In 2022, approximately 4.7 percent of the Mexican population were living on less than 3.20 U.S. dollars per day, a considerable decrease in comparison to the previous year. Furthermore, unemployment rate in this Latin American country during this period was at 3.2 percent. Poverty is considerably higher in the South In 2022, the three states with the highest poverty rate in the Aztec country were Chiapas, Guerrero, and Oaxaca, all in the southern region. In contrast, the top eight federal entities with the lowest were all in the North. The clear division is further accentuated by the Northern Border Free Zone, which encompasses 43 municipalities in the Mexico-U.S. border with higher minimum wages and lower taxes. Poverty in states such as Chiapas reaches over 67 percent, which means two out of three residents are under the poverty line and almost one out of three under extreme poverty conditions.
A country troubled by inequality Poverty and inequality are no news in Mexico. In the most recent data, around 80 percent of the total wealth of the country was concentrated in the top 10 percent of the population. Moreover, the bottom 50 percent had a negative share, meaning that half of the Mexican population had more debts than assets. But inequality does not only encompass wealth distribution, but Mexico also has a problem regarding gender inequality. The government has failed to achieve many of its goals to reduce the gap between genders.

Two out of every three persons in Chiapas lived under the poverty line in 2022, making it the federal entity with the largest share of poor population in Mexico. On average, about 36 percent of the Mexican population was living in poverty that year.

The working poverty rate in Mexico, which refers to the percentage of the population with labor income below the cost of the food basket, rose to **** percent in the fourth quarter of 2024. The share of the Mexican population at working poverty peaked in the third quarter of 2020, at ** percent.

Poverty headcount ratio at national poverty lines (% of population) in Mexico was reported at 36.3 % in 2022, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Mexico - Poverty headcount ratio at national poverty line (% of population) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on June of 2025.

Mexico Multidimensional Poverty Headcount Ratio: World Bank: % of total population data was reported at 1.700 % in 2022. This records a decrease from the previous number of 2.600 % for 2020. Mexico Multidimensional Poverty Headcount Ratio: World Bank: % of total population data is updated yearly, averaging 2.900 % from Dec 2010 (Median) to 2022, with 7 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 5.700 % in 2010 and a record low of 1.700 % in 2022. Mexico Multidimensional Poverty Headcount Ratio: World Bank: % of total population data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Mexico – Table MX.World Bank.WDI: Social: Poverty and Inequality. The multidimensional poverty headcount ratio (World Bank) is the percentage of a population living in poverty according to the World Bank's Multidimensional Poverty Measure. The Multidimensional Poverty Measure includes three dimensions – monetary poverty, education, and basic infrastructure services – to capture a more complete picture of poverty.;World Bank, Poverty and Inequality Platform. Data are based on primary household survey data obtained from government statistical agencies and World Bank country departments. Data for high-income economies are mostly from the Luxembourg Income Study database. For more information and methodology, please see http://pip.worldbank.org.;;The World Bank’s internationally comparable poverty monitoring database now draws on income or detailed consumption data from more than 2000 household surveys across 169 countries. See the Poverty and Inequality Platform (PIP) for details (www.pip.worldbank.org).

Mexico Poverty Headcount Ratio at Societal Poverty Lines: % of Population data was reported at 22.500 % in 2022. This records a decrease from the previous number of 24.700 % for 2020. Mexico Poverty Headcount Ratio at Societal Poverty Lines: % of Population data is updated yearly, averaging 29.450 % from Dec 1989 (Median) to 2022, with 18 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 34.600 % in 1998 and a record low of 22.500 % in 2022. Mexico Poverty Headcount Ratio at Societal Poverty Lines: % of Population data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Mexico – Table MX.World Bank.WDI: Social: Poverty and Inequality. The poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line is the percentage of a population living in poverty according to the World Bank's Societal Poverty Line. The Societal Poverty Line is expressed in purchasing power adjusted 2017 U.S. dollars and defined as max($2.15, $1.15 + 0.5*Median). This means that when the national median is sufficiently low, the Societal Poverty line is equivalent to the extreme poverty line, $2.15. For countries with a sufficiently high national median, the Societal Poverty Line grows as countries’ median income grows.;World Bank, Poverty and Inequality Platform. Data are based on primary household survey data obtained from government statistical agencies and World Bank country departments. Data for high-income economies are mostly from the Luxembourg Income Study database. For more information and methodology, please see http://pip.worldbank.org.;;The World Bank’s internationally comparable poverty monitoring database now draws on income or detailed consumption data from more than 2000 household surveys across 169 countries. See the Poverty and Inequality Platform (PIP) for details (www.pip.worldbank.org).

Mexico: Poverty, percent of population: The latest value from 2022 is 36.3 percent, a decline from 43.9 percent in 2020. In comparison, the world average is 21.55 percent, based on data from 34 countries. Historically, the average for Mexico from 2016 to 2022 is 41.43 percent. The minimum value, 36.3 percent, was reached in 2022 while the maximum of 43.9 percent was recorded in 2020.

The state of Mexico was the Mexican state with the highest number of people living in poverty in 2022. It was estimated that more than 7.4 million people residing in the state of Mexico lived in a situation of poverty. On the other hand, Baja California Sur was the state with the lowest number of people living in poverty, with 112,000. Regarding extreme poverty, Chiapas was the state in Mexico with the highest average that year.

Men in Mexico were sligthly less likely to face extreme poverty than women. In 2022, it was estimated that 7.2 percent of the female population in Mexico lived in extreme poverty, while 6.9 percent of men were considered to be in the same situation. Regarding poverty, Mexican women that year were also more likely to face it.

Chiapas was the state in Mexico with the highest average extreme poverty rate in 2022. It was estimated that almost three out of ten people in Chiapas lived in a situation of extreme poverty. In contrast, Baja California was the state with the lowest extreme poverty rate, with 0.8 percent, well below the national average, which stood at 7.1 percent. The share of population living in poverty in Mexico amounted to 36.3 percent in 2022.

Mexico MX: Income Share Held by Lowest 20% data was reported at 5.700 % in 2016. This records an increase from the previous number of 5.400 % for 2014. Mexico MX: Income Share Held by Lowest 20% data is updated yearly, averaging 4.500 % from Dec 1984 (Median) to 2016, with 15 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 5.700 % in 2016 and a record low of 3.900 % in 2000. Mexico MX: Income Share Held by Lowest 20% data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Mexico – Table MX.World Bank.WDI: Poverty. Percentage share of income or consumption is the share that accrues to subgroups of population indicated by deciles or quintiles. Percentage shares by quintile may not sum to 100 because of rounding.; ; World Bank, Development Research Group. Data are based on primary household survey data obtained from government statistical agencies and World Bank country departments. Data for high-income economies are from the Luxembourg Income Study database. For more information and methodology, please see PovcalNet (http://iresearch.worldbank.org/PovcalNet/index.htm).; ; The World Bank’s internationally comparable poverty monitoring database now draws on income or detailed consumption data from more than one thousand six hundred household surveys across 164 countries in six regions and 25 other high income countries (industrialized economies). While income distribution data are published for all countries with data available, poverty data are published for low- and middle-income countries and countries eligible to receive loans from the World Bank (such as Chile) and recently graduated countries (such as Estonia) only. See PovcalNet (http://iresearch.worldbank.org/PovcalNet/WhatIsNew.aspx) for definitions of geographical regions and industrialized countries.

The poverty rate in Mexico accounted for almost 36 percent of the country's population in 2022, a decrease of 7.6 percentage points when compared with the rate from 2020. The state of Mexico was the state with the highest number of people living in poverty in 2022.

Mexico MX: Gini Coefficient (GINI Index): World Bank Estimate data was reported at 43.400 % in 2016. This records a decrease from the previous number of 45.800 % for 2014. Mexico MX: Gini Coefficient (GINI Index): World Bank Estimate data is updated yearly, averaging 48.300 % from Dec 1984 (Median) to 2016, with 15 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 51.400 % in 2000 and a record low of 43.400 % in 2016. Mexico MX: Gini Coefficient (GINI Index): World Bank Estimate data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Mexico – Table MX.World Bank.WDI: Poverty. Gini index measures the extent to which the distribution of income (or, in some cases, consumption expenditure) among individuals or households within an economy deviates from a perfectly equal distribution. A Lorenz curve plots the cumulative percentages of total income received against the cumulative number of recipients, starting with the poorest individual or household. The Gini index measures the area between the Lorenz curve and a hypothetical line of absolute equality, expressed as a percentage of the maximum area under the line. Thus a Gini index of 0 represents perfect equality, while an index of 100 implies perfect inequality.; ; World Bank, Development Research Group. Data are based on primary household survey data obtained from government statistical agencies and World Bank country departments. For more information and methodology, please see PovcalNet (http://iresearch.worldbank.org/PovcalNet/index.htm).; ; The World Bank’s internationally comparable poverty monitoring database now draws on income or detailed consumption data from more than one thousand six hundred household surveys across 164 countries in six regions and 25 other high income countries (industrialized economies). While income distribution data are published for all countries with data available, poverty data are published for low- and middle-income countries and countries eligible to receive loans from the World Bank (such as Chile) and recently graduated countries (such as Estonia) only. See PovcalNet (http://iresearch.worldbank.org/PovcalNet/WhatIsNew.aspx) for definitions of geographical regions and industrialized countries.

Women in Mexico were more likely to face poverty in 2022, as the share of the female population estimated to be in that situation stood at 36.9 percent, whereas among the male population it amounted to 35.6 percent. That year, the poverty rate in Mexico amounted to 36.3 percent.

Mexico MX: Income Share Held by Third 20% data was reported at 14.000 % in 2016. This records an increase from the previous number of 13.400 % for 2014. Mexico MX: Income Share Held by Third 20% data is updated yearly, averaging 13.000 % from Dec 1984 (Median) to 2016, with 15 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 14.000 % in 2016 and a record low of 12.300 % in 2000. Mexico MX: Income Share Held by Third 20% data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Mexico – Table MX.World Bank.WDI: Poverty. Percentage share of income or consumption is the share that accrues to subgroups of population indicated by deciles or quintiles. Percentage shares by quintile may not sum to 100 because of rounding.; ; World Bank, Development Research Group. Data are based on primary household survey data obtained from government statistical agencies and World Bank country departments. Data for high-income economies are from the Luxembourg Income Study database. For more information and methodology, please see PovcalNet (http://iresearch.worldbank.org/PovcalNet/index.htm).; ; The World Bank’s internationally comparable poverty monitoring database now draws on income or detailed consumption data from more than one thousand six hundred household surveys across 164 countries in six regions and 25 other high income countries (industrialized economies). While income distribution data are published for all countries with data available, poverty data are published for low- and middle-income countries and countries eligible to receive loans from the World Bank (such as Chile) and recently graduated countries (such as Estonia) only. See PovcalNet (http://iresearch.worldbank.org/PovcalNet/WhatIsNew.aspx) for definitions of geographical regions and industrialized countries.

Mexico MX: Poverty Headcount Ratio at National Poverty Lines: % of Population data was reported at 43.600 % in 2016. This records a decrease from the previous number of 46.200 % for 2014. Mexico MX: Poverty Headcount Ratio at National Poverty Lines: % of Population data is updated yearly, averaging 45.500 % from Dec 2008 (Median) to 2016, with 5 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 46.200 % in 2014 and a record low of 43.600 % in 2016. Mexico MX: 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 Mexico – Table MX.World Bank.WDI: 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.

65 to 74 years Poverty Rate Statistics for 2022. This is part of a larger dataset covering poverty in Mexico, Maine by age, education, race, gender, work experience and more.

Hispanic Poverty Rate Statistics for 2022. This is part of a larger dataset covering poverty in Mexico, Missouri by age, education, race, gender, work experience and more.

White Poverty Rate Statistics for 2022. This is part of a larger dataset covering poverty in Mexico, Missouri by age, education, race, gender, work experience and more.

The COVID-19 pandemic affected the world and influenced the lives of many. The poverty rate in Mexico accounted for approximately 44 percent of the country's population in 2020. In that year, it was estimated that more than eight percent of the population of Mexico lived in a situation of extreme poverty, while 35.4 percent of the population were considered to live in moderate poverty. All severities of poverty in Mexico decreased in 2022.