Poverty: Share of population living on less than $4.20 a day in Laos
Laos: Poverty: Share of population living on less than $4.20 a day was 22.5% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Poverty: Share of population living on less than $4.20 a day in Laos, 1992–2024
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 Laos is 22.5%, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 7 years on record.
The figure is down 47.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, poverty: share of population living on less than $4.20 a day in Laos peaked at 80.1% in 1997 and was at its lowest, 22.5%, in 2024.
That places Laos 32nd out of 120 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
Poverty: Share of population living on less than $4.20 a day in Laos, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1992 | 65.2% | — |
| 1997 | 80.1% | +22.8% |
| 2002 | 68.5% | -14.5% |
| 2007 | 61.1% | -10.7% |
| 2012 | 43.2% | -29.4% |
| 2018 | 35.0% | -19.0% |
| 2024 | 22.5% | -35.7% |
Laos compared with similar countries
- Laos's 22.5% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 23.5%, 96% of the median. (29 countries reporting)
- Laos's 22.5% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 1.6%, 14.0× the median. (11 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 72.7% | 65.2% | 80.1% | 2 |
| 2000s | 64.8% | 61.1% | 68.5% | 2 |
| 2010s | 39.1% | 35.0% | 43.2% | 2 |
| 2020s | 22.5% | 22.5% | 22.5% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Laos
- 29 Mauritania 26.0% compare
- 30 India 23.9% compare
- 31 Honduras 23.5% compare
- 33 Bangladesh 20.5% compare
- 34 Guatemala 17.6% compare
- 35 Tajikistan 16.9% compare
More reference data data for Laos
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.6615 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.913 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 1.88 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.3021 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 1.88 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 2.22 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 3.96 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 5.07 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 12.95 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 1.64 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is poverty: share of population living on less than $4.20 a day in Laos?
- Poverty: share of population living on less than $4.20 a day in Laos was 22.5% in 2024, 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 Laos?
- The highest recorded value was 80.1% in 1997.
- What is the lowest poverty: share of population living on less than $4.20 a day recorded in Laos?
- The lowest recorded value was 22.5% in 2024.
- How does Laos rank for poverty: share of population living on less than $4.20 a day?
- Laos ranks 32nd out of 120 countries with data for 2024.
- Is poverty: share of population living on less than $4.20 a day rising or falling in Laos?
- Over the last ten years it is down 47.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Laos 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.