One in five people in the EU faced poverty or social exclusion risk in 2025
20.9% of people in the European Union were at risk of poverty or social exclusion in 2025, but the regional gap was extremely wide. Some regions recorded rates above 50%, while others were below 5%.
In 26 of the 243 EU regions with available data, at least 31% of residents faced the combined risk measure.
At the other end of the scale, 24 regions recorded rates below 13%.
EU poverty and social exclusion risk in 2025
According to Eurostat's 2026 living-conditions report, the EU average was 20.9% in 2025.
Roughly two in five regions had a rate equal to or above the EU average, showing that living conditions differ sharply inside the single market.
The highest regional rate was 54.8%
Guyane, an overseas French region, recorded the highest rate at 54.8%.
Eurostat counted 26 regions where at least 31% of people were at risk of poverty or social exclusion.
Some regions were below 13%
Twenty-four EU regions had a rate under 13%. Bratislavský kraj in Slovakia recorded the lowest figure in the dataset at 2.9%.
The figures show why national averages can hide major differences between capitals, industrial regions, rural areas and remote territories.
What the indicator actually measures
The measure combines three dimensions: risk of monetary poverty, severe material and social deprivation, and living in a household with very low work intensity.
A person is counted if at least one of these conditions applies. The indicator therefore describes broader social vulnerability rather than income alone.
