Spain Poverty Statistics: Households, Youth, Employment

Poverty Statistics and Characteristics in Spain

• 2,192,000 households, with 8.5 million people under the threshold of 50% of the RDN; half of them are below 35% of the RDN.
• 85% of poor households are between 25% and 50% of the RDN.
• 86,800 households and 528,000 people living below 15% of the RDN.
• In the 1980s, severe poverty declined substantially.
• In the 1990s it slightly increased.
• Poverty is concentrated in urban areas more than in rural ones; the rural poor population is older and, protected by the pension system, will approach the poverty threshold.
• The highest rates occur on the border with Portugal and in the center.
• Process of juvenilization: accelerated youth poverty; 44% of the poor are younger than 25 years.
• Larger family size is associated with the worst cases of poverty.
• Roma (gypsy) and immigrant sectors are in an overall poverty situation that is very problematic and at great disadvantage relative to other poor groups.
• The poor account for many social problems, shortcomings, and evils such as unemployment, illiteracy, crime, abuse, and general exclusion.
• Special emphasis on the employment situation (unemployment, work, retirement), which is among the worst conditions experienced in poverty.
• Among the poor only 10% work; among the extremely poor only 1% work. Unemployment, which perpetuates poverty, is the major factor to address, alongside illiteracy and lack of training that hinder employment opportunities for the potentially active poor.

Types of Poverty in Spain

You can set different types of poverty by choosing various analytical axes:

A - Economic

The following economic levels are commonly used (as a percentage of the RDN):

• Extreme poverty: up to 15% of the RDN.
• Severe poverty: between 15% and 25% of the RDN.
• Moderate poverty: between 25% and 35% of the RDN.
• Social precariousness (precarious): between 35% and 50% of the RDN.

Revenues and expenditures of poor households are the main differentiating factor of poverty, establishing these four levels.

The severely poor are fewer than the moderately poor but have far fewer economic opportunities, many more problems, and tend to be younger and to live in larger families.

Moderate poverty (25%–35% of RDN) involves serious deprivation that excludes affected people from sustainable livelihoods.

B - By Age

By age: young, mature, and old. 44% of the poor are under 25 years.

C - By Family Dimension

By family situation: poverty experienced in solitude or in couples; poverty in average-size families; and poverty in large families.

Illiteracy, aging, and disease affect far more people living alone or in pairs. More severe poverty and associated problems (drugs, alcohol, etc.) usually affect large families.