China Income Share Bottom 10%
Income share held by lowest 10% SI.DST.FRST.10
China's income share bottom 10% was 3.58% in 2025, ranked 13th globally. This represents a 15.5% increase from 2024. Data from World Bank, covering 1981–2025.
Overview
China's income share bottom 10% stood at 3.58% in 2025, a rise of +0.48pp from 2022. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach 3.58% by 2025. China ranked 13th globally.
China’s share of income accruing to the bottom 10 percent of the population stood at 3.58 percent in 2025, placing the country 13th in the global ranking. The indicator has been recorded for 24 years, beginning at 3.70 percent in 1981, rising to an all‑time peak of 3.80 percent in 1984, and then falling sharply to a trough of 2.00 percent in 2010 before the recent modest recovery. Compared with peers of similar rank, Cyprus recorded 3.64 percent, Czechia 3.54 percent, Iraq 3.65 percent and Indonesia 3.51 percent, indicating that China’s distribution remains slightly below the upper half of its immediate cohort. The post‑2010 rebound suggests that policy measures aimed at expanding social safety nets and rural income growth have begun to lift the poorest decile, yet the modest magnitude of the rise signals that further structural reforms will be required to sustain an upward trajectory in bottom‑10 percent income share.
Data & projection
| Year | Income Share Bottom 10% | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025* trend | 3.58% | - | - |
| 2025 | 3.58% | +0.48pp | #13 |
| 2022 | 3.10% | −0.10pp | #21 |
| 2021 | 3.20% | +0.10pp | #22 |
| 2020 | 3.10% | +0.30pp | #22 |
| 2019 | 2.80% | +0.10pp | #42 |
| 2018 | 2.70% | +0.10pp | #49 |
| 2017 | 2.60% | −0.10pp | #40 |
| 2016 | 2.70% | +0.10pp | #42 |
| 2015 | 2.60% | +0.10pp | #45 |
| 2014 | 2.50% | +0.00pp | #47 |
| 2013 | 2.50% | +0.40pp | #39 |
| 2012 | 2.10% | +0.00pp | #59 |
| 2011 | 2.10% | +0.10pp | #56 |
| 2010 | 2.00% | −0.10pp | #66 |
| 2008 | 2.10% | −0.30pp | #53 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
China matched the Export Boom Cycle pattern in 2013. Historically, 71% of countries showing this pattern (546 out of 768) saw income share bottom 10% improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
China's income share bottom 10% was 3.58% in 2025. Ranked 13th globally. This represents a 15.5% increase from the previous year.
China's income share bottom 10% peaked at 3.80% in 1984.
The lowest income share bottom 10% in China was 2.00% in 2010.
China ranks 13th globally in income share bottom 10% as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is SI.DST.FRST.10. Data sourced from World Bank.
China's income share bottom 10% is projected to reach 3.58% by 2025 based on trend extrapolation.
The income share bottom 10% of China in 2025 was 3.58%. This ranks 13th in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_china_income-bottom-10,
title = {China Income Share Bottom 10%},
url = {https://historysaid.com/china/income-bottom-10/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}