Income share of the richest 1% (before tax) in Belgium
Belgium: Income share of the richest 1% (before tax) was 8.7% in 2022. ▲ Rising
Latest (2022)
8.7%
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
106th
of 113 countries
All-time high
9.5%
in 2007
All-time low
7.5%
in 2009
Years of data
33
1985–2022
Income share of the richest 1% (before tax) in Belgium, 1985–2022
Source: World Inequality Database (WID.world) (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Belgium recorded 8.7% for income share of the richest 1% (before tax) in 2022.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 6.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, income share of the richest 1% (before tax) in Belgium peaked at 9.5% in 2007 and was at its lowest, 7.5%, in 2009.
Belgium ranks 106th of 113 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 33 years of available data.
Income share of the richest 1% (before tax) in Belgium, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 7.5% | — |
| 1988 | 8.9% | +18.8% |
| 1991 | 7.9% | -11.7% |
| 1992 | 7.6% | -3.8% |
| 1993 | 7.6% | -0.1% |
| 1994 | 8.2% | +8.3% |
| 1995 | 8.1% | -1.7% |
| 1996 | 8.3% | +3.2% |
| 1997 | 8.3% | +0.1% |
| 1998 | 8.1% | -2.3% |
| 1999 | 8.2% | +1.1% |
| 2000 | 8.2% | -0.4% |
| 2001 | 8.0% | -2.8% |
| 2002 | 7.6% | -4.1% |
| 2003 | 7.7% | +0.5% |
| 2004 | 8.5% | +11.1% |
| 2005 | 8.4% | -0.9% |
| 2006 | 8.7% | +3.2% |
| 2007 | 9.5% | +9.3% |
| 2008 | 8.5% | -10.7% |
| 2009 | 7.5% | -11.9% |
| 2010 | 7.6% | +1.9% |
| 2011 | 7.9% | +4.1% |
| 2012 | 8.2% | +2.9% |
| 2014 | 8.3% | +2.1% |
| 2015 | 8.5% | +1.7% |
| 2016 | 8.6% | +1.8% |
| 2017 | 8.5% | -1.5% |
| 2018 | 8.6% | +0.9% |
| 2019 | 8.7% | +1.4% |
| 2020 | 8.7% | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 8.7% | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 8.7% | +0.0% |
Belgium compared with similar countries
- Belgium's 8.7% is below the median for high income countries, which is 11.8%, 73% of the median. (45 countries reporting)
- Belgium's 8.7% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 10.8%, 81% of the median. (42 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 8.2% | 7.5% | 8.9% | 2 |
| 1990s | 8.0% | 7.6% | 8.3% | 9 |
| 2000s | 8.3% | 7.5% | 9.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 8.3% | 7.6% | 8.7% | 9 |
| 2020s | 8.7% | 8.7% | 8.7% | 3 |
Countries ranked near Belgium
- 103 Montenegro 9.0% compare
- 104 Seychelles 8.8% compare
- 105 Guinea 8.7% compare
- 107 Iceland 8.6% compare
- 108 Cyprus 8.5% compare
- 109 North Macedonia 8.2% compare
More reference data data for Belgium
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.9298 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.291 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 2.09 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.1382 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 2.09 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 3.12 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 1.93 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 1.61 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 10.4 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.7526 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is income share of the richest 1% (before tax) in Belgium?
- Income share of the richest 1% (before tax) in Belgium was 8.7% in 2022, according to World Inequality Database (WID.world) (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest income share of the richest 1% (before tax) recorded in Belgium?
- The highest recorded value was 9.5% in 2007.
- What is the lowest income share of the richest 1% (before tax) recorded in Belgium?
- The lowest recorded value was 7.5% in 2009.
- How does Belgium rank for income share of the richest 1% (before tax)?
- Belgium ranks 106th out of 113 countries with data for 2022.
- Is income share of the richest 1% (before tax) rising or falling in Belgium?
- Over the last ten years it is up 6.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Belgium data come from?
- The figures come from World Inequality Database (WID.world) (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Income share of the richest 1% (before tax). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of income received by the richest 1%. Income here is measured before taxes and benefits.