What is considered a ‘modest income’ in France?
12.6% of people were in this category in 2021, according to recent research
Those most affected by poverty include single parents, large families, and students
2023 Daria_vg/Shutterstock
More than one in 10 people (15.4 %) in France live below the poverty line, defined as earning less than €1,288 per month, or 60% of the national median income, according to a July report by Insee, France’s state statistics agency.
France’s median disposable income stood at €2,147 net per month in 2023, matching the timeframe of the data used in the Insee report.
Earning between 60% and 75% of the median disposable income equates to a ‘modest’ income, according to a September study by DREES, the national health statistics agency. It found that 12.6% of people in France had a modest income in 2021, calculated from a sample of 31,000 people after accounting for taxes and financial aid.
Those most affected by poverty include single parents, large families, and students - groups particularly impacted by rising living costs. Student unions note that grant payment delays have made it harder for many to afford housing and food.
Retirees are the least likely to be classed as poor. Among those aged from 65-74, 10.9% live below the poverty line, while the same is true for 11.3% of over 75s, reported Insee.
The DREES study found that across Europe, 16.9% of people live in poverty and 11.7% have modest incomes, showing that France has a smaller share of poor households but slightly more modest ones than the EU average.
For comparison, the US poverty threshold for a single-person household in 2021 was about $1,149 (€979) with an 11.6% poverty rate, while in the UK, the poverty line stood at £791 (€906) and 22% of people were classified as poor. (Note: International figures vary due to differing data sources and definitions.)
