European Union - At Risk of Poverty rate: Males was 15.50% in December of 2024, according to the EUROSTAT. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for European Union - At Risk of Poverty rate: Males - last updated from the EUROSTAT on July of 2025. Historically, European Union - At Risk of Poverty rate: Males reached a record high of 17.00% in December of 2015 and a record low of 15.40% in December of 2023.

The number of people at risk of poverty or social exclusion in the European Union increased by 729 thousand persons since the previous year. In total, the number of people at risk of poverty amounted to 94.5 million persons in 2023. This trend was preceded by a declining number of people at risk of poverty.People at risk of poverty or social exclusion, income distribution and monetary poverty, living conditions and material deprivation is the main indicator to monitor the EU 2030 target on poverty and social exclusion and was the headline indicator to monitor the EU 2020 Strategy poverty target.Find more key insights for the number of people at risk of poverty or social exclusion in countries like Czechia, France, and Poland.

In 2023, the percentage of people at risk of poverty or social exclusion in the European Union was recorded at **** percent, showing a slight decrease from the previous year. ******************** continue to exhibit significant challenges, with ** percent and ** percent of their populations at risk, respectively. In contrast, Czechia and Slovenia maintained lower rates, at ** percent and **** percent.

European Union - At Risk of Poverty rate of elderly people: Owner was 15.20% in December of 2024, according to the EUROSTAT. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for European Union - At Risk of Poverty rate of elderly people: Owner - last updated from the EUROSTAT on July of 2025. Historically, European Union - At Risk of Poverty rate of elderly people: Owner reached a record high of 15.90% in December of 2020 and a record low of 12.10% in December of 2014.

Portugal, Spain and Bulgaria are the countries most at risk of energy poverty in the European Union. As of 2023, over ********* of households in each country were unable to adequately heat their homes. They were followed Lithuania, where another ** percent of households struggled to keep their houses warm.

European Union - At Risk of Poverty rate: Employed persons was 8.20% in December of 2024, according to the EUROSTAT. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for European Union - At Risk of Poverty rate: Employed persons - last updated from the EUROSTAT on June of 2025. Historically, European Union - At Risk of Poverty rate: Employed persons reached a record high of 9.80% in December of 2016 and a record low of 8.20% in December of 2024.

Out of all OECD countries, Cost Rica had the highest poverty rate as of 2022, at over 20 percent. The country with the second highest poverty rate was the United States, with 18 percent. On the other end of the scale, Czechia had the lowest poverty rate at 6.4 percent, followed by Denmark.

The significance of the OECD

The OECD, or the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, was founded in 1948 and is made up of 38 member countries. It seeks to improve the economic and social well-being of countries and their populations. The OECD looks at issues that impact people’s everyday lives and proposes policies that can help to improve the quality of life.

Poverty in the United States

In 2022, there were nearly 38 million people living below the poverty line in the U.S.. About one fourth of the Native American population lived in poverty in 2022, the most out of any ethnicity. In addition, the rate was higher among young women than young men. It is clear that poverty in the United States is a complex, multi-faceted issue that affects millions of people and is even more complex to solve.

European Union - In Work at Risk of Poverty Rate: Full-time was 6.90% in December of 2024, according to the EUROSTAT. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for European Union - In Work at Risk of Poverty Rate: Full-time - last updated from the EUROSTAT on July of 2025. Historically, European Union - In Work at Risk of Poverty Rate: Full-time reached a record high of 8.10% in December of 2016 and a record low of 6.90% in December of 2024.

The share of persons with an equivalised disposable income, before social transfers, below the risk-of-poverty threshold, which is set at 60 % of the national median equivalised disposable income (after social transfers). Retirement and survivor's pensions are counted as income before transfers and not as social transfers.

The share of persons who are at work and have an equivalised disposable income below the risk-of-poverty threshold, which is set at 60 % of the national median equivalised disposable income (after social transfers). The indicator is broken down by working time (full- and part-time workers).

In-work at-risk-of-poverty rate by age and sex

The share of persons with an equivalised disposable income, before social transfers, below the at-risk-of-poverty threshold. Retirement and survivor's pensions are counted as income before transfers and not as social transfers.

Between 1987 and 1988, just three percent of the population in Central and Eastern Europe lived below the poverty level; between 1993 and 1995, this had increased to one quarter of the population. This drastic shift came as a result of communism's end in Europe, and the dissolution of the Soviet Union. In Russia alone, just two percent of the population lived in poverty in 1989, but this rose to 23.8 percent in 1998.

The indicator shows the percentage of the population whose equivalised disposable income was below the ‘at-.risk-of-poverty threshold’ for the current year and at least 2 out of the preceding 3 years.

The indicator is defined as the share of persons with an equivalised disposable income below the risk-of-poverty threshold, which is set at 60 % of the national median equivalised disposable income (after social transfers).

At-risk-of-poverty rate by age group - EU-SILC survey

European Union - At Risk of Poverty rate: From 50 to 64 years was 14.50% in December of 2024, according to the EUROSTAT. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for European Union - At Risk of Poverty rate: From 50 to 64 years - last updated from the EUROSTAT on June of 2025. Historically, European Union - At Risk of Poverty rate: From 50 to 64 years reached a record high of 16.20% in December of 2015 and a record low of 13.30% in December of 2010.

Slovakia was the European Union (EU) country with the largest expected increase in poverty due to the Russia-Ukraine war that began in February 2022. According to the estimates, the share of the Slovak population at risk of poverty was estimated to increase by 4.3 percent as a consequence of economic issues caused by the invasion, such as inflation. Estonia was projected the second-highest poverty increase, at 3.7 percent of residents.

The indicator is defined as the percentage of the population whose equivalised disposable income is below the ‘at-risk-of-poverty threshold’ calculated in the standard way for the base year, currently 2005, and then adjusted for inflation.

The relative median at-risk-of-poverty gap is calculated as the difference between the median equivalised total net income of persons below the at-risk-of-poverty threshold and the at-risk-of-poverty threshold, expressed as a percentage of the at-risk-of-poverty threshold (cut-off point: 60% of median equivalised income). The EU aggregate is a population weighted average of individual national figures. In line with decisions of the European Council, the risk-of-poverty rate is measured relative to the situation in each country rather than applying a common threshold to all countries.