Population by income level in South Korea
South Korea: Population by income level was 51.68 million in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
51.68 million
Change on year
down 0.1%
World rank
29th
of 215 countries
All-time high
51.84 million
in 2020
All-time low
25.01 million
in 1960
Years of data
66
1960–2025
Population by income level in South Korea, 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 South Korea is 51.68 million, measured in 2025.
The figure is down 0.1% on the previous year and up 1.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population by income level in South Korea peaked at 51.84 million in 2020 and was at its lowest, 25.01 million, in 1960.
South Korea ranks 29th of 215 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 66 years of available data.
Population by income level in South Korea, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 25.01 million | — |
| 1961 | 25.77 million | +3.0% |
| 1962 | 26.51 million | +2.9% |
| 1963 | 27.26 million | +2.8% |
| 1964 | 27.98 million | +2.7% |
| 1965 | 28.70 million | +2.6% |
| 1966 | 29.44 million | +2.5% |
| 1967 | 30.13 million | +2.4% |
| 1968 | 30.84 million | +2.3% |
| 1969 | 31.54 million | +2.3% |
| 1970 | 32.24 million | +2.2% |
| 1971 | 32.88 million | +2.0% |
| 1972 | 33.51 million | +1.9% |
| 1973 | 34.10 million | +1.8% |
| 1974 | 34.69 million | +1.7% |
| 1975 | 35.28 million | +1.7% |
| 1976 | 35.85 million | +1.6% |
| 1977 | 36.41 million | +1.6% |
| 1978 | 36.97 million | +1.5% |
| 1979 | 37.53 million | +1.5% |
| 1980 | 38.12 million | +1.6% |
| 1981 | 38.72 million | +1.6% |
| 1982 | 39.33 million | +1.6% |
| 1983 | 39.91 million | +1.5% |
| 1984 | 40.41 million | +1.2% |
| 1985 | 40.81 million | +1.0% |
| 1986 | 41.21 million | +1.0% |
| 1987 | 41.62 million | +1.0% |
| 1988 | 42.03 million | +1.0% |
| 1989 | 42.45 million | +1.0% |
| 1990 | 42.87 million | +1.0% |
| 1991 | 43.30 million | +1.0% |
| 1992 | 43.75 million | +1.0% |
| 1993 | 44.19 million | +1.0% |
| 1994 | 44.64 million | +1.0% |
| 1995 | 45.09 million | +1.0% |
| 1996 | 45.52 million | +1.0% |
| 1997 | 45.95 million | +0.9% |
| 1998 | 46.29 million | +0.7% |
| 1999 | 46.62 million | +0.7% |
| 2000 | 47.01 million | +0.8% |
| 2001 | 47.37 million | +0.8% |
| 2002 | 47.64 million | +0.6% |
| 2003 | 47.89 million | +0.5% |
| 2004 | 48.08 million | +0.4% |
| 2005 | 48.18 million | +0.2% |
| 2006 | 48.44 million | +0.5% |
| 2007 | 48.68 million | +0.5% |
| 2008 | 49.05 million | +0.8% |
| 2009 | 49.31 million | +0.5% |
| 2010 | 49.55 million | +0.5% |
| 2011 | 49.94 million | +0.8% |
| 2012 | 50.20 million | +0.5% |
| 2013 | 50.43 million | +0.5% |
| 2014 | 50.75 million | +0.6% |
| 2015 | 51.01 million | +0.5% |
| 2016 | 51.22 million | +0.4% |
| 2017 | 51.36 million | +0.3% |
| 2018 | 51.59 million | +0.4% |
| 2019 | 51.76 million | +0.3% |
| 2020 | 51.84 million | +0.1% |
| 2021 | 51.77 million | -0.1% |
| 2022 | 51.67 million | -0.2% |
| 2023 | 51.71 million | +0.1% |
| 2024 | 51.75 million | +0.1% |
| 2025 | 51.68 million | -0.1% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 51.68 million is above the median for high income countries, which is 2.97 million, 17.4× the median. (85 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 51.68 million is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 1.42 million, 36.4× the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 28.32 million | 25.01 million | 31.54 million | 10 |
| 1970s | 34.95 million | 32.24 million | 37.53 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 40.46 million | 38.12 million | 42.45 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 44.82 million | 42.87 million | 46.62 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 48.17 million | 47.01 million | 49.31 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 50.78 million | 49.55 million | 51.76 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 51.74 million | 51.67 million | 51.84 million | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
More population data for South Korea
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -1.44 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -2.17 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -1.44 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -1.17 % change on previous year (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.3601 % change on previous year (2100)
- World population growth -1.4% (2100)
- Population density 223.86 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 599,530 people (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development -1.4% (2100)
- Number of people living in urban and rural areas, annual growth rate -0.0908 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population by income level in South Korea?
- Population by income level in South Korea was 51.68 million 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 South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 51.84 million in 2020.
- What is the lowest population by income level recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 25.01 million in 1960.
- How does South Korea rank for population by income level?
- South Korea ranks 29th out of 215 countries with data for 2025.
- Is population by income level rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Korea 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.