Poverty: Share of population living on less than $4.20 a day in Iran
Iran: Poverty: Share of population living on less than $4.20 a day was 7.5% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Poverty: Share of population living on less than $4.20 a day in Iran, 1986–2023
Source: World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2023, poverty: share of population living on less than $4.20 a day in Iran stood at 7.5%.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 7.8% on the previous year and up 9.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, poverty: share of population living on less than $4.20 a day in Iran peaked at 35.7% in 1990 and was at its lowest, 6.3%, in 2012.
That places Iran 48th out of 120 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Poverty: Share of population living on less than $4.20 a day in Iran, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1986 | 35.0% | — |
| 1990 | 35.7% | +2.1% |
| 1994 | 28.7% | -19.6% |
| 1998 | 27.2% | -5.4% |
| 2005 | 10.7% | -60.5% |
| 2006 | 11.3% | +5.0% |
| 2009 | 10.5% | -6.8% |
| 2011 | 7.2% | -31.3% |
| 2012 | 6.3% | -13.1% |
| 2013 | 6.9% | +9.7% |
| 2014 | 8.8% | +28.2% |
| 2015 | 8.4% | -4.8% |
| 2016 | 8.6% | +2.2% |
| 2017 | 8.1% | -6.0% |
| 2018 | 9.3% | +15.8% |
| 2019 | 12.1% | +29.3% |
| 2020 | 12.2% | +1.5% |
| 2021 | 10.1% | -17.5% |
| 2022 | 8.2% | -19.0% |
| 2023 | 7.5% | -7.8% |
Iran compared with similar countries
- Iran's 7.5% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 4.2%, 1.8× the median. (35 countries reporting)
- Iran's 7.5% is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 6.6%, 1.1× the median. (10 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 35.0% | 35.0% | 35.0% | 1 |
| 1990s | 30.5% | 27.2% | 35.7% | 3 |
| 2000s | 10.8% | 10.5% | 11.3% | 3 |
| 2010s | 8.4% | 6.3% | 12.1% | 9 |
| 2020s | 9.5% | 7.5% | 12.2% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Iran
More reference data data for Iran
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 12.01 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 1.34 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 3.47 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 26.62 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 26.62 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Direct emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 8.15 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CO2eq) (AR5) - Enteric Fermentation 35,629 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CO2eq) (AR5) - Crop Residues 1,936 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Direct emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 34.53 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CO2eq) (AR5) - Burning - Crop residues 281.19 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is poverty: share of population living on less than $4.20 a day in Iran?
- Poverty: share of population living on less than $4.20 a day in Iran was 7.5% in 2023, 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 Iran?
- The highest recorded value was 35.7% in 1990.
- What is the lowest poverty: share of population living on less than $4.20 a day recorded in Iran?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.3% in 2012.
- How does Iran rank for poverty: share of population living on less than $4.20 a day?
- Iran ranks 48th out of 120 countries with data for 2023.
- Is poverty: share of population living on less than $4.20 a day rising or falling in Iran?
- Over the last ten years it is up 9.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Iran 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.