In 2022, approximately 9.5 percent of the Peruvian population was living on less than 3.20 U.S. dollars per day. This share has been continuously decreasing since 2010 when it totaled until 2019. Still, social inequality remains a challenge in Peru and in the whole Latin American region.

Historical chart and dataset showing Peru poverty rate by year from 1985 to 2023.

Poverty headcount ratio at national poverty lines (% of population) in Peru was reported at 27.5 % in 2022, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Peru - Poverty headcount ratio at national poverty line (% of population) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on July of 2025.

In 2022, the poverty headcount ratio at national poverty lines in Peru increased by 1.6 percentage points (+6.18 percent) compared to 2021. In total, the poverty headcount ratio amounted to 27.5 percent in 2022. The poverty headcount ratio at national poverty lines refers to the share of the population living in poverty, based on parameters set by local, regional, or national governments.Find more key insights for the poverty headcount ratio at national poverty lines in countries like Ecuador and Bolivia.

Peru PE: Poverty Gap at National Poverty Lines: Urban: % data was reported at 3.300 % in 2014. This stayed constant from the previous number of 3.300 % for 2013. Peru PE: Poverty Gap at National Poverty Lines: Urban: % data is updated yearly, averaging 4.250 % from Dec 2007 (Median) to 2014, with 8 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 8.000 % in 2007 and a record low of 3.300 % in 2014. Peru PE: Poverty Gap at National Poverty Lines: Urban: % data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Peru – Table PE.World Bank: Poverty. Urban poverty gap at national poverty lines is the urban population's mean shortfall from the poverty lines (counting the nonpoor as having zero shortfall) as a percentage of the poverty lines. This measure reflects the depth of poverty as well as its incidence.; ; World Bank, Global Poverty Working Group. Data are compiled from official government sources or are computed by World Bank staff using national (i.e. country–specific) poverty lines.; ; This series only includes estimates that to the best of our knowledge are reasonably comparable over time for a country. Due to differences in estimation methodologies and poverty lines, estimates should not be compared across countries.

Peru had, in 2023, more than 20 percent of the indigenous population living in poverty, thus representing an increase of 2.1 percentage points compared to the previous year. Furthermore, over a fourth of afro-descendants in Peru lived under the poverty line as well.

Peru PE: Poverty Headcount Ratio at National Poverty Lines: % of Population data was reported at 20.700 % in 2016. This records a decrease from the previous number of 21.800 % for 2015. Peru PE: Poverty Headcount Ratio at National Poverty Lines: % of Population data is updated yearly, averaging 30.800 % from Dec 2004 (Median) to 2016, with 13 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 58.700 % in 2004 and a record low of 20.700 % in 2016. Peru PE: Poverty Headcount Ratio at National Poverty Lines: % of Population data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Peru – Table PE.World Bank: Poverty. National poverty headcount ratio is the percentage of the population living below the national poverty lines. National estimates are based on population-weighted subgroup estimates from household surveys.; ; World Bank, Global Poverty Working Group. Data are compiled from official government sources or are computed by World Bank staff using national (i.e. country–specific) poverty lines.; ; This series only includes estimates that to the best of our knowledge are reasonably comparable over time for a country. Due to differences in estimation methodologies and poverty lines, estimates should not be compared across countries.

The share of the population with at least one poverty condition or unmet need in the Peruvian capital of Lima reached its lowest during 2017 with 8.1 percent. In 2023, the share of residents of the metropolitan area was over nine percent.

Peru PE: Poverty Headcount Ratio at National Poverty Lines: Urban: % of Urban Population data was reported at 15.300 % in 2014. This records a decrease from the previous number of 16.100 % for 2013. Peru PE: Poverty Headcount Ratio at National Poverty Lines: Urban: % of Urban Population data is updated yearly, averaging 21.300 % from Dec 2004 (Median) to 2014, with 11 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 48.200 % in 2004 and a record low of 15.300 % in 2014. Peru PE: Poverty Headcount Ratio at National Poverty Lines: Urban: % of Urban Population data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Peru – Table PE.World Bank: Poverty. Urban poverty headcount ratio is the percentage of the urban population living below the national poverty lines.; ; World Bank, Global Poverty Working Group. Data are compiled from official government sources or are computed by World Bank staff using national (i.e. country–specific) poverty lines.; ; This series only includes estimates that to the best of our knowledge are reasonably comparable over time for a country. Due to differences in estimation methodologies and poverty lines, estimates should not be compared across countries.

Throughout the depicted period in Peru, the population witnessed a rapid decline in extreme poverty, except for an increase observed between 2020 and 2023. This increase caused the share of extreme poverty to reach 5.7% in the most recent reported year.

Peru was one of the countries most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in terms of health and economic impacts and the erosion of the socialgains achieved in the previous decade. By July 2022, Peru had registered more than 6,000 deaths per million population because of COVID-19,placing the country among the countries with the highest COVID-related mortality rates per capita. The economy contracted by 11 percent in 2020, its biggest fall in 30 years and the largest in Latin America during that year. As a result, the national poverty rate increased to 30.1 percent, a level not seen since 2010, and extreme poverty reached 5.1percent in 2020, comparable with the rate in 2013. By the end of 2021, the economy had recovered, but poverty and extreme poverty remained at the levels of 2012 and 2015, respectively. The magnitude of the welfare loss during the crisis revealed the fragility of the social gains that had been achieved during the previous two decades.

Peru PE: Poverty Gap at National Poverty Lines: % data was reported at 5.400 % in 2015. This records a decrease from the previous number of 5.800 % for 2014. Peru PE: Poverty Gap at National Poverty Lines: % data is updated yearly, averaging 7.800 % from Dec 2007 (Median) to 2015, with 9 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 14.200 % in 2007 and a record low of 5.400 % in 2015. Peru PE: Poverty Gap at National Poverty Lines: % data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Peru – Table PE.World Bank: Poverty. Poverty gap at national poverty lines is the mean shortfall from the poverty lines (counting the nonpoor as having zero shortfall) as a percentage of the poverty lines. This measure reflects the depth of poverty as well as its incidence.; ; World Bank, Global Poverty Working Group. Data are compiled from official government sources or are computed by World Bank staff using national (i.e. country–specific) poverty lines.; ; This series only includes estimates that to the best of our knowledge are reasonably comparable over time for a country. Due to differences in estimation methodologies and poverty lines, estimates should not be compared across countries.

Peru PE: Poverty Headcount Ratio at National Poverty Lines: Rural: % of Rural Population data was reported at 46.000 % in 2014. This records a decrease from the previous number of 48.000 % for 2013. Peru PE: Poverty Headcount Ratio at National Poverty Lines: Rural: % of Rural Population data is updated yearly, averaging 66.700 % from Dec 2004 (Median) to 2014, with 11 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 83.400 % in 2004 and a record low of 46.000 % in 2014. Peru PE: Poverty Headcount Ratio at National Poverty Lines: Rural: % of Rural Population data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Peru – Table PE.World Bank: Poverty. Rural poverty headcount ratio is the percentage of the rural population living below the national poverty lines.; ; World Bank, Global Poverty Working Group. Data are compiled from official government sources or are computed by World Bank staff using national (i.e. country–specific) poverty lines.; ; This series only includes estimates that to the best of our knowledge are reasonably comparable over time for a country. Due to differences in estimation methodologies and poverty lines, estimates should not be compared across countries.

During the depicted period in Peru, the proportion of individuals living in poverty experienced fluctuations, initially displaying an organic downward trend. However, the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the country's situation, causing the poverty rate to reach its highest level.

2,70 (%) in 2022. Population below $1.9 a day is the percentage of the population living on less than $1.9 a day at 2005 international prices. As a result of revisions in PPP exchange rates, poverty rates for individual countries cannot be compared with poverty rates reported in earlier editions.

Population Poverty Rate Statistics for 2022. This is part of a larger dataset covering poverty in Peru, New York by age, education, race, gender, work experience and more.

Among Latin American countries in 2023, Colombia had the highest share of both Afro-descendants and indigenous people living impoverished, with 45.6 percent and 63.5 percent, respectively. Additionally, Colombia also had the highest share of indigenous people living under extreme poverty that year. Ecuador had the second-highest share of indigenous population whose average per capita income was below the poverty line, with 50.4 percent. Uruguay was the only nation where Afro-descendants were the ethnic group with the largest share of the poor population, as in the other selected countries such group was indigenous people.

9,50 (%) in 2022. Population below $3.1 a day is the percentage of the population living on less than $3.1 a day at 2005 international prices. As a result of revisions in PPP exchange rates, poverty rates for individual countries cannot be compared with poverty rates reported in earlier editions.

Peru PE: Proportion of Population Pushed Below the $1.90: Poverty Line by Out-of-Pocket Health Care Expenditure: 2011 PPP: % data was reported at 0.052 % in 2015. This records a decrease from the previous number of 0.118 % for 2014. Peru PE: Proportion of Population Pushed Below the $1.90: Poverty Line by Out-of-Pocket Health Care Expenditure: 2011 PPP: % data is updated yearly, averaging 0.317 % from Dec 2000 (Median) to 2015, with 10 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 1.235 % in 2000 and a record low of 0.052 % in 2015. Peru PE: Proportion of Population Pushed Below the $1.90: Poverty Line by Out-of-Pocket Health Care Expenditure: 2011 PPP: % data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Peru – Table PE.World Bank: Poverty. Proportion of population pushed below the $1.90 ($ 2011 PPP) poverty line by out-of-pocket health care expenditure, expressed as a percentage of a total population of a country; ; Wagstaff et al. Progress on Impoverishing Health Spending: Results for 122 Countries. A Retrospective Observational Study, Lancet Global Health 2017.; Weighted Average;

Male Poverty Rate Statistics for 2022. This is part of a larger dataset covering poverty in Peru, New York by age, education, race, gender, work experience and more.