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Poverty and inequality

Portugal’s figures on poverty, inequality, household debt and credit.

Poverty and inequality

At risk of poverty or social exclusion

18,6 % of the populationin 2025source · Eurostat

Down from 2024. Below the European Union average.

2024:19,7European Union:20,9

Czechia 11,5Bulgaria 29,0

Among the 27 EU countries in 2025, the lowest value is 11,5 (Czechia) and the highest is 29,0 (Bulgaria); the EU average is 20,9. Portugal (18,6) ranks 15th from the highest, level with other countries with the same value (Austria and Sweden).

All the countries

What this number is

It is the share of the population in at least one of three situations: income below 60 % of the country’s median income, severe material and social deprivation, or living in a household where almost no one works; each person counts only once. The median income is the one in the middle: half the population has more and half has less.

What share of the population is in at least one of three situations: income below 60 % of the income that leaves half of the country’s population above it and half below, the median (at risk of poverty); at least seven out of thirteen deprivations because of a lack of resources (severe material and social deprivation); or living in a household where almost nobody works (very low work intensity), counting each person only once?

Income of the richest fifth compared with the poorest fifth

4,86 timesin 2025source · Eurostat

The gap narrowed from 2024. It is wider than the European Union average.

2024:5,2European Union:4,62

Belgium 3,25Bulgaria 6,94

Among the 27 EU countries in 2025, the lowest value is 3,25 (Belgium) and the highest is 6,94 (Bulgaria); the EU average is 4,62. Portugal (4,86) ranks 8th from the highest.

All the countries

What this number is

The 20 % of the population with the highest income receive, in total, 4,86 times what the 20 % with the lowest income receive.

How many times greater is the total income of the fifth of the population with the highest income than that of the fifth with the lowest?

Household debt and credit

Household debt

53,9 % of GDP (provisional data)in 2025source · Eurostat

It weighs more than in 2024. Above the European Union average. For the European Commission, debt above 55 % of GDP is a sign of a possible imbalance: Portugal is at or below it.

2024:52,6 (provisional data)European Union:49,2 (provisional data)within the Commission’s reference value (below 55 %)

What this number is

It is what households and non-profit institutions serving them owe in loans and debt securities, as a percentage of GDP, the value of everything the country produces in a year.

How much do households and non-profit institutions serving them owe in loans and debt securities, leaving out what they owe one another (consolidated debt), as a percentage of the value of the final goods and services the economy produces in a year (GDP)?

Credit flow to households

8,6 % of debt at the end of the previous yearin 2025source · Eurostat

Up from 2024. Above the European Union average. For the European Commission, a flow above 14 % is a sign of a possible imbalance: Portugal is at or below it.

2024:4,1European Union:2,9 (provisional data)within the Commission’s reference value (below 14 %)

What this number is

It is how much credit households and non-profit institutions serving them took on in a year, minus what they repaid, as a percentage of the debt they already had at the end of the previous year.

How much credit did households and non-profit institutions serving them take on in a year, minus what they repaid and leaving out operations among themselves (the consolidated credit flow), as a percentage of the debt they had at the end of the previous year?

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