Humanity Observatory

Belgium: inequality

Belgium's inequality figures from Eurostat, set against the other EU states. Every figure links to the table it was read from; where Eurostat publishes nothing for Belgium, the page says so.

Top fifth earns this many times the bottom fifth: Belgium is the lowest of the 27 EU member states (2025).

income quintile share ratio: 3.25 for Belgium, against 4.62 for the EU as a whole.

Belgium against the EU

Each measure with the states ranked next to it. The latest year with a published figure is used.

Income inequality (Gini)

0 to 100, higher is more unequal

Belgium: 23.4 in 2025, against 29.2 for the EU as a whole — the 26th highest of the 27 EU states with a figure for 2025.

Income inequality (Gini): Belgium and the states ranked next to it, 2025
RankCountryFigure
24Slovenia24.6
25Czechia24.0
26Belgium23.4
27Slovakia23.0
—European Union (27, from 2020) (reference, not ranked)29.2
  • Published from 2014 to 2025. Highest: 26.3 in 2016. Lowest: 23.4 in 2025.
  • Average of the latest published figures (2021–2025): 24.2*.
  • Above the EU figure in 0* of 12* years with a figure for both (2014–2025).

Top fifth earns this many times the bottom fifth

income quintile share ratio

Belgium: 3.25 in 2025, against 4.62 for the EU as a whole — the lowest of the 27 EU states with a figure for 2025.

Top fifth earns this many times the bottom fifth: Belgium and the states ranked next to it, 2025
RankCountryFigure
25Czechia3.34
26Slovakia3.27
27Belgium3.25
—European Union (27, from 2020) (reference, not ranked)4.62
  • Published from 2003 to 2025. Highest: 4.35 in 2003. Lowest: 3.25 in 2025.
  • Average of the latest published figures (2021–2025): 3.41*.
  • Above the EU figure in 0* of 16* years with a figure for both (2010–2025).

At risk of poverty

share below the national poverty line

Belgium: 10.9% in 2025, the 26th highest of the 27 EU states with a figure for 2025.

At risk of poverty: Belgium and the states ranked next to it, 2025
RankCountryFigure
24Slovakia12.2%
25Denmark11.8%
26Belgium10.9%
27Czechia9.6%
—European Union (27, from 2020) (reference, not ranked)no figure published
  • Published from 1995 to 2025. Highest: 16.4% in 2018. Lowest: 10.9% in 2025.
  • Average of the latest published figures (2021–2025): 12.1%*.

At risk of poverty or social exclusion

share of the population

Belgium: 16.5% in 2025, the 23rd highest of the 27 EU states with a figure for 2025.

At risk of poverty or social exclusion: Belgium and the states ranked next to it, 2025
RankCountryFigure
21Cyprus17.1%
22Slovakia16.7%
23Belgium16.5%
24Netherlands15.8%
25Slovenia15.5%
—European Union (27, from 2020) (reference, not ranked)no figure published

Ranks compare the 27 EU member states. Eurostat’s figure for Cyprus covers the government-controlled area only.

  • Published from 2015 to 2025. Highest: 22.2% in 2016. Lowest: 16.5% in 2025.
  • Average of the latest published figures (2021–2025): 18.2%*.

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Modification notice and disclaimer

The counts on this page are published by Eurostat (Statistical Office of the European Union) and are reproduced unchanged. Humanity Observatory has additionally derived the following from them:

  • A country's rank among the 27 EU states for a measure, computed by sorting the published per-country figures.
  • The highest and lowest point of the country's own published annual series.
  • The average of the country's latest published annual figures (up to five years).
  • The number of years in which the country's figure was above the EU figure for the same year.

Source: Eurostat. Reuse terms.

* Calculated by Humanity Observatory from published figures.

Where these numbers come from →