Income gaps widen in 2021

Income differentials grew in 2021 compared to the previous year, according to Statistics Finland.

The average income of the highest-income decile in the population grew by 8.1 per cent in real terms.

The real income of the lowest-income decile remained on level with the previous year. The real income level of the middle-income decile rose by 1.5 per cent.

Income differentials grew clearly in 2021. The Gini coefficient received the value 29.1. It was 1.4 percentage points higher than in 2020.

Sales profits and other property income increased the income of those with the highest income more than that of other population groups.

The average for disposable monetary income of the top 1 % grew in real terms by 19.9 % from the year before.

The average for real income of the lowest-income decile remained unchanged and the income level of the four lowest-income deciles rose by 0.3 per cent.

There were 719,000 persons at risk of poverty, 13.2 % of the dwelling population in 2021. The share grew from the previous year, when it was 12.5 %.

A total of 421,600 persons were at long-term risk of poverty, that is, besides 2021, they were at risk of poverty in at least two of the three previous years.