Poverty: Share of population living on less than $4.20 a day in Ghana
Ghana: Poverty: Share of population living on less than $4.20 a day was 56.3% in 2016. ▼ Falling
Poverty: Share of population living on less than $4.20 a day in Ghana, 1987–2016
Source: World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for poverty: share of population living on less than $4.20 a day in Ghana is 56.3%, measured in 2016. That is the lowest value across all 7 years on record.
The figure is down 26.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, poverty: share of population living on less than $4.20 a day in Ghana peaked at 90.3% in 1991 and was at its lowest, 56.3%, in 2016.
That places Ghana 16th out of 120 countries with data for 2016, putting it in the top quarter.
Poverty: Share of population living on less than $4.20 a day in Ghana, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1987 | 90.2% | — |
| 1988 | 89.6% | -0.7% |
| 1991 | 90.3% | +0.8% |
| 1998 | 79.8% | -11.6% |
| 2005 | 76.7% | -3.9% |
| 2012 | 59.8% | -22.0% |
| 2016 | 56.3% | -5.8% |
Ghana compared with similar countries
- Ghana's 56.3% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 23.5%, 2.4× the median. (29 countries reporting)
- Ghana's 56.3% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 62.1%, 91% of the median. (26 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 89.9% | 89.6% | 90.2% | 2 |
| 1990s | 85.1% | 79.8% | 90.3% | 2 |
| 2000s | 76.7% | 76.7% | 76.7% | 1 |
| 2010s | 58.0% | 56.3% | 59.8% | 2 |
Countries ranked near Ghana
More reference data data for Ghana
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.2805 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 1.89 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 2.69 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.1989 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 2.69 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.9405 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.9478 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 8.22 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 12.64 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 1.08 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is poverty: share of population living on less than $4.20 a day in Ghana?
- Poverty: share of population living on less than $4.20 a day in Ghana was 56.3% in 2016, according to World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest poverty: share of population living on less than $4.20 a day recorded in Ghana?
- The highest recorded value was 90.3% in 1991.
- What is the lowest poverty: share of population living on less than $4.20 a day recorded in Ghana?
- The lowest recorded value was 56.3% in 2016.
- How does Ghana rank for poverty: share of population living on less than $4.20 a day?
- Ghana ranks 16th out of 120 countries with data for 2016.
- Is poverty: share of population living on less than $4.20 a day rising or falling in Ghana?
- Over the last ten years it is down 26.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Ghana data come from?
- The figures come from World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Poverty: Share of population living on less than $4.20 a day. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Percentage of population living in households with an income or consumption below $4.20 per day.