This statistic shows the percentage share of China's middle class consumption in the world in 2015 with forecasts for 2020 and 2030. According to the forecast, China's middle class consumption would account for approximately 22 percent of the total middle class consumption worldwide in 2030.

This statistic shows the number of China's middle class population in 2002 and a forecast for 2020. According to the forecast, the middle class in China would grow to approximately 700 million by 2020.

This statistic compares the share of the global wealth middle class population in China in 2000 and 2020. In 2020, China accounted for around 40 percent of the global wealth middle class population, an increase from around 29 percent in 2000.

As of January 2022, the largest share of Chinese middle-class families had an annual income of between 100 thousand and 300 thousand yuan per year. According to the same survey, almost 90 percent of respondents have at least one child. Many middle-class families in China face significant financial burdens because not only do living costs continuously increase but they also often have to support their parents. In that case, one family has to care for four elders and least one kid.

China Consumption Exp per Capita: Urban: Middle Income: Household Facility, Article & Service data was reported at 1,033.640 RMB in 2012. This records an increase from the previous number of 923.350 RMB for 2011. China Consumption Exp per Capita: Urban: Middle Income: Household Facility, Article & Service data is updated yearly, averaging 343.060 RMB from Dec 1985 (Median) to 2012, with 23 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 1,033.640 RMB in 2012 and a record low of 77.160 RMB in 1985. China Consumption Exp per Capita: Urban: Middle Income: Household Facility, Article & Service data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Household Survey – Table CN.HD: Consumption Structure by Income Level: Urban.

China Net Income per Capita: Rural Household: Wage: Upper Middle Income data was reported at 4,789.214 RMB in 2012. This records an increase from the previous number of 4,083.704 RMB for 2011. China Net Income per Capita: Rural Household: Wage: Upper Middle Income data is updated yearly, averaging 2,141.959 RMB from Dec 2002 (Median) to 2012, with 11 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 4,789.214 RMB in 2012 and a record low of 1,098.310 RMB in 2002. China Net Income per Capita: Rural Household: Wage: Upper Middle Income data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Household Survey – Table CN.HD: Income and Expenditure by Income Level: Rural.

This statistic shows the percentage share of China's middle class population in 2010 with a forecast for 2020. According to the forecast, the middle class in China would account for approximately 48 percent of the total population by 2020.

China Consumption Exp per Capita: Urban: Middle Income: Clothing data was reported at 1,765.930 RMB in 2012. This records an increase from the previous number of 1,628.590 RMB for 2011. China Consumption Exp per Capita: Urban: Middle Income: Clothing data is updated yearly, averaging 528.790 RMB from Dec 1985 (Median) to 2012, with 23 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 1,765.930 RMB in 2012 and a record low of 113.520 RMB in 1985. China Consumption Exp per Capita: Urban: Middle Income: Clothing data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Household Survey – Table CN.HD: Consumption Structure by Income Level: Urban.

This statistic shows the share of the urban middle class in the total population in China from 2005 to 2010. The middle class comprises households with an annual income of 60,000 to 500,000 yuan*. In 2005, 3.6 percent of the Chinese population belonged to the urban middle class.

China Income per Capita: Urban: Upper Middle Income data was reported at 32,758.800 RMB in 2012. This records an increase from the previous number of 29,058.920 RMB for 2011. China Income per Capita: Urban: Upper Middle Income data is updated yearly, averaging 6,673.460 RMB from Dec 1985 (Median) to 2012, with 28 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 32,758.800 RMB in 2012 and a record low of 935.520 RMB in 1985. China Income per Capita: Urban: Upper Middle Income data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Household Survey – Table CN.HD: Income and Expenditure by Income Level: Urban.

China Consumption Exp per Capita: RH: Upper Middle Income: Household Facility, Article & Service data was reported at 406.676 RMB in 2012. This records an increase from the previous number of 373.309 RMB for 2011. China Consumption Exp per Capita: RH: Upper Middle Income: Household Facility, Article & Service data is updated yearly, averaging 176.834 RMB from Dec 2002 (Median) to 2012, with 11 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 406.676 RMB in 2012 and a record low of 90.530 RMB in 2003. China Consumption Exp per Capita: RH: Upper Middle Income: Household Facility, Article & Service data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Household Survey – Table CN.HD: Consumption Structure by Income Level: Rural.

In China, the share of the population that earned at least the equivalent of the highest 40 percent of global income earners as of 2022 in purchasing power parity (PPP) terms was 79.5 percent. Hangzhou topped the list with the highest share of middle-class and above category of consumers.

China Consumption Exp per Capita: RH: Upper Middle Income: Transport, Post & Telecommunication data was reported at 732.451 RMB in 2012. This records an increase from the previous number of 634.055 RMB for 2011. China Consumption Exp per Capita: RH: Upper Middle Income: Transport, Post & Telecommunication data is updated yearly, averaging 385.302 RMB from Dec 2002 (Median) to 2012, with 11 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 732.451 RMB in 2012 and a record low of 153.640 RMB in 2002. China Consumption Exp per Capita: RH: Upper Middle Income: Transport, Post & Telecommunication data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Household Survey – Table CN.HD: Consumption Structure by Income Level: Rural.

China Consumption Exp per Capita: RH: Middle Income: Transport, Post & Telecommunication data was reported at 546.916 RMB in 2012. This records an increase from the previous number of 476.109 RMB for 2011. China Consumption Exp per Capita: RH: Middle Income: Transport, Post & Telecommunication data is updated yearly, averaging 284.970 RMB from Dec 2002 (Median) to 2012, with 11 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 546.916 RMB in 2012 and a record low of 100.500 RMB in 2002. China Consumption Exp per Capita: RH: Middle Income: Transport, Post & Telecommunication data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Household Survey – Table CN.HD: Consumption Structure by Income Level: Rural.

The statistic shows the distribution of the workforce across economic sectors in China from 2013 to 2023. In 2023, around 22.8 percent of the workforce were employed in the agricultural sector, 29.1 percent in the industrial sector and 48.1 percent in the service sector. This year, the share of agriculture increased for the first time in more than two decades, which highlights the difficult situation of the labor market due to the pandemic and economic downturn at the end of the year.

Distribution of the workforce in China

In 2012, China became the largest exporting country worldwide with an export value of about two trillion U.S. dollars. China’s economic system is largely based on growth and export, with the manufacturing sector being a crucial contributor to the country’s export competitiveness. Economic development was accompanied by a steady rise of labor costs, as well as a significant slowdown in labor force growth. These changes present a serious threat to the era of China as the world’s factory. The share of workforce in agriculture also steadily decreased in China until 2021, while the agricultural gross production value displayed continuous growth, amounting to approximately 7.8 trillion yuan in 2021.

Development of the service sector

Since 2011, the largest share of China’s labor force has been employed in the service sector. However, compared with developed countries, such as Japan or the United States, where 73 and 79 percent of the work force were active in services in 2021 respectively, the proportion of people working in the tertiary sector in China has been relatively low. The Chinese government aims to continue economic reform by moving from an emphasis on investment to consumption, among other measures. This might lead to a stronger service economy. Meanwhile, the size of the urban middle class in China is growing steadily. A growing number of affluent middle class consumers could promote consumption and help China move towards a balanced economy.

Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in Sub-Saharan Africa (% of total merchandise imports) in China was reported at 3.3609 % in 2020, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. China - Merchandise imports from developing economies in Sub-Saharan Africa (% of total merchandise imports) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on February of 2025.

As of January 2022, almost 70 percent of middle class families were planning to invest in public funds. Other popular financial products among this demographic included commercial insurance, stocks, and wealth management products. Only around one-fifth of respondents stated that they were going to deposit their money in a savings account.

China Household Survey: Number of Dependent Per Employee: Urban: Middle Income data was reported at 1.892 Person in 2012. This records a decrease from the previous number of 1.893 Person for 2011. China Household Survey: Number of Dependent Per Employee: Urban: Middle Income data is updated yearly, averaging 1.765 Person from Dec 1985 (Median) to 2012, with 28 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 1.930 Person in 2008 and a record low of 1.680 Person in 1995. China Household Survey: Number of Dependent Per Employee: Urban: Middle Income data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Household Survey – Table CN.HC: No of Household Surveyed: Urban: By Income Level.

China Net Income per Capita: Rural Household: Wage: Middle Income data was reported at 3,196.412 RMB in 2012. This records an increase from the previous number of 2,739.837 RMB for 2011. China Net Income per Capita: Rural Household: Wage: Middle Income data is updated yearly, averaging 1,450.075 RMB from Dec 2002 (Median) to 2012, with 11 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 3,196.412 RMB in 2012 and a record low of 716.180 RMB in 2002. China Net Income per Capita: Rural Household: Wage: Middle Income data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Household Survey – Table CN.HD: Income and Expenditure by Income Level: Rural.

In 2024, the number of people living in the middle class and above in China amounted to over 1.13 billion. In Brunei, over 455.8 thousand people were middle class and above, accounting for 100 percent of the country's population that year.