Population by income level in China
China: Population by income level was 1.41 billion in 2025. ▲ Rising
Population by income level in China, 1960–2025
Source: United Nations Population Division, national statistical offices, and Eurostat, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for population by income level in China is 1.41 billion, measured in 2025.
The figure is down 0.2% on the previous year and up 1.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population by income level in China peaked at 1.41 billion in 2021 and was at its lowest, 660.33 million, in 1961.
That places China 2nd out of 215 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 66 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 714.95 million | 660.33 million | 796.02 million | 10 |
| 1970s | 901.94 million | 818.32 million | 969.00 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.05 billion | 981.24 million | 1.12 billion | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.20 billion | 1.14 billion | 1.25 billion | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.30 billion | 1.26 billion | 1.33 billion | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.37 billion | 1.34 billion | 1.41 billion | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.41 billion | 1.41 billion | 1.41 billion | 6 |
Countries ranked near China
More population data for China
- Population growth rate, by level of development -1.7% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 15.54 million people (2100)
- Population density 67.46 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth -1.7% (2100)
- Total fertility rate vs. wanted fertility rate 1.01 births per woman (2024)
- Refugees by country of asylum 303,405 people (2020)
- Fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception 1.01 births per woman (2024)
- Total fertility rate vs. contraceptive prevalence 1.01 births per woman (2024)
- Natural population growth rate -0.2% (2023)
- Fertility rate: births per woman 0.999 live births per woman (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population by income level in China?
- Population by income level in China was 1.41 billion in 2025, according to United Nations Population Division, national statistical offices, and Eurostat, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest population by income level recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 1.41 billion in 2021.
- What is the lowest population by income level recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 660.33 million in 1961.
- How does China rank for population by income level?
- China ranks 2nd out of 215 countries with data for 2025.
- Is population by income level rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Population Division, national statistical offices, and Eurostat, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Population by income level. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Total population, differentiated by World Bank income level.