Bahattin Gonultas
February 03, 2026•Update: February 03, 2026
BERLIN
In Germany, 17.6 million people, corresponding to 21.2% of the country's population last year, were at risk of poverty or social exclusion.
One in five people in the country experienced these conditions as of 2025, the German Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) announced on Tuesday.
The figure shows an increase from 2024, when 17.6 million people, representing 20.9% of the population, faced similar risks.
The upward trend has continued for several years, rising from a rate of 19% (15.5 million people) recorded in 2017.
Destatis reports that the risk of poverty varies significantly based on household structure and employment status.
The risk rate reaches 30.9% for individuals living alone and 28.7% for those in single-parent households.
Unemployed individuals remain the most affected group, with the poverty risk rate hitting 64.9%.
Retirees face a risk rate of 19.1%, which remains below the national average.
Poverty line
The European Union defines the poverty line as having less than 60% of the median income.
Based on 2025 data, the threshold in Germany is €1,446 ($1,705) net per month for a single person.
The threshold for two adults with two children is €3,036 per month.
*Writing by Gokhan Ergocun from Istanbul
