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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

2014 · Place 1 is the highest value.

#TerritoryIncome inequality (Gini)
29 Czechia 25.9
28 Norway 26.8
27 Finland 26.8
26 Netherlands 28.6
25 Germany 30.8
24 South Korea 31.2
23 France 32.3
22 Poland 32.8
21 United Kingdom 33.1
20 Liberia 33.2
19 Canada 33.2
18 Italy 34.7
17 Greece 35.8
16 Romania 36.0
15 Spain 36.1
14 Yemen 36.7
13 Russia 36.9
12 Bulgaria 37.4
11 Lithuania 37.7
10 Indonesia 38.8
9 China 39.2
8 Türkiye 41.2
7 United States 41.7
6 Argentina 41.8
5 Ecuador 45.0
4 Mexico 48.9
3 Honduras 49.9
2 Brazil 52.1
1 Colombia 53.6

Source: World Bank — World Development Indicators, 2014

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.