Income share of the richest 10% before and after tax in China
China: Income share of the richest 10% before and after tax was 39.1% in 2015. ▲ Rising
Income share of the richest 10% before and after tax in China, 1980–2015
Source: World Inequality Database (WID.world) (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for income share of the richest 10% before and after tax in China is 39.1%, measured in 2015.
That represents a change of down 0.3% on the previous year and down 4.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, income share of the richest 10% before and after tax in China peaked at 41.5% in 2010 and was at its lowest, 28.0%, in 1980.
China ranks 63rd of 109 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Income share of the richest 10% before and after tax in China, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 28.0% | — |
| 1981 | 28.4% | +1.6% |
| 1982 | 28.8% | +1.4% |
| 1983 | 28.9% | +0.4% |
| 1984 | 29.4% | +1.8% |
| 1985 | 30.4% | +3.1% |
| 1986 | 30.6% | +0.8% |
| 1987 | 30.4% | -0.5% |
| 1988 | 30.8% | +1.2% |
| 1989 | 31.3% | +1.9% |
| 1990 | 31.0% | -1.0% |
| 1991 | 31.7% | +2.3% |
| 1992 | 33.0% | +3.8% |
| 1993 | 34.2% | +3.7% |
| 1994 | 34.6% | +1.3% |
| 1995 | 34.0% | -1.6% |
| 1996 | 34.2% | +0.6% |
| 1997 | 34.4% | +0.5% |
| 1998 | 34.9% | +1.4% |
| 1999 | 35.3% | +1.1% |
| 2000 | 36.2% | +2.6% |
| 2001 | 36.0% | -0.6% |
| 2002 | 38.8% | +7.9% |
| 2003 | 39.9% | +2.8% |
| 2004 | 40.3% | +1.1% |
| 2005 | 41.0% | +1.8% |
| 2006 | 41.0% | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 41.3% | +0.7% |
| 2008 | 41.1% | -0.5% |
| 2009 | 41.0% | -0.2% |
| 2010 | 41.5% | +1.1% |
| 2011 | 41.3% | -0.4% |
| 2012 | 39.7% | -4.0% |
| 2013 | 40.1% | +1.0% |
| 2014 | 39.2% | -2.1% |
| 2015 | 39.1% | -0.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 29.7% | 28.0% | 31.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | 33.7% | 31.0% | 35.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 39.7% | 36.0% | 41.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 40.2% | 39.1% | 41.5% | 6 |
Countries ranked near China
- 60 Tajikistan 40.2% compare
- 61 Mongolia 39.8% compare
- 62 Ethiopia 39.5% compare
- 64 El Salvador 38.6% compare
- 65 Estonia 38.6% compare
- 66 Kazakhstan 38.6% compare
More economy & growth data for China
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 3.46 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 3.31 Percent per annum (2029)
- GDP (current US$), annual growth rate 4.1 % change on previous year (2025)
- GDP (current US$), per capita 13,862 current US$ per person (2025)
- GDP (current LCU), annual growth rate 3.99 % change on previous year (2025)
- GDP (current LCU), per unit of GDP 7.19 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
- GDP (current LCU), per capita 99,666 current LCU per person (2025)
- GDP (constant 2015 US$), annual growth rate 4.96 % change on previous year (2025)
- GDP (constant 2015 US$), per unit of GDP 0.995 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- GDP (constant 2015 US$), per capita 13,793 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is income share of the richest 10% before and after tax in China?
- Income share of the richest 10% before and after tax in China was 39.1% in 2015, according to World Inequality Database (WID.world) (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest income share of the richest 10% before and after tax recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 41.5% in 2010.
- What is the lowest income share of the richest 10% before and after tax recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 28.0% in 1980.
- How does China rank for income share of the richest 10% before and after tax?
- China ranks 63rd out of 109 countries with data for 2015.
- Is income share of the richest 10% before and after tax rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is down 4.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from World Inequality Database (WID.world) (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Income share of the richest 10% before and after tax. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of income received by the richest 10% of the population. Income here is measured after taxes and benefits.