Population by income level in China
China: Population by income level was 1.41 billion in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
1.41 billion
Change on year
down 0.2%
World rank
2nd
of 215 countries
All-time high
1.41 billion
in 2021
All-time low
660.33 million
in 1961
Years of data
66
1960–2025
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.
Population by income level in China, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 667.07 million | — |
| 1961 | 660.33 million | -1.0% |
| 1962 | 665.77 million | +0.8% |
| 1963 | 682.34 million | +2.5% |
| 1964 | 698.36 million | +2.3% |
| 1965 | 715.18 million | +2.4% |
| 1966 | 735.40 million | +2.8% |
| 1967 | 754.55 million | +2.6% |
| 1968 | 774.51 million | +2.6% |
| 1969 | 796.02 million | +2.8% |
| 1970 | 818.32 million | +2.8% |
| 1971 | 841.11 million | +2.8% |
| 1972 | 862.03 million | +2.5% |
| 1973 | 881.94 million | +2.3% |
| 1974 | 900.35 million | +2.1% |
| 1975 | 916.39 million | +1.8% |
| 1976 | 930.68 million | +1.6% |
| 1977 | 943.46 million | +1.4% |
| 1978 | 956.16 million | +1.3% |
| 1979 | 969.00 million | +1.3% |
| 1980 | 981.24 million | +1.3% |
| 1981 | 993.88 million | +1.3% |
| 1982 | 1.01 billion | +1.5% |
| 1983 | 1.02 billion | +1.5% |
| 1984 | 1.04 billion | +1.3% |
| 1985 | 1.05 billion | +1.4% |
| 1986 | 1.07 billion | +1.5% |
| 1987 | 1.08 billion | +1.6% |
| 1988 | 1.10 billion | +1.6% |
| 1989 | 1.12 billion | +1.5% |
| 1990 | 1.14 billion | +1.5% |
| 1991 | 1.15 billion | +1.4% |
| 1992 | 1.16 billion | +1.2% |
| 1993 | 1.18 billion | +1.2% |
| 1994 | 1.19 billion | +1.1% |
| 1995 | 1.20 billion | +1.1% |
| 1996 | 1.22 billion | +1.1% |
| 1997 | 1.23 billion | +1.0% |
| 1998 | 1.24 billion | +1.0% |
| 1999 | 1.25 billion | +0.9% |
| 2000 | 1.26 billion | +0.8% |
| 2001 | 1.27 billion | +0.7% |
| 2002 | 1.28 billion | +0.7% |
| 2003 | 1.29 billion | +0.6% |
| 2004 | 1.30 billion | +0.6% |
| 2005 | 1.30 billion | +0.6% |
| 2006 | 1.31 billion | +0.6% |
| 2007 | 1.32 billion | +0.5% |
| 2008 | 1.32 billion | +0.5% |
| 2009 | 1.33 billion | +0.5% |
| 2010 | 1.34 billion | +0.5% |
| 2011 | 1.35 billion | +0.5% |
| 2012 | 1.35 billion | +0.7% |
| 2013 | 1.36 billion | +0.7% |
| 2014 | 1.37 billion | +0.6% |
| 2015 | 1.38 billion | +0.6% |
| 2016 | 1.39 billion | +0.6% |
| 2017 | 1.40 billion | +0.6% |
| 2018 | 1.40 billion | +0.5% |
| 2019 | 1.41 billion | +0.4% |
| 2020 | 1.41 billion | +0.2% |
| 2021 | 1.41 billion | +0.1% |
| 2022 | 1.41 billion | -0.0% |
| 2023 | 1.41 billion | -0.1% |
| 2024 | 1.41 billion | -0.1% |
| 2025 | 1.41 billion | -0.2% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 1.41 billion is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 6.78 million, 207.4× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- China's 1.41 billion is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 1.42 million, 991.6× the median. (37 countries reporting)
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 regions with projections, annual growth rate -1.66 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -12.97 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -1.66 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -1.19 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 1.31 million Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population -0.1671 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.3489 % change on previous year (2100)
- World population growth -1.7% (2100)
- Population density 67.46 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 15.54 million people (2100)
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.