Share of population below and above $30 per day in South Africa

South Africa: Share of population below and above $30 per day was 57.27 million people in 2022. ▲ Rising

Latest (2022)
57.27 million people
World rank
16th
of 120 countries
All-time high
57.27 million people
in 2022
All-time low
41.20 million people
in 1993
Years of data
7
1993–2022

Share of population below and above $30 per day in South Africa, 1993–2022

020.0M40.0M60.0M1993200720221993: 41.2M people2000: 45.8M people2005: 45.4M people2008: 47.0M people2010: 46.8M people2014: 51.2M people2022: 57.3M people

Source: World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in people.

Analysis

The most recent figure for share of population below and above $30 per day in South Africa is 57.27 million people, measured in 2022. That is the highest value across all 7 years on record.

That represents a change of up 22.4% over ten years.

Over the whole period, share of population below and above $30 per day in South Africa peaked at 57.27 million people in 2022 and was at its lowest, 41.20 million people, in 1993.

That places South Africa 16th out of 120 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the top quarter.

Share of population below and above $30 per day in South Africa, year by year

Annual values for Share of population below and above $30 per day in South Africa, 1993 to 2022.
Year people Change
1993 41.20 million people
2000 45.83 million people +11.2%
2005 45.38 million people -1.0%
2008 46.98 million people +3.5%
2010 46.78 million people -0.4%
2014 51.18 million people +9.4%
2022 57.27 million people +11.9%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 41.20 million people 41.20 million people 41.20 million people 1
2000s 46.06 million people 45.38 million people 46.98 million people 3
2010s 48.98 million people 46.78 million people 51.18 million people 2
2020s 57.27 million people 57.27 million people 57.27 million people 1

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 13 Viet Nam 90.52 million people compare
  2. 14 Iran, Islamic Republic of 86.65 million people compare
  3. 15 Thailand 61.06 million people compare
  4. 17 Tanzania, United Republic of 57.03 million people compare
  5. 18 Kenya 54.85 million people compare
  6. 19 Türkiye 46.55 million people compare

See the full ranking of 120 places →

More population data for South Africa

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is share of population below and above $30 per day in South Africa?
Share of population below and above $30 per day in South Africa was 57.27 million people in 2022, according to World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
What is the highest share of population below and above $30 per day recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 57.27 million people in 2022.
What is the lowest share of population below and above $30 per day recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 41.20 million people in 1993.
How does South Africa rank for share of population below and above $30 per day?
South Africa ranks 16th out of 120 countries with data for 2022.
Is share of population below and above $30 per day rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is up 22.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this South Africa 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 Share of population below and above $30 per day. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Share of population below and above $30 per day in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Retrieved 05 September 2026, from https://population.statizoid.com/stat/distribution-of-population-across-income-thresholds-stacked-bar-30-only/south-africa/

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<a href="https://population.statizoid.com/stat/distribution-of-population-across-income-thresholds-stacked-bar-30-only/south-africa/">Share of population below and above $30 per day in South Africa</a> — Statizoid

About this data

Indicator
Share of population below and above $30 per day
Unit
people
Source
World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
120 places, 2,148 data points, 1963–2025
Last refreshed

Number of people living in households with an income or consumption below $30 per day.