Around 21.7% of Croatia’s population was at risk of poverty or social exclusion in 2024, while 20.3% faced a direct risk of poverty, data from the Croatian Bureau of Statistics (DZS) showed on Friday.
The poverty risk threshold was set at €7,407 per year for a single-person household and €15,554 for a household with two adults and two children under 14. Severe material and social deprivation affected 2% of the population, according to the Survey on Income and Living Conditions.
Excluding social transfers from income would raise the poverty risk rate from 20.3% to 25.9%, and if pensions were also excluded, the rate would jump to 39.4%.
Pannonian Croatia recorded the highest at-risk-of-poverty rate at 29.7%, followed by Adriatic Croatia at 21.2%, Northern Croatia at 17.4%, and the City of Zagreb with the lowest rate at 9.7%.
Vulnerable Groups
The elderly and unemployed were particularly vulnerable. The poverty risk rate among those aged 65 and older stood at 37%, while unemployed persons faced a 40.5% risk. Single-person households, especially those composed of individuals aged 65 and older, had the highest poverty risk at 61.4%, with women disproportionately affected at 57.5%.
Households with dependent children also faced challenges. Single-parent households recorded a poverty risk rate of 26.9%, while households with two adults and three or more children saw a rate of 23.5%.
Financial Struggles
More than a third (34.7%) of households could not afford a one-week vacation away from home, while 34.9% were unable to cover unexpected expenses. Additionally, 4.6% lived in homes that could not afford adequate heating during the coldest months.
When asked about financial stability, 4.8% of respondents said they struggled to make ends meet, 15% had difficulty doing so, and 40.6% managed with minor difficulties. Only 1.6% reported living comfortably.
The survey, conducted annually, covers randomly selected private households, excluding institutional households and island populations with limited accessibility, except for islands connected to the mainland by a bridge. It collects data on income, employment, education, health, and living conditions to assess household living standards.
