According to Eurostat, 26.9% of Greece’s population is on the threshold of poverty or social exclusion, compared to the EU average of 21%. In absolute terms. In absolute numbers, this translates to 2,740,051 people in the country.
The Eurostat figures come on the heels of data released by the Hellenic Statistical Authority (ELSTAT) on deprivation in Greece, confirming that the gap between the country and the EU average remains stark and unbridged.
Greece ranks as the country with the third-highest proportion of people at risk of poverty or social exclusion, only besting Bulgaria and Romania—the only two countries in a worse position, where 30.3% and 27.9% of the population, respectively, are at risk of poverty or social exclusion.
The situation has worsened between 2023 and 2024, with over 80,000 more individuals added to those living in poverty—an increase of 0.8%. The actual figures are likely higher, as the most marginalized groups—such as the homeless, Roma, prisoners, institutionalized individuals, and those in camps or hospitals—are often absent from official statistics.
Across the EU, 93.3 million people were at risk of poverty or social exclusion in 2024. Unlike Greece, however, the EU overall saw a modest improvement compared to 2023, with the at-risk population decreasing by 0.3 percentage points, or about 1.3 million people.
