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Economy & jobs Statistics · Country

Income inequality (Gini) in China

1981 – 2022 · 23 data points 11 of 27 · Countries Updated Oct 21, 2026

Source: World Bank — World Development Indicators, 1981 – 2022

Income inequality (Gini), 1981 – 2022 index
−14% since 2012

Source: World Bank — World Development Indicators, 1981 – 2022

The series at a glance China · 1981 – 2022
Latest value 36.0 · 2022
First value 28.2 · 1981
Highest 43.7 · 2010
Lowest 27.1 · 1984
Average change +0.6% a year on average
Data points 23

By year

All years · 1981 – 2022

YearChinaChange
2022 36.0 +0.6%
2021 35.8 −3.5%
2020 37.1 −2.9%
2019 38.2 −0.8%
2018 38.5 −1.3%
2017 39.0 +1.3%
2016 38.5 −0.3%
2015 38.6 −1.5%
2014 39.2 −1.3%
2013 39.7 −5.7%
2012 42.1 −0.5%
2011 42.3 −3.2%
2010 43.7 +1.9%
2008 42.9 +4.9%
2005 40.9 −2.6%
2002 42.0 +8.5%
1999 38.7 +9.9%
1996 35.2 +4.1%
1993 33.8 +5.0%
1990 32.2 +9.9%
1987 29.3 +8.1%
1984 27.1 −3.9%
1981 28.2

Source: World Bank — World Development Indicators, 1981 – 2022

Ranking · Countries

2022 · Place 1 is the highest value.

#TerritoryIncome inequality (Gini)
8 Argentina 40.7
22 Bangladesh 30.9
2 Brazil 51.9
9 Bulgaria 38.2
20 Canada 31.5
6 Chile 43.2
11 China 36.0
1 Colombia 54.8
26 Czechia 25.9
3 Ecuador 45.5
24 Finland 27.9
21 France 31.2
15 Germany 33.7
18 Greece 33.4
27 India 25.5
12 Indonesia 35.5
16 Italy 33.7
13 Lebanon 35.5
10 Lithuania 36.6
5 Mexico 43.5
25 Norway 26.9
23 Poland 28.9
19 Romania 32.3
14 Russia 33.9
17 Spain 33.6
4 Türkiye 44.5
7 United States 41.7

Source: World Bank — World Development Indicators, 2022

What it means

How unequally income is shared: 0 means everyone has the same, 100 means one person has everything.

How it is calculated

Gini index of income or consumption from household surveys.