The German Federal Statistical Office announced that around 17.6 million people in Germany were at risk of poverty or social exclusion in the past year, equivalent to 21.2% of the total population.
Based on the preliminary results of the Mini-Census, which includes a survey on income and living conditions of 47.4 thousand households and 81.2 thousand people aged 16 and over, this proportion is almost stable at the level of 21.1% compared to 2024.
average income
According to the bureau’s data, about 13.3 million people, or 16.1% of the population, have incomes below the risk of poverty, and by 2024, the proportion will reach 15.5%.
According to the European Union’s definition, a person is considered to be at risk of poverty if their income is less than 60% of the average income of the entire population, and this limit for individuals living alone reached €1,381 to €1,446 per month in 2024.
high percentage
For a family of two adults and two children under 14, the limit reached €3,036, compared to €2,900 in 2024.
Above-average exposure to poverty risk was 30.9% for single-member families and 28.7% for single-parent-headed families.
The highest percentages were among the unemployed at 64.9%, those not in the labor force at 33.8%, and those who were retired at 19.1%.
three conditions
According to the European Union’s definition, people are considered to be at risk of poverty or social exclusion if they meet at least one of the following three conditions: The conditions are that the income is below the threshold that puts the person at risk of poverty, that the family suffers from severe material and social poverty, or that the person lives in a family with very low labor market participation.
