Around 167,000 persons or 17.1% of the population were in 2025 at risk of poverty or social exclusion, the Statistical Service of Cyprus (CyStat) said on Monday, adding that the indicator remains unchanged compared to the previous year.
According to the results of the Survey on Income and Living Conditions 2025, with income reference period the year 2024, 17.1% of the population or 167,000 persons were at risk of poverty or social exclusion (AROPE indicator, the main indicator to monitor the EU 2030 target on poverty and social exclusion).
Specifically, 17.1% of the population was living in households whose disposable income was below the at-risk-of-poverty threshold or was severely materially and socially deprived or was living in households with very low work intensity.
The indicator for 2025 remained unchanged compared to the previous year, when it was also at 17.1%.
In 2025, the indicator for women was at 18.7% and for men at 15.5%, maintaining the unfavorable position of women in respect to men.
The risk of poverty indicator increased slightly by 0.3 percentage points (from 14.6% in 2024 to 14.9% in 2025), the indicator for the percentage of the population living in households with very low work intensity remained at the same level with 2024, at 4.2% and the indicator for severe material and social deprivation decreased by 0.3 percentage points (from 2.5% in 2024 to 2.2% in 2025).
As a result, the at-risk-of-poverty or social exclusion indicator in 2025 remained unchanged compared with 2024, at 17.1%.
At Risk of Poverty (AROP)
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In 2025, the percentage of the population that was at risk of poverty, meaning that their disposable income was below the at-risk-of-poverty threshold, was 14.9%, showing a slight increase compared to 2024, which was at 14.6%.
The at-risk-of-poverty threshold, which is defined at the 60% of the median total equivalized disposable income of the households, was estimated in 2025 at €13,240 for single person households and at €27,803 for households with two adults and two children younger than 14 years old, exhibiting an increase of 6.8% compared to 2024, where the respective thresholds were €12,400 and €26,039.
In addition, it should be noted that, the median equivalized disposable income (one person) in 2025 was €22,067 compared to €20,667 in 2024.
At Risk of Poverty Before and After Social Transfers
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In 2025, the percentage of the population living at risk of poverty before including any social benefits and pensions (social transfers) in the disposable income of the households, was estimated at 33.6%.
When only pensions were included in the disposable income of the households, this percentage decreased to 21.7%, while when social benefits were also included, the percentage was further decreased to 14.9%.
Consequently, CyStat said, it is confirmed that social transfers contribute to the reduction of the percentage of people living at risk of poverty. In 2025, all social transfers decreased this indicator overall by 18.7 percentage points, (11.9 percentage points due to pensions and 6.8 percentage points due to social benefits).
CNA/AAR/EPH/2026
ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY
