Athens, Greece. Nearly 2.8 million people in Greece are at risk of poverty or social exclusion after a marginal increase in economic hardship over the past year, according to ELSTAT. The 2025 Income and Living Conditions Survey put the figure at 27.5% of the population, up 0.6 percentage points from the previous period.
Rising deprivation and child vulnerability
ELSTAT reported that the increase was driven mainly by higher material and social deprivation, which rose to 14.9% from 14.0% in 2024. Children were identified as the most vulnerable group, with the risk of poverty for those under 17 reaching 29.6%.
Poverty thresholds and impact of social transfers
The official poverty threshold was set at an annual income of €7,020 for a single person and €14,742 for a family with two adults and two children under 14. The report said social transfers reduced the poverty rate from a theoretical 43.9% to a recorded 19.6%, narrowing the poverty gap by 24.3 percentage points.
Income inequality indicators
Income inequality remained a feature of the Greek economy, with the wealthiest 20% earning 5.18 times more than the poorest 20%. The Gini coefficient decreased slightly to 31.6%, while the top quarter of the population held 45.5% of total income and the poorest 20% held 7.6%.
How do you think rising material and social deprivation should be addressed in Greece?
