More than one in four people in Greece – or 26.9% of the population – were at risk of poverty or social exclusion in 2024, according to data released by Eurostat on Wednesday, placing the country among the highest in the European Union.
The figures, which amount to 2.74 million individuals in a country of 10.4 million, position Greece behind only Bulgaria (30.3%) and Romania (27.9%) in the 27-member bloc. The EU average stands at 21%.
Eurostat’s report comes as Greece’s own statistical agency, ELSTAT, published parallel data, reinforcing the country’s continued struggle with income inequality and rising living costs despite broader economic growth.
Between 2023 and 2024, over 80,000 additional people fell into poverty in Greece, marking a 0.8 percentage point increase. Experts warn the true figures may be even higher, as marginalized populations such as Roma, prisoners, and migrants in camps often remain undercounted.
Across the EU, 93.3 million people were classified as at risk of poverty or social exclusion in 2024, down slightly by 0.3% from the previous year. Greece, however, bucked that trend, further highlighting the country’s economic fragility.
Greece’s poverty threshold is defined as an annual income of less than €6,030 for individuals or €12,663 for families with two adults and two children under 14. In 2023, the Greek economy grew by 2%, yet poverty remained stubbornly high.
According to the OECD, Greeks were the second poorest in Europe in 2024 after Bulgarians, with real wages having fallen by 30% since the 2009 debt crisis.
In a bid to cushion the impact of inflation, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced in March a minimum wage increase to €880 per month, effective April 1. The rise, a 6.02% boost from the previous wage of €830, affects nearly 1.2 million workers across the public and private sectors.
“This doesn’t solve everything, but it’s a meaningful step toward strengthening purchasing power,” Mitsotakis said, noting that the minimum wage has increased by over 35% since 2019 – nearly double the inflation rate over the same period.
Still, critics argue the government’s support measures are insufficient in reversing the broader trend of poverty and exclusion, calling for structural reforms and improved social safety nets.
