Median and mean income (after tax) in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Median and mean income (after tax) was 36,857 international-$ in 2021 prices in 2021. ▲ Rising
Latest (2021)
36,857 international-$ in 2021 prices
Change on year
up 1.7%
World rank
15th
of 47 countries
All-time high
37,017 international-$ in 2021 prices
in 2019
All-time low
15,531 international-$ in 2021 prices
in 1968
Years of data
54
1968–2021
Median and mean income (after tax) in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 1968–2021
Source: Luxembourg Income Study (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in international-$ in 2021 prices.
Analysis
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland recorded 36,857 international-$ in 2021 prices for median and mean income (after tax) in 2021.
That represents a change of up 1.7% on the previous year and up 8.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, median and mean income (after tax) in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland peaked at 37,017 international-$ in 2021 prices in 2019 and was at its lowest, 15,531 international-$ in 2021 prices, in 1968.
That places United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 15th out of 47 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 54 years of available data.
Median and mean income (after tax) in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, year by year
| Year | international-$ in 2021 prices | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1968 | 15,531 international-$ in 2021 prices | — |
| 1969 | 15,697 international-$ in 2021 prices | +1.1% |
| 1970 | 15,986 international-$ in 2021 prices | +1.8% |
| 1971 | 15,789 international-$ in 2021 prices | -1.2% |
| 1972 | 16,496 international-$ in 2021 prices | +4.5% |
| 1973 | 17,732 international-$ in 2021 prices | +7.5% |
| 1974 | 17,724 international-$ in 2021 prices | -0.0% |
| 1975 | 16,960 international-$ in 2021 prices | -4.3% |
| 1976 | 16,258 international-$ in 2021 prices | -4.1% |
| 1977 | 15,915 international-$ in 2021 prices | -2.1% |
| 1978 | 17,221 international-$ in 2021 prices | +8.2% |
| 1979 | 17,567 international-$ in 2021 prices | +2.0% |
| 1980 | 18,006 international-$ in 2021 prices | +2.5% |
| 1981 | 17,864 international-$ in 2021 prices | -0.8% |
| 1982 | 19,480 international-$ in 2021 prices | +9.0% |
| 1983 | 18,651 international-$ in 2021 prices | -4.3% |
| 1984 | 19,125 international-$ in 2021 prices | +2.5% |
| 1985 | 19,835 international-$ in 2021 prices | +3.7% |
| 1986 | 21,002 international-$ in 2021 prices | +5.9% |
| 1987 | 22,271 international-$ in 2021 prices | +6.0% |
| 1988 | 23,842 international-$ in 2021 prices | +7.1% |
| 1989 | 24,031 international-$ in 2021 prices | +0.8% |
| 1990 | 25,026 international-$ in 2021 prices | +4.1% |
| 1991 | 25,066 international-$ in 2021 prices | +0.2% |
| 1992 | 24,205 international-$ in 2021 prices | -3.4% |
| 1993 | 24,202 international-$ in 2021 prices | -0.0% |
| 1994 | 25,991 international-$ in 2021 prices | +7.4% |
| 1995 | 25,844 international-$ in 2021 prices | -0.6% |
| 1996 | 26,770 international-$ in 2021 prices | +3.6% |
| 1997 | 27,708 international-$ in 2021 prices | +3.5% |
| 1998 | 29,015 international-$ in 2021 prices | +4.7% |
| 1999 | 29,701 international-$ in 2021 prices | +2.4% |
| 2000 | 32,144 international-$ in 2021 prices | +8.2% |
| 2001 | 33,048 international-$ in 2021 prices | +2.8% |
| 2002 | 32,523 international-$ in 2021 prices | -1.6% |
| 2003 | 33,027 international-$ in 2021 prices | +1.5% |
| 2004 | 34,124 international-$ in 2021 prices | +3.3% |
| 2005 | 34,782 international-$ in 2021 prices | +1.9% |
| 2006 | 35,436 international-$ in 2021 prices | +1.9% |
| 2007 | 35,395 international-$ in 2021 prices | -0.1% |
| 2008 | 35,653 international-$ in 2021 prices | +0.7% |
| 2009 | 35,526 international-$ in 2021 prices | -0.4% |
| 2010 | 34,720 international-$ in 2021 prices | -2.3% |
| 2011 | 33,996 international-$ in 2021 prices | -2.1% |
| 2012 | 33,926 international-$ in 2021 prices | -0.2% |
| 2013 | 33,823 international-$ in 2021 prices | -0.3% |
| 2014 | 35,037 international-$ in 2021 prices | +3.6% |
| 2015 | 35,464 international-$ in 2021 prices | +1.2% |
| 2016 | 35,654 international-$ in 2021 prices | +0.5% |
| 2017 | 35,772 international-$ in 2021 prices | +0.3% |
| 2018 | 36,489 international-$ in 2021 prices | +2.0% |
| 2019 | 37,017 international-$ in 2021 prices | +1.4% |
| 2020 | 36,252 international-$ in 2021 prices | -2.1% |
| 2021 | 36,857 international-$ in 2021 prices | +1.7% |
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland's 36,857 international-$ in 2021 prices is above the median for high income countries, which is 34,215 international-$ in 2021 prices, 1.1× the median. (36 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland's 36,857 international-$ in 2021 prices is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 33,334 international-$ in 2021 prices, 1.1× the median. (29 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 15,614 international-$ in 2021 prices | 15,531 international-$ in 2021 prices | 15,697 international-$ in 2021 prices | 2 |
| 1970s | 16,765 international-$ in 2021 prices | 15,789 international-$ in 2021 prices | 17,732 international-$ in 2021 prices | 10 |
| 1980s | 20,411 international-$ in 2021 prices | 17,864 international-$ in 2021 prices | 24,031 international-$ in 2021 prices | 10 |
| 1990s | 26,353 international-$ in 2021 prices | 24,202 international-$ in 2021 prices | 29,701 international-$ in 2021 prices | 10 |
| 2000s | 34,166 international-$ in 2021 prices | 32,144 international-$ in 2021 prices | 35,653 international-$ in 2021 prices | 10 |
| 2010s | 35,190 international-$ in 2021 prices | 33,823 international-$ in 2021 prices | 37,017 international-$ in 2021 prices | 10 |
| 2020s | 36,555 international-$ in 2021 prices | 36,252 international-$ in 2021 prices | 36,857 international-$ in 2021 prices | 2 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
- 12 Denmark 40,157 international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 13 Ireland 39,410 international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 14 Korea 39,373 international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 16 France 36,186 international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 17 Finland 35,351 international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 18 Sweden 35,096 international-$ in 2021 prices compare
More economy & growth data for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 1.14 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 1.42 Percent per annum (2029)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), gaps 86.93 billion BoP, current US$ (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0217 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 1,251 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), gaps filled 76.63 billion BoP, current US$ (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), annual 691.49 % change on previous year (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0191 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 1,103 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), annual growth rate 22.77 % change on previous year (2025)
All data for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland →
Frequently asked questions
- What is median and mean income (after tax) in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- Median and mean income (after tax) in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was 36,857 international-$ in 2021 prices in 2021, according to Luxembourg Income Study (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest median and mean income (after tax) recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 37,017 international-$ in 2021 prices in 2019.
- What is the lowest median and mean income (after tax) recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 15,531 international-$ in 2021 prices in 1968.
- How does United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland rank for median and mean income (after tax)?
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 15th out of 47 countries with data for 2021.
- Is median and mean income (after tax) rising or falling in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 8.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland data come from?
- The figures come from Luxembourg Income Study (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Median and mean income (after tax). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 54 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Average income per year of the population.