

More infrastructure data for Ethiopia

All data for Ethiopia →

Frequently asked questions

What is proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income in Ethiopia?
Proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income in Ethiopia was 8.9% in 2021, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
What is the highest proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income recorded in Ethiopia?
The highest recorded value was 12.4% in 2015.
What is the lowest proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income recorded in Ethiopia?
The lowest recorded value was 5.2% in 2004.
How does Ethiopia rank for proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income?
Ethiopia ranks 96th out of 130 countries with data for 2021.
Is proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income rising or falling in Ethiopia?
Over the last ten years it is down 5.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Ethiopia data come from?
The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income in Ethiopia. Statizoid, drawing on United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database. Retrieved 16 September 2026, from https://infrastructure.statizoid.com/stat/proportion-of-people-living-below-50-percent-of-median-income-percent-2/ethiopia/

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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