Household incomes in Latvia in 2024 increased on average by 12% and reached 950 euros per person per month, but the gap between the poorest and the wealthiest continues to widen, with 404,000 residents now at risk of poverty.
The income of the wealthiest households last year was 2,084 euros per member per month, while the poorest households had an income of 317 euros per month.
Among the regions, the highest incomes were in the Riga region, with 1,135 euros per household member per month, including in the capital - 1,090 euros. In Zemgale, household incomes averaged 866 euros per member per month, in Kurzeme - 816 euros, in Vidzeme - 800 euros, and in Latgale - 673 euros.
Last year, the income of households where the main income earner had a higher education was 1,213 euros per household member per month, while for households where the main income earner was employed, it was 1,067 euros per month. High incomes were also reported for working-age residents (under 64 years) living alone, with 1,256 euros per month.
The lowest incomes were in households where the main income earner was unemployed, at 435 euros per household member per month. Lower incomes were also found in pensioner households, whose main source of income was pensions, at 625 euros per month, as well as in households where the education of the main earner was no higher than basic schooling, at 654 euros per household member per month.
In 2024, in the poorest households, which fall into the first quintile group, the income per household member was 317 euros per month, while in the wealthiest households, or the fifth quintile group, it was 2,084 euros per month, which is 6.7 times more. In 2023, the income per household member in the wealthiest households was 6.3 times higher than in the poorest. In households with average incomes, it ranged from 569 euros per month (in the second quintile group) to 1,094 euros per month (in the fourth quintile group).
Last year, as household incomes increased, the poverty risk threshold also rose, reaching 699 euros per month for a household consisting of one person (641 euros per month in 2023). For households with two adults and two children under 14 years, the poverty risk threshold in 2024 was 1,468 euros per month (1,346 euros per month in 2023).
Last year, 404,000 people in Latvia, or 22% of the population, were at risk of poverty: their incomes were below 699 euros per person per month (21.6% of the population in 2023).
The highest proportion of residents at risk of poverty was in the Latgale region (35.8%), while the lowest was in the Riga region (15.6%), including in the capital - 17.3%. In the Vidzeme region, 26.8% of the population was at risk of poverty, in Kurzeme - 25.1%, and in Zemgale - 22.8%.
Of all households in Latvia, those least at risk of poverty were households with two adults and two dependents (7%) and households with two adults and one dependent (9.8%). The highest poverty risk was among older residents (65 years and older) living alone (63.2%).
