How much of each country's income goes to the top 10%, and how has that changed since 1980?
In the World Inequality Database's 2024 estimates for 216 countries and territories, the top 10% of adults received from 26.78% of pre-tax national income in Slovak Republic to 70.85% in Iraq, and WID grades 209 of those 2024 values as imputed rather than observed; of the 25 countries where WID grades both 1980 and a later year as based on observed tax or survey data, the share in the latest such year was higher than in 1980 in 22 and lower in 3.
% of pre-tax national income received by the top 10% of adults
20%30%40%50%60%70%
Year varies by country (2011–2024) · grey: no figure
Latest figure for each country
Too small or not separate on this map: Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba, Gibraltar, Tuvalu. Each colour is one figure per country: one year, not an average, for the year shown in the ranking and when you point at a country.With "How sure" on, hatching marks countries whose latest figure has a trust score below 60 (Low or Very low).
All countries
Each source's value links to its publisher; point at it for the source and year. A value in brackets is shown but doesn't count, and pointing at it says why. Retrieved 2026-10-27.
Gini index of household income or consumption per person, household surveys (World Bank), 0-100, 1980-latest
Each line is the source that counts most for that group.
Norway
United States
United Kingdom
Germany
France
Brazil
Mexico
South Africa
| Group | Figure | Year | Trust |
|---|---|---|---|
| Norway | 26.5 | 2023 | 60 Moderate |
| United States | 41.8 | 2024 | 63 Moderate |
| United Kingdom | 32.4 | 2021 | 60 Moderate |
| Germany | 33.7 | 2022 | 68 Moderate |
| France | 31.8 | 2023 | 60 Moderate |
| Brazil | 50.3 | 2024 | 63 Moderate |
| Mexico | 42.6 | 2024 | 63 Moderate |
| South Africa | 54.1 | 2022 | 60 Moderate |
Show every year as a table
| Year | Norway | United States | United Kingdom | Germany | France | Brazil | Mexico | South Africa |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | – | 34.7 | 28.5 | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1981 | – | 35.5 | 29.7 | – | – | 57.9 | – | – |
| 1982 | – | 36.7 | 29.9 | – | – | 58.4 | – | – |
| 1983 | – | 37.3 | 29.8 | – | – | 58.9 | – | – |
| 1984 | – | 37.3 | 29.2 | – | 33.4 | 58.3 | 48.5 | – |
| 1985 | – | 37.6 | 30.4 | – | – | 55.5 | – | – |
| 1986 | 24.6 | 37.6 | 31.9 | – | – | 58.4 | – | – |
| 1987 | – | 37.2 | 33.9 | – | – | 59.6 | – | – |
| 1988 | – | 37.7 | 34.3 | – | – | 61.4 | – | – |
| 1989 | – | 38.2 | 33.4 | – | – | 63.2 | 50.1 | – |
| 1990 | – | 38.3 | 35.7 | – | 32.1 | 60.5 | – | – |
| 1991 | 25.2 | 38 | 35 | 29.3 | – | – | – | – |
| 1992 | – | 38.4 | 35 | 29 | – | 53.1 | 52.3 | – |
| 1993 | – | 40.4 | 35.1 | 28.4 | – | 60.1 | – | 59.3 |
| 1994 | – | 40 | 36 | 29.1 | – | – | 53.4 | – |
| 1995 | 26 | 39.9 | 35.5 | 28.7 | – | 59.5 | – | – |
| 1996 | – | 40.3 | 35.3 | 28.3 | 32 | 59.8 | 52 | – |
| 1997 | – | 40.5 | 35.7 | 28.2 | 31.9 | 59.8 | – | – |
| 1998 | – | 40 | 36.6 | 28.1 | 31.7 | 59.6 | 53.3 | – |
| 1999 | – | 40 | 36.8 | 29 | 32.5 | 59 | – | – |
| 2000 | 27.4 | 40.1 | 38.9 | 28.7 | 32.6 | – | 53.4 | 57.8 |
| 2001 | – | 40.6 | 37.1 | 29.9 | 32.5 | 58.4 | – | – |
| 2002 | – | 40.4 | 35.1 | 29.9 | 31.8 | 58.1 | 50.6 | – |
| 2003 | 27.6 | 40.8 | 34.9 | 29.9 | 31.4 | 57.6 | – | – |
| 2004 | 31.6 | 40.5 | 34.8 | 30.1 | 30.6 | 56.5 | 50.3 | – |
| 2005 | 30.6 | 41.3 | 35.5 | 31.6 | 29.8 | 56.3 | 50.9 | 65 |
| 2006 | 26.4 | 41.7 | 35.9 | 31 | 29.7 | 55.6 | 49.7 | – |
| 2007 | 27.1 | 41.1 | 34.4 | 31.2 | 32.4 | 54.9 | – | – |
| 2008 | 27 | 41.1 | 35.4 | 30.6 | 33 | 54 | 50.8 | 62.5 |
| 2009 | 26.2 | 40.9 | 35.1 | 30.4 | 32.7 | 53.7 | – | – |
| 2010 | 25.7 | 40.2 | 33.7 | 30.2 | 33.7 | – | 47.7 | 60.9 |
| 2011 | 25.3 | 41.2 | 33.2 | 30.4 | 33.3 | 52.9 | – | – |
| 2012 | 25.7 | 41.2 | 33.1 | 30.9 | 33.1 | 53.4 | 49.6 | – |
| 2013 | 26.4 | 40.9 | 32.7 | 31.4 | 32.5 | 52.7 | – | – |
| 2014 | 26.8 | 41.7 | 33.1 | 30.8 | 32.3 | 52.1 | 48.9 | 59.6 |
| 2015 | 27.5 | 41.5 | 33.3 | 31.4 | 32.7 | 51.9 | – | – |
| 2016 | 28.5 | 41.3 | 33.1 | 31.3 | 31.9 | 53.4 | 46.9 | – |
| 2017 | 27 | 41.4 | 32.6 | 31.3 | 31.6 | 53.3 | – | – |
| 2018 | 27.6 | 41.8 | 33.7 | 31.9 | 32.4 | 53.9 | 46 | – |
| 2019 | 27.7 | 41.9 | 32.8 | 32.2 | 31.2 | 53.5 | – | – |
| 2020 | 28.4 | 40 | 32.7 | 32.5 | 30.7 | 48.8 | 44.6 | – |
| 2021 | 29.1 | 39.7 | 32.4 | 33.6 | 31.5 | 52.9 | – | – |
| 2022 | 26.9 | 41.7 | – | 33.7 | 31.2 | 51.9 | 43.5 | 54.1 |
| 2023 | 26.5 | 41.8 | – | – | 31.8 | 51.5 | – | – |
| 2024 | – | 41.8 | – | – | – | 50.3 | 42.6 | – |
Gini index of equivalised household disposable income (OECD), 0-100, 1980-latest
Each line is the source that counts most for that group.
Norway
United States
United Kingdom
Germany
France
Brazil
Mexico
South Africa
| Group | Figure | Year | Trust |
|---|---|---|---|
| Norway | 25.9 | 2023 | 60 Moderate |
| United States | 39.44 | 2023 | 60 Moderate |
| United Kingdom | 36.7 | 2023 | 60 Moderate |
| Germany | 30.7 | 2023 | 60 Moderate |
| France | 29.9 | 2023 | 60 Moderate |
| Brazil | 45.12 | 2022 | 60 Moderate |
| Mexico | 40.01 | 2022 | 60 Moderate |
| South Africa | 61.76 | 2017 | 65 Moderate |
Show every year as a table
| Year | Norway | United States | United Kingdom | Germany | France | Brazil | Mexico | South Africa |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 45.2 | – |
| 1985 | – | – | 30.9 | 25.1 | – | – | – | – |
| 1986 | 22.2 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1989 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 49.5 | – |
| 1990 | – | – | 35.5 | 25.6 | – | – | – | – |
| 1992 | – | – | – | 26.3 | – | – | 51.2 | – |
| 1993 | – | 36.9 | – | 26.2 | – | – | – | – |
| 1994 | – | 36.6 | 33.7 | 26.8 | – | – | 51.9 | – |
| 1995 | 24.3 | 36.1 | – | 26.6 | – | – | – | – |
| 1996 | – | 36.3 | – | 26 | 27.7 | – | 50.4 | – |
| 1997 | – | 36.4 | – | 25.9 | 27.8 | – | – | – |
| 1998 | – | 35.7 | – | 25.9 | 27.6 | – | 51.3 | – |
| 1999 | – | 35.4 | 34 | 25.9 | 28.4 | – | – | – |
| 2000 | 26.1 | 35.7 | 35.2 | 26.4 | 28.7 | – | 50.7 | – |
| 2001 | – | 36 | 34 | 27 | 28.7 | – | – | – |
| 2002 | – | 37.6 | 35.88 | 28 | 28.4 | – | 48.7 | – |
| 2003 | – | 37.4 | 35.32 | 28.2 | 28.2 | – | – | – |
| 2004 | 28.53 | 36 | 35.38 | 28.5 | 28.3 | – | 47.4 | – |
| 2005 | – | 38 | 35.89 | 29.7 | 28.8 | – | 48.6 | – |
| 2006 | – | 38.4 | 36.44 | 29 | 29.3 | 50.88 | 47.1 | – |
| 2007 | – | 37.6 | 37.27 | 29.5 | 29.2 | – | – | – |
| 2008 | 25 | 37.8 | 36.85 | 28.47 | 29.3 | – | 47.5 | – |
| 2009 | 24.49 | 37.9 | 37.39 | – | 29.3 | 48.45 | – | – |
| 2010 | 24.86 | 38 | 35.09 | – | 30.3 | – | 46.6 | – |
| 2011 | 24.96 | 38.9 | 35.37 | 29.05 | 30.9 | 48.25 | – | – |
| 2012 | 25.25 | 39.03 | 35.15 | 28.88 | 30.5 | – | 45.72 | – |
| 2013 | 25.2 | 39.6 | 35.8 | 29.22 | 29.1 | 46.91 | – | – |
| 2014 | 25.7 | 39.38 | 35.61 | 28.87 | 29.3 | – | 45.93 | – |
| 2015 | 27.19 | 38.96 | 36.02 | 29.32 | 29.5 | – | – | 62.56 |
| 2016 | 26.21 | 39.12 | 35.1 | 29.44 | 29.1 | 46.23 | 45.87 | – |
| 2017 | 26.15 | 38.99 | 35.7 | 28.92 | 29.2 | 47.47 | – | 61.76 |
| 2018 | 26.21 | 39.27 | 36.6 | 28.93 | 30.1 | 47.4 | 41.8 | – |
| 2019 | 26.13 | 39.49 | 36.6 | 29.59 | 29.2 | 47.57 | – | – |
| 2020 | 26.3 | 37.73 | 35.5 | 30.26 | 27.8 | 44.83 | 42.05 | – |
| 2021 | 28.51 | 37.52 | 35.41 | 31.25 | 29.8 | 46.94 | – | – |
| 2022 | 26.23 | 39.61 | 36.48 | 30.92 | 29.7 | 45.12 | 40.01 | – |
| 2023 | 25.9 | 39.44 | 36.7 | 30.7 | 29.9 | – | – | – |
About this data
Every source on this page (4)
Who is behind the sources
- 56% University or journal
- 44% International body
Each publisher, its funding and its own description
- World Inequality Lab (WIL) · University or journalFunding: About €1.5 million a year, mainly from public research bodies (including European Research Council grants), the Paris School of Economics and non-profit organisations, plus donations. sourceIn its own words: “…social scientists committed to helping everyone understand the drivers of global inequality through evidence-based research.” source, retrieved 2026-10-27
- World Bank · International bodyFunding: Capital from its member governments, bonds sold on world capital markets, and donor contributions to its fund for the poorest countries (IDA). sourceIn its own words: “We exist to create a world free of poverty on a livable planet.” source, retrieved 2026-10-27
- OECD · International bodyFunding: Contributions from its member countries, set by a formula based on the size of each economy, plus voluntary contributions. sourceIn its own words: “Our core aim is to set international standards and support their implementation…” source, retrieved 2026-10-27
- World Bank, income share held by highest 10% (household surveys)Used for 171 countries; counts toward 171. Years 1992 to 2025. Retrieved 2026-10-27.Open the publisher's page
- World Inequality Database, top 10% pre-tax national income shareUsed for 216 countries; counts toward 170. Years 2024. Retrieved 2026-10-27.Not counted where: it republishes World Bank.Open the publisher's pageData (zip file)
- World Bank, Gini index (household surveys)Used for 8 countries; counts toward 8. Years 2021 to 2024. Retrieved 2026-10-27.Open the publisher's page
- OECD Income Distribution Database, Gini of disposable incomeUsed for 8 countries; counts toward 8. Years 2017 to 2023. Retrieved 2026-10-27.Open the publisher's pageData (API)
Why the numbers differ (6)
- Income concept: WID measures pre-tax national income, which adds income households do not receive in cash or do not report, such as retained company profits, so that the total matches national accounts. The World Bank uses income or consumption as reported in household surveys, and the OECD uses disposable income after taxes and transfers.
- Unit: WID ranks adults and splits income equally between spouses. The World Bank ranks people by household income or consumption per person. The OECD ranks people by household disposable income divided by the square root of household size.
- Data source: surveys miss part of the income at the top. WID adds tax records where it has them and otherwise corrects survey data with models or regional averages; its data-quality grade for each year says which.
- Measure: a Gini index summarises the whole distribution and the top decile's share describes one group, so the two can move differently. The Gini indexes are shown in their own sets for the featured countries.
- Consumption and income: for many countries in Africa and Asia the World Bank survey measures consumption, which is spread more evenly than income, so those shares are not comparable with income shares elsewhere.
- Not independent everywhere: for countries without tax data, such as Nigeria and South Africa, WID builds its series from World Bank survey tabulations, which each row's WID note states.
Common mistakes (3)
- Reading WID figures for the latest year as observed: WID carries the last estimate forward for most countries and grades those years as imputed. (source, retrieved 2026-10-27)
- Comparing a pre-tax share with an after-tax one: taxes and transfers lower the measured inequality, so WID pre-tax shares and OECD disposable-income figures answer different questions. (source, retrieved 2026-10-27)
- Treating the World Bank series as yearly: values exist only for survey years, and the survey measure (income or consumption) can differ between countries and years. (source, retrieved 2026-10-27)
Context (5)
- WID data-quality grades: what grades 0 to 5 mean for each year of a distributed-income series, from imputed regional averages to tax and survey microdata. Retrieved 2026-10-27.
- WID Distributional National Accounts guidelines: the pre-tax national income concept, the equal-split adult unit and how tax, survey and national-accounts data are combined. Retrieved 2026-10-27.
- World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform methodology: household surveys, welfare (income or consumption) per person and comparability of survey years. Retrieved 2026-10-27.
- World Bank metadata for the Gini index, including its limitations. Retrieved 2026-10-27.
- OECD Income Distribution Database metadata: income definition, equivalence scale, source surveys per country and breaks in series. Retrieved 2026-10-27.
Sources considered and not used (5)
- OECD Income Distribution Database, top 10% share: The database publishes no top 10% income share; its nearest measures are ratios (S80/S20, P90/P10 and the Palma ratio), which are not shares, so the OECD Gini is shown as its own set. (source, retrieved 2026-10-27)
- World Bank and OECD Gini indexes for countries outside the featured list: Shown only for the featured countries to keep the comparison sets readable; the full series are in the linked datasets. (source, retrieved 2026-10-27)
- WID world regions and the German Democratic Republic: Regional aggregates and a former state, not current countries. (source, retrieved 2026-10-27)
- WID series before 1980: WID says it builds most pre-1980 series from trends in fiscal income data or a long-run model; the page starts in 1980. (source, retrieved 2026-10-27)
- Luxembourg Income Study (LIS): Microdata access needs registration, so it is not used directly; the World Bank and the OECD use LIS data for some countries, as their notes say. (source, retrieved 2026-10-27)
Download, compare, cite and report an error
- Download every value on this page (CSV)
- Compare with another statistic
- Cite as: RealStats, “How much of each country's income goes to the top 10%, and how has that changed since 1980?”, updated 2026-10-27, with the original sources listed on the page. Scores use formula version 1.0.
- Report an error on this page