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Topic 14 of 18 · Country Index 2026

Netherlands: Poverty & Inequality

How is a country’s income shared, and how many live below a line?

Netherlands is placed 5th of 159 countries on poverty & inequality in the Country Index 2026, from 3 of its 3 key statistics. Readings behind it: Gini Index 25.74 (2023); Poverty Gap at $3.00 a Day 0.04 (2023).

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Poverty & Inequality

5th

of 159 countries placed

Placed from 3 of 3 key statistics

Country Index 2026, all topics9th of 183 →

01The evidence

The 3 key statistics that decide it

Only these place Netherlands on poverty & inequality — one vote each. Every value is the publisher’s own, read at the edition the Country Index 2026 used — or, for a survey-based key, each country’s latest reading; the grey ticks are every other country it was compared with, lowest on the left.

Why these keys

  1. Key 1 of 3

    Gini Index

    World Bank Group

    Why it is a key

    Latest reading per country, 2013–2023 · Netherlands’s is from 2021 · CC BY 4.0

    25.74

    Gini index (0 = perfect equality, 100 = perfect inequality)

    Lower is better

    Netherlands: 25.74. Across the 159 countries at their latest reading, values run from 23 (India) to 59.07 (Namibia); the world median is 33.72.

    World median
    33.72
    Best in Western Europe
    25.74 Netherlands
    Land neighbours
    Belgium 26.82 · Germany 33.66

  2. Key 2 of 3

    Poverty Gap at $3.00 a Day

    World Bank Group

    Why it is a key

    Latest reading per country, 2013–2023 · Netherlands’s is from 2021 · CC BY 4.0

    0.04

    Poverty gap at $3.00 a day, 2021 PPP (%)

    Lower is better

    Netherlands: 0.04. Across the 159 countries at their latest reading, values run from 0 (Czechia) to 48.69 (DR Congo); the world median is 0.345.

    World median
    0.345
    Best in Western Europe
    0.03 Luxembourg and Switzerland
    Land neighbours
    Belgium 0.04 · Germany 0.56

  3. Key 3 of 3

    Share of Population Unable to Afford a Healthy Diet

    Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)

    Why it is a key

    2025 edition · data for 2025 · CC BY 4.0

    1.1

    Share of the population unable to afford a healthy diet (%)

    Lower is better

    Netherlands: 1.1. Across the 145 countries in this edition, values run from 0.6 (Belarus) to 93.9 (South Sudan); the world median is 26.4.

    World median
    26.4
    Best in Western Europe
    0.9 Belgium and Luxembourg
    Land neighbours
    Belgium 0.9 · Germany 5.3

03In context

Netherlands beside its neighbours

A position reads best beside the countries around it. Every position below is a place among all 159 countries on poverty & inequality, never a place within the region.

Western Europe
1st159thNot placed · 65 countries with too few key statisticsNo data

The whole world on poverty & inequality

Netherlands and the countries it borders

Standing among all 159; the key columns are the publishers’ own values.

CountryStandingGini IndexGini index (0 = perfect equality, 100 = perfect inequality)Poverty Gap at $3.00 a DayPoverty gap at $3.00 a day, 2021 PPP (%)Share of Population Unable to Afford a Healthy DietShare of the population unable to afford a healthy diet (%)
Netherlands5th25.740.041.1
Belgium6th26.820.040.9
Germany53rd33.660.565.3

“—”: no published reading in that edition. What a standing is

Placed either side on poverty & inequality

The countries immediately above and below Netherlands in the topic’s list.

04Context, no vote

Where Netherlands is ahead of the world, and behind

15 more statistics filed under poverty & inequality, published in full and deliberately given no vote in the standing. Select a row for the publisher, the rank and the links.

Every country

Ahead of the world median13

Statistics on which Netherlands does better than the middle country measured.

  • Inequality-adjusted Human Development IndexUNDP Human Development Report Office · 2023 · world median 0.6090.892No real change since 2013

    Netherlands: 0.892 · world median 0.609 · IHDI (0–1). UNDP Human Development Report Office, 2023 edition, data for 2023.

    Published values in that edition run from 0.226 to 0.923; higher is better.

    Position 5th of 169 · derived.

    Chart and every countryThe 2023 dataset

  • Coefficient of Human InequalityUNDP Human Development Report Office · 2023 · world median 17.056.445No real change since 2013

    Netherlands: 6.445 · world median 17.05 · Coefficient of Human Inequality (%). UNDP Human Development Report Office, 2023 edition, data for 2023.

    Published values in that edition run from 4.865 to 43.08; lower is better.

    Position 159th of 169 · derived, 1st = worst.

    Chart and every countryThe 2023 dataset

  • Actual Individual Consumption per Capita (PPP)World Bank Group · 2021 · world median 12,80037,898▲ Improved since 2017

    Netherlands: 37,898 · world median 12,800 · Actual individual consumption per capita (PPP, current international $). World Bank Group, 2021 edition, data for 2021.

    Published values in that edition run from 688.7 to 52,654; higher is better.

    Position 12th of 173 · derived.

    Chart and every countryThe 2021 dataset

  • Exclusion by Socio-Economic GroupV-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg · 2023 · world median 0.4130.038▼ Worsened since 2013

    Netherlands: 0.038 · world median 0.413 · Exclusion by socio-economic group index (0–1; higher = more exclusion). V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg, 2023 edition, data for 2023.

    Published values in that edition run from 0.014 to 0.969; lower is better.

    Position 162nd of 174 · derived, 1st = worst.

    Chart and every countryThe 2023 dataset

  • Gini Index of Disposable Income (SWIID)Frederick Solt, University of Iowa · 2023 · world median 3326.9▼ Worsened since 2013

    Netherlands: 26.9 · world median 33 · Gini index of disposable household income (0–100), SWIID estimate. Frederick Solt, University of Iowa, 2023 edition, data for 2023.

    Published values in that edition run from 22.3 to 51.2; lower is better.

    Position 71st of 79 · derived, 1st = worst.

    Chart and every countryThe 2023 dataset

  • Poverty Headcount at $3.00 a Day, Line-up EstimatesWorld Bank Group · 2024 · world median 2.10.07▲ Improved since 2014

    Netherlands: 0.07 · world median 2.1 · Population below $3.00 a day, 2021 PPP, World Bank line-up estimate (%). World Bank Group, 2024 edition, data for 2024.

    Published values in that edition run from 0 to 89.54; lower is better.

    Chart and every countryThe 2024 dataset

  • Intergenerational Persistence in EducationWorld Bank Group · 2017 · world median 0.4460.335No earlier reading

    Netherlands: 0.335 · world median 0.446 · Correlation between own and parents' years of schooling, born 1980–89 (0–1). World Bank Group, 2017 edition, data for 2017.

    Published values in that edition run from 0.123 to 0.66; lower is better.

    Position 128th of 153 · derived, 1st = worst.

    Chart and every countryThe 2017 dataset

  • Coefficient of Variation of Habitual Caloric ConsumptionFAO · 2024 · world median 0.250.21▼ Worsened since 2014

    Netherlands: 0.21 · world median 0.25 · Coefficient of variation of habitual calorie consumption across the population (standard deviation ÷ mean). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2024 edition, data for 2024.

    Published values in that edition run from 0.17 to 0.4; lower is better.

    Chart and every countryThe 2024 dataset

  • Prevalence of Moderate or Severe Food InsecurityFAO · 2024 · world median 20.98.9▼ Worsened since 2015

    Netherlands: 8.9 · world median 20.9 · Population in moderate or severe food insecurity (%). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2024 edition, data for 2024.

    Published values in that edition run from 1 to 88.8; lower is better.

    Position 102nd of 135 · derived, 1st = worst.

    Chart and every countryThe 2024 dataset

  • Low Pay RateILO · 2024 · world median 17.8912.96▼ Worsened since 2014

    Netherlands: 12.96 · world median 17.89 · Employees paid less than two-thirds of the median hourly earnings (%). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2024 edition, data for 2024.

    Published values in that edition run from 3.395 to 41.69; lower is better.

    Position 52nd of 71 · derived, 1st = worst.

    Chart and every countryThe 2024 dataset

  • Multidimensional Poverty MeasureWorld Bank Group · 2025 · world median 4.2521.643No earlier reading

    Netherlands: 1.643 · world median 4.252 · Multidimensional poverty headcount ratio (%). World Bank Group, 2025 edition, data for 2025.

    Published values in that edition run from 0 to 87.96; lower is better.

    Position 105th of 157 · derived, 1st = worst.

    Chart and every countryThe 2025 dataset

  • Income Growth of the Poorest 40%World Bank Group · 2024 · world median 1.8412.856▲ Improved since 2015

    Netherlands: 2.856 · world median 1.841 · Annualized growth in real income or consumption per person of the bottom 40% (%). World Bank Group, 2024 edition, data for 2024.

    Published values in that edition run from -4.185 to 14.51; higher is better.

    Chart and every countryThe 2024 dataset

  • Gini Index of Monthly EarningsILO · 2024 · world median 0.3370.324▲ Improved since 2014

    Netherlands: 0.324 · world median 0.337 · Gini index of employees’ monthly earnings (0 = all paid the same, 1 = maximum inequality). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2024 edition, data for 2024.

    Published values in that edition run from 0.182 to 0.643; lower is better.

    Position 45th of 75 · derived, 1st = worst.

    Chart and every countryThe 2024 dataset

No better end2

These describe the shape of a country — more is not better or worse, only different — so they are never ahead or behind.

  • Poverty Headcount at National Poverty LinesWorld Bank Group · 2025 · world median 21.814.5No earlier reading

    Netherlands: 14.5 · world median 21.8 · Population below the national poverty line (%). World Bank Group, 2025 edition, data for 2025.

    Published values in that edition run from 0 to 82.3.

    Chart and every countryThe 2025 dataset

  • Cost of a Healthy DietFAO · 2025 · world median 4.553.56Moved since 2017

    Netherlands: 3.56 · world median 4.55 · Cost of the cheapest locally available healthy diet, PPP dollars per person per day. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2025 edition, data for 2025.

    Published values in that edition run from 2.66 to 8.27.

    Chart and every countryThe 2025 dataset

No current reading for Netherlands

Adequacy of Social Protection and Labour Benefits, Catastrophic Out-of-Pocket Health Spending, Gini Index (last 2021), Global Multidimensional Poverty Index, Income Share Held by Lowest 20% (last 2021), Income Share Held by Richest 10% (last 2021), Median Daily Income or Consumption per Person (last 2021), Palma Ratio (last 2021), Poverty Gap at $3.00 a Day (last 2021), Poverty Headcount Ratio at $3.00 a Day (last 2021), Poverty Headcount Ratio at $4.20 a Day (last 2021), Poverty Headcount Ratio at $8.30 a Day (last 2021), Poverty Severity (Squared Poverty Gap) at $3.00 a Day (last 2021), Prosperity Gap (last 2021), Severe Child Food Poverty, Children Aged 6–23 Months, Societal Poverty Rate (last 2021), Wealth Parity Index, Lower Secondary Completion and Working Poverty Rate. Listed rather than hidden, so the page can be checked against it.

“Position · derived” is this site’s ordering of the published values, 1st = best unless the row says otherwise; the publisher ranks no country on it. Rank, position and standing

05Country Index 2026

Poverty & Inequality among Netherlands’s 16 topics

Poverty & Inequality is Netherlands’s 2nd best-placed topic of 16. Strongest first, each marker at its share of that topic’s field.

On the profile
  1. Mobility & Trade4th of 177
  2. Poverty & Inequality5th of 159
  3. Work & Labour7th of 182
  4. Economy & Innovation8th of 176
  5. Development & Human Capital9th of 196
  6. Governance & Institutionsjoint 13th of 194
  7. Digital & Technology15th of 198
  8. Democracy & Civil Liberties18th of 198
  9. Education & Knowledge21st of 198
  10. Gender & Equalityjoint 26th of 183
  11. Energy31st of 165
  12. Food & Agriculturejoint 37th of 184
  13. Risk & Resilience39th of 193
  14. Health & Wellbeing45th of 200
  15. Peace & Securityjoint 46th of 177
  16. Environment & Sustainability110th of 186

06The top of the list

Who leads on poverty & inequality

The three countries placed highest of 159, and the leaders Netherlands can most readily be measured against.

All 159 countries
  1. 1

    Belarus

    Eastern Europe

    1st of 159 · 3 of 3 keys

    Photo: zedlik , cropped by Jjtkk · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale

  2. 2

    Slovenia

    Southern Europe

    2nd of 159 · 3 of 3 keys

    Photo: Z.K. derivative work: Jjtkk · CC BY 3.0, greyscale

  3. =3

    Ukraine

    Eastern Europe

    Joint 3rd of 159 · 2 of 3 keys

    Photo: uploaded by Chern038 · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale

Placed highest nearby

  1. Highest in Europe

    Belarus1st3/3 keys

  2. Highest in Western Europe

    Netherlands5th3/3 keys

Positions out of 159 placed on the topic. A country needs readings on enough keys to be placed, and the top of the list is often held on fewer of them.

07Questions

Netherlands on poverty & inequality: questions answered

Every answer is built from the numbers on this page, so none can say something the page does not.

How does Netherlands rank on poverty & inequality?

Netherlands is placed 5th of 159 countries on Poverty & Inequality in the Country Index 2026, from 3 of its 3 key statistics (Gini Index, Poverty Gap at $3.00 a Day and Share of Population Unable to Afford a Healthy Diet). The position is this site’s ordering of published statistics, not a rank any publisher printed.

What is the latest Gini Index figure for Netherlands?

25.74 in 2023 (gini index (0 = perfect equality, 100 = perfect inequality)), according to World Bank Group. The world median in the same edition was 33.72.

What is the latest Poverty Gap at $3.00 a Day figure for Netherlands?

0.04 in 2023 (poverty gap at $3.00 a day, 2021 PPP (%)), according to World Bank Group. The world median in the same edition was 0.345.

How does Netherlands compare with Germany on poverty & inequality?

Germany is placed 53rd of 159, and Netherlands 5th. Gini Index: Germany 33.66, Netherlands 25.74; Poverty Gap at $3.00 a Day: Germany 0.56, Netherlands 0.04; Share of Population Unable to Afford a Healthy Diet: Germany 5.3, Netherlands 1.1.

How have Netherlands’s poverty & inequality figures changed?

Gini Index fell from 29.8 in 2004 to 25.74 in 2021; Poverty Gap at $3.00 a Day fell from 0.13 in 2004 to 0.04 in 2021; Share of Population Unable to Afford a Healthy Diet fell from 1.9 in 2017 to 1.1 in 2025.

Which poverty & inequality statistics are missing for Netherlands?

No current reading is published for Netherlands on Adequacy of Social Protection and Labour Benefits, Catastrophic Out-of-Pocket Health Spending, Gini Index, Global Multidimensional Poverty Index, Income Share Held by Lowest 20%, Income Share Held by Richest 10%, Median Daily Income or Consumption per Person, Palma Ratio, Poverty Gap at $3.00 a Day, Poverty Headcount Ratio at $3.00 a Day, Poverty Headcount Ratio at $4.20 a Day, Poverty Headcount Ratio at $8.30 a Day, Poverty Severity (Squared Poverty Gap) at $3.00 a Day, Prosperity Gap, Severe Child Food Poverty, Children Aged 6–23 Months, Societal Poverty Rate, Wealth Parity Index, Lower Secondary Completion and Working Poverty Rate. They are listed rather than hidden, so the evidence on the page can be checked against it.

08Method

Method, sources and how to cite

What this topic does not measure

These figures come from household surveys, which most countries run every few years rather than every year. So the subject's standing is read from each country's most recent survey of the last decade, with the year of every reading shown, rather than from one year in which only a minority of countries were surveyed. Two readings decide it — how unequally income is shared and how deep extreme poverty runs — because the other poverty and inequality measures here largely repeat one of those two or repeat average income, which already counts under Economy and Development. Countries with no survey in the last decade have no standing here. What work pays is under Work & Labour; wealth, as opposed to income, has no global source this site is permitted to republish.

About poverty & inequality, in full

How the Poverty & Inequality standing is decided

A standing is this site’s ordering, named with its edition — never a publisher’s rank. 3 key statistics vote, one vote each; every country’s published value becomes a place within that key’s own field, the places are averaged, and the average is never published. A country needs 2 of the 3 keys to be placed.

The poverty & inequality method, step by stepHow every standing on this site is built

The key statistics and their licences

The other 15 statistics on this page come from 6 publishers, each named beside its numbers, with every edition and licence on the datasets pages.

The standing itself is part of the Country Index 2026, published under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Photographs

Netherlands’s banner and the countries placed highest, from their profiles: Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale, each used under the licence named.

Cite this page

Nations Inquiry (2026). Netherlands: Poverty & Inequality — standing and statistics, Country Index 2026. https://nationsinquiry.com/countries/netherlands/poverty

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