Palma ratio (before tax) in Sweden
Sweden: Palma ratio (before tax) was 1.85 in 2022. ▲ Rising
Palma ratio (before tax) in Sweden, 1935–2022
Source: World Inequality Database (WID.world) (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for palma ratio (before tax) in Sweden is 1.85, measured in 2022.
That represents a change of down 2.4% on the previous year and up 1.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, palma ratio (before tax) in Sweden peaked at 2.42 in 1935 and was at its lowest, 1.31, in 1979.
Sweden ranks 110th of 113 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 83 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1930s | 2.42 | 2.42 | 2.42 | 1 |
| 1940s | 2 | 1.78 | 2.21 | 9 |
| 1950s | 1.68 | 1.63 | 1.76 | 10 |
| 1960s | 1.56 | 1.5 | 1.61 | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.4 | 1.31 | 1.55 | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.54 | 1.41 | 1.64 | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.74 | 1.47 | 1.95 | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.91 | 1.72 | 2.09 | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.91 | 1.81 | 2.09 | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.89 | 1.85 | 1.92 | 3 |
Countries ranked near Sweden
More reference data data for Sweden
- Spring temperature anomalies 4.22 °C (2026)
- Summer temperature anomalies 1.58 °C (2026)
- Temperature anomalies by month -3.74 °C (2026)
- Universal right to vote in practice 2 (2025)
- Autumn temperature anomalies 2.27 °C (2025)
- Winter temperature anomalies 3.13 °C (2025)
- Consumer price index 138.19 2010 = 100 (2025)
- Universal right to vote 2 (2025)
- Competitive elections 1 (2025)
- Men's universal right to vote 1 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is palma ratio (before tax) in Sweden?
- Palma ratio (before tax) in Sweden was 1.85 in 2022, according to World Inequality Database (WID.world) (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest palma ratio (before tax) recorded in Sweden?
- The highest recorded value was 2.42 in 1935.
- What is the lowest palma ratio (before tax) recorded in Sweden?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.31 in 1979.
- How does Sweden rank for palma ratio (before tax)?
- Sweden ranks 110th out of 113 countries with data for 2022.
- Is palma ratio (before tax) rising or falling in Sweden?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sweden 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 Palma ratio (before tax). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 83 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
The Palma ratio is a measure of inequality that divides the share received by the richest 10% by the share of the poorest 40%. Higher values indicate higher inequality. Inequality is measured here in terms of income before taxes and benefits.