Proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka: Proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income was 9.4% in 2019. ▲ Rising

Latest (2019)
9.4%
Change on year
down 4.1%
World rank
92nd
of 130 countries
All-time high
9.8%
in 2016
All-time low
5.9%
in 1990
Years of data
9
1985–2019

Proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income in Sri Lanka, 1985–2019

02468101985200220191985: 9.31990: 5.91995: 6.92002: 9.32006: 9.32009: 7.82012: 9.22016: 9.82019: 9.4

Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.

Analysis

The most recent figure for proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income in Sri Lanka is 9.4%, measured in 2019.

That represents a change of down 4.1% on the previous year and up 20.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income in Sri Lanka peaked at 9.8% in 2016 and was at its lowest, 5.9%, in 1990.

Sri Lanka ranks 92nd of 130 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

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

Annual values for Proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income (%) in Sri Lanka, 1985 to 2019.
Year Value Change
1985 9.3%
1990 5.9% -36.6%
1995 6.9% +16.9%
2002 9.3% +34.8%
2006 9.3% +0.0%
2009 7.8% -16.1%
2012 9.2% +17.9%
2016 9.8% +6.5%
2019 9.4% -4.1%

Sri Lanka compared with similar countries

  • Sri Lanka's 9.4% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 14.8%, 64% of the median. (36 countries reporting)
  • Sri Lanka's 9.4% is above the median for South Asia, which is 7.9%, 1.2× the median. (5 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 9.3% 9.3% 9.3% 1
1990s 6.4% 5.9% 6.9% 2
2000s 8.8% 7.8% 9.3% 3
2010s 9.5% 9.2% 9.8% 3

Countries ranked near Sri Lanka

  1. 90 Albania 9.6% compare
  2. 90 Thailand 9.6% compare
  3. 92 Mali 9.4% compare
  4. 94 Guinea-Bissau 9.1% compare
  5. 94 Kenya 9.1% compare

See the full ranking of 131 places →

More infrastructure data for Sri Lanka

All data for Sri Lanka →

Frequently asked questions

What is proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income in Sri Lanka?
Proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income in Sri Lanka was 9.4% in 2019, 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 Sri Lanka?
The highest recorded value was 9.8% in 2016.
What is the lowest proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income recorded in Sri Lanka?
The lowest recorded value was 5.9% in 1990.
How does Sri Lanka rank for proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income?
Sri Lanka ranks 92nd out of 130 countries with data for 2019.
Is proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
Over the last ten years it is up 20.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Sri Lanka 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 Sri Lanka. 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/sri-lanka/

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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