Last updated November 24, 2024
In an ever-evolving global economy, understanding the distribution of median income across countries can shed light on economic opportunities, standard of living, and purchasing power. The term "Median Income" refers to the income amount that divides a nation's income distribution into two equal groups – half having income above that amount and the other half having income below that amount. It's a valuable indicator of a country's economic health and wealth distribution.
Luxembourg enjoys the highest median income globally, followed by the United Arab Emirates and Norway. Conversely, DR Congo and Madagascar have some of the lowest median incomes, highlighting vast disparities between nations. The United States ranks within the top five, evidencing its relatively high standard of living.
Key Findings:
The ten countries with the highest median income are Luxembourg, the United Arab Emirates, Norway, Switzerland, the United States, Canada, Austria, Sweden, Denmark, and the Netherlands. Luxembourg has the highest median income, amounting to $26,321 annually. The United Arab Emirates comes next with a median income of $24,292 annually. The third on the list is Norway, with a median income of $22,684, closely followed by Switzerland, with $21,490.
The United States is the fifth highest country on the list, with its citizens earning a median income of $19,306 annually. In Canada, the median income is slightly lower, at $18,652, and Austria follows with a median income of $18,405. Sweden, on the other hand, has a median income of $17,625 annually.
Finally, rounding out the top ten are Denmark and the Netherlands, with median incomes of $17,432 and $17,154, respectively.
10 Countries with the Highest Median Income:
The ten countries with the lowest median income are DR Congo, Madagascar, Burundi, Malawi, Guinea-Bissau, Central African Republic, Mozambique, Zambia, Uzbekistan, and Rwanda. DR Congo reports the lowest median income with $395 per year. Madagascar, slightly above DR Congo, has a median income of $398 per year. Burundi is next with a median income of $475 per year. Malawi follows closely behind with a median income of $484 while Guinea-Bissau reports a median income of $486 per year.
The Central African Republic has a yearly median income of $491. On the other hand, Mozambique has a median income of $529 per year. Zambia and Uzbekistan report slightly higher yearly median incomes of $545 and $591, respectively. Completing the list, Rwanda has a yearly median income of $621.
Countries with the lowest median income:
$2,578
Ranked in World
#85
$2,612
Ranked in World
#84
$665
Ranked in World
#150
$5,319
Ranked in World
#49
$2,216
Ranked in World
#91
$17,076
Ranked in World
#11
$18,405
Ranked in World
#7
$3,193
Ranked in World
#71
$1,131
Ranked in World
#123
$6,507
Ranked in World
#41
$16,157
Ranked in World
#16
$1,927
Ranked in World
#100
$699
Ranked in World
#147
$2,446
Ranked in World
#88
$3,631
Ranked in World
#66
$5,925
Ranked in World
#44
$1,596
Ranked in World
#107
$4,559
Ranked in World
#53
$5,696
Ranked in World
#45
$748
Ranked in World
#143
$475
Ranked in World
#158
$1,245
Ranked in World
#118
$18,652
Ranked in World
#6
$491
Ranked in World
#155
$880
Ranked in World
#133
$6,293
Ranked in World
#42
$3,259
Ranked in World
#70
$1,401
Ranked in World
#113
$5,457
Ranked in World
#47
$7,196
Ranked in World
#39
$13,053
Ranked in World
#23
$10,046
Ranked in World
#29
$395
Ranked in World
#160
$17,432
Ranked in World
#9
$1,403
Ranked in World
#112
$4,060
Ranked in World
#61
$3,525
Ranked in World
#67
$1,485
Ranked in World
#110
$3,095
Ranked in World
#75
$10,651
Ranked in World
#28
$1,097
Ranked in World
#124
$907
Ranked in World
#130
$2,460
Ranked in World
#87
$16,332
Ranked in World
#15
$16,372
Ranked in World
#14
$2,779
Ranked in World
#80
$1,383
Ranked in World
#115
$2,273
Ranked in World
#90
$16,845
Ranked in World
#13
$1,779
Ranked in World
#103
$6,936
Ranked in World
#40
$2,036
Ranked in World
#93
$843
Ranked in World
#137
$486
Ranked in World
#156
$2,003
Ranked in World
#94
$1,162
Ranked in World
#119
$1,959
Ranked in World
#98
$7,684
Ranked in World
#36
$17,017
Ranked in World
#12
$4,360
Ranked in World
#57
$1,951
Ranked in World
#99
$14,520
Ranked in World
#19
$10,866
Ranked in World
#27
$13,170
Ranked in World
#22
$987
Ranked in World
#127
$2,899
Ranked in World
#76
$14,255
Ranked in World
#20
$3,185
Ranked in World
#72
$3,661
Ranked in World
#65
$874
Ranked in World
#135
$1,489
Ranked in World
#109
$1,892
Ranked in World
#102
$1,065
Ranked in World
#125
$7,971
Ranked in World
#34
$7,712
Ranked in World
#35
$1,157
Ranked in World
#120
$753
Ranked in World
#142
$8,267
Ranked in World
#32
$26,321
Ranked in World
#1
$398
Ranked in World
#159
$484
Ranked in World
#157
$7,512
Ranked in World
#38
$5,409
Ranked in World
#48
$689
Ranked in World
#148
$14,543
Ranked in World
#18
$1,760
Ranked in World
#104
$3,832
Ranked in World
#63
$3,315
Ranked in World
#69
$1,413
Ranked in World
#111
$3,133
Ranked in World
#74
$2,800
Ranked in World
#78
$4,193
Ranked in World
#60
$2,716
Ranked in World
#81
$529
Ranked in World
#154
$1,909
Ranked in World
#101
$1,962
Ranked in World
#97
$1,155
Ranked in World
#121
$17,154
Ranked in World
#10
$2,697
Ranked in World
#83
$738
Ranked in World
#144
$825
Ranked in World
#138
$3,857
Ranked in World
#62
$22,684
Ranked in World
#3
$1,399
Ranked in World
#114
$6,254
Ranked in World
#43
$876
Ranked in World
#134
$4,334
Ranked in World
#59
$3,678
Ranked in World
#64
$1,581
Ranked in World
#108
$8,885
Ranked in World
#30
$8,439
Ranked in World
#31
$892
Ranked in World
#132
$5,206
Ranked in World
#52
$5,504
Ranked in World
#46
$621
Ranked in World
#151
$4,519
Ranked in World
#54
$2,537
Ranked in World
#86
$901
Ranked in World
#131
$844
Ranked in World
#136
$4,416
Ranked in World
#56
$5,314
Ranked in World
#50
$765
Ranked in World
#141
$7,991
Ranked in World
#33
$11,878
Ranked in World
#25
$1,028
Ranked in World
#126
$1,624
Ranked in World
#106
$12,507
Ranked in World
#24
$793
Ranked in World
#140
$11,786
Ranked in World
#26
$2,277
Ranked in World
#89
$1,277
Ranked in World
#117
$1,659
Ranked in World
#105
$17,625
Ranked in World
#8
$21,490
Ranked in World
#4
$1,996
Ranked in World
#95
$13,605
Ranked in World
#21
$1,994
Ranked in World
#96
$702
Ranked in World
#146
$4,356
Ranked in World
#58
$970
Ranked in World
#128
$683
Ranked in World
#149
$2,782
Ranked in World
#79
$2,868
Ranked in World
#77
$3,366
Ranked in World
#68
$5,251
Ranked in World
#51
$706
Ranked in World
#145
$2,099
Ranked in World
#92
$804
Ranked in World
#139
$4,434
Ranked in World
#55
$24,292
Ranked in World
#2
$14,793
Ranked in World
#17
$19,306
Ranked in World
#5
$7,533
Ranked in World
#37
$591
Ranked in World
#152
$1,379
Ranked in World
#116
$2,710
Ranked in World
#82
$3,149
Ranked in World
#73
$1,150
Ranked in World
#122
$545
Ranked in World
#153
$932
Ranked in World
#129
Region ↕ | Median Income↕ |
---|---|
$2,578 | |
$2,612 | |
$665 | |
$5,319 | |
$2,216 | |
$17,076 | |
$18,405 | |
$3,193 | |
$1,131 | |
$6,507 | |
$16,157 | |
$1,927 | |
$699 | |
$2,446 | |
$3,631 | |
$5,925 | |
$1,596 | |
$4,559 | |
$5,696 | |
$748 | |
$475 | |
$1,245 | |
$18,652 | |
$491 | |
$880 | |
$6,293 | |
$3,259 | |
$1,401 | |
$5,457 | |
$7,196 | |
$13,053 | |
$10,046 | |
$395 | |
$17,432 | |
$1,403 | |
$4,060 | |
$3,525 | |
$1,485 | |
$3,095 | |
$10,651 | |
$1,097 | |
$907 | |
$2,460 | |
$16,332 | |
$16,372 | |
$2,779 | |
$1,383 | |
$2,273 | |
$16,845 | |
$1,779 | |
$6,936 | |
$2,036 | |
$843 | |
$486 | |
$2,003 | |
$1,162 | |
$1,959 | |
$7,684 | |
$17,017 | |
$4,360 | |
$1,951 | |
$14,520 | |
$10,866 | |
$13,170 | |
$987 | |
$2,899 | |
$14,255 | |
$3,185 | |
$3,661 | |
$874 | |
$1,489 | |
$1,892 | |
$1,065 | |
$7,971 | |
$7,712 | |
$1,157 | |
$753 | |
$8,267 | |
$26,321 | |
$398 | |
$484 | |
$7,512 | |
$5,409 | |
$689 | |
$14,543 | |
$1,760 | |
$3,832 | |
$3,315 | |
$1,413 | |
$3,133 | |
$2,800 | |
$4,193 | |
$2,716 | |
$529 | |
$1,909 | |
$1,962 | |
$1,155 | |
$17,154 | |
$2,697 | |
$738 | |
$825 | |
$3,857 | |
$22,684 | |
$1,399 | |
$6,254 | |
$876 | |
$4,334 | |
$3,678 | |
$1,581 | |
$8,885 | |
$8,439 | |
$892 | |
$5,206 | |
$5,504 | |
$621 | |
$4,519 | |
$2,537 | |
$901 | |
$844 | |
$4,416 | |
$5,314 | |
$765 | |
$7,991 | |
$11,878 | |
$1,028 | |
$1,624 | |
$12,507 | |
$793 | |
$11,786 | |
$2,277 | |
$1,277 | |
$1,659 | |
$17,625 | |
$21,490 | |
$1,996 | |
$13,605 | |
$1,994 | |
$702 | |
$4,356 | |
$970 | |
$683 | |
$2,782 | |
$2,868 | |
$3,366 | |
$5,251 | |
$706 | |
$2,099 | |
$804 | |
$4,434 | |
$24,292 | |
$14,793 | |
$19,306 | |
$7,533 | |
$591 | |
$1,379 | |
$2,710 | |
$3,149 | |
$1,150 | |
$545 | |
$932 |