Poverty level in Russia by year
6,7 %, 2025 −0,4 to 2024
Rosstat considers people poor if their monetary income is below the poverty line. Until 2021, this line was defined by the subsistence minimum; since then, it has been tied to the baseline value of the fourth quarter of 2020, which has been indexed by inflation. The series dates back to 1992, showing a decline from a third of the population to around seven percent.
The peak occurred in 1992: 33.5% of the population, meaning every third resident. The second surge came in 1999 after the default, at 28.4%. The indicator then declined almost continuously, with noticeable pauses coinciding with crises: 2008–2009 and 2015.
Comparing values before 2021 and after requires caution. The subsistence minimum was recalculated based on the consumer basket and could rise faster or slower than prices, while the current poverty line is strictly indexed by inflation. These are different benchmarks, and the methodological break in the series in 2021 partly reflects this.
The indicator is calculated based on monetary income and does not account for savings, own household production, or in-kind assistance. Therefore, it reflects current income rather than the overall material well-being of a family.
Table by year
| Period | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1992 | 33,5 | |
| 1993 | 31,3 | −2,2 |
| 1994 | 22,4 | −8,9 |
| 1995 | 24,8 | +2,4 |
| 1996 | 22,1 | −2,7 |
| 1997 | 20,8 | −1,3 |
| 1998 | 23,4 | +2,6 |
| 1999 | 28,4 | +5,0 |
| 2000 | 29,0 | +0,6 |
| 2001 | 27,5 | −1,5 |
| 2002 | 24,6 | −2,9 |
| 2003 | 20,3 | −4,3 |
| 2004 | 17,6 | −2,7 |
| 2005 | 17,8 | +0,2 |
| 2006 | 15,2 | −2,6 |
| 2007 | 13,3 | −1,9 |
| 2008 | 13,4 | +0,1 |
| 2009 | 13,0 | −0,4 |
| 2010 | 12,5 | −0,5 |
| 2011 | 12,7 | +0,2 |
| 2012 | 10,8 | −1,9 |
| 2013 | 10,8 | 0,0 |
| 2014 | 11,3 | +0,5 |
| 2015 | 13,5 | +2,2 |
| 2016 | 13,3 | −0,2 |
| 2017 | 13,0 | −0,3 |
| 2018 | 12,7 | −0,3 |
| 2019 | 12,4 | −0,3 |
| 2020 | 12,2 | −0,2 |
| 2021 | 11,1 | −1,1 |
| 2022 | 9,0 | −2,1 |
| 2023 | 8,3 | −0,7 |
| 2024 | 7,1 | −1,2 |
| 2025 | 6,7 | −0,4 |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the current poverty level in Russia?
According to Rosstat data for 2025, 6.7% of the population had income below the poverty line. This is the lowest value recorded since observations began in 1992.
How does the poverty line differ from the subsistence minimum?
Until 2021, they were the same: people were considered poor if their income was below the subsistence minimum. Since 2021, the poverty line has been calculated separately: the baseline was set as the value for the fourth quarter of 2020 and is indexed by inflation. The subsistence minimum remains in place but is now tied to median income and used for benefit payments.
How many people live below the poverty line?
The share is converted into a number of people by multiplying by the population size. At 6.7% and a population of about 146 million, this amounts to approximately 9.8 million people.
Sources
More on the topic
- Per capita monthly income of the population by constituent entities of the Russian Federa…
- Ratio of average per capita cash income of the population to the subsistence minimum in t…
- Basic social guarantees under the legislation of the Russian Federation
- Social security benefit rates as a % of the subsistence minimum
- Real disposable personal income by constituent entities of the Russian Federation, in % o…
- Number of pensioners and average size of assigned pensions by type
- All sets of section «Уровень жизни»