In Italy over 5.4 million people live in conditions of absolute poverty. This is what emerges from the Istat estimates relating to 2025, which photograph a substantially stable situation compared to the previous year. There are more than 2.1 million families in absolute poverty, equal to 8% of the total, while the incidence among individuals reaches 9.3%. Relative poverty also remains stable, involving over 2.8 million families, for a total of almost 8.7 million people. The incidence is 10.8% among families and 14.8% among individuals.
Poverty in Italy, where it is most present
Southern Italy continues to record the highest incidence of absolute poverty among families, equal to 9.6%, with approximately 813 thousand families involved. This is followed by the North-West, with 7.7% and 568 thousand families, and the North-East, where the incidence is 7.4%, equal to 386 thousand families. The Center has the lowest value, with 6.3% and around 338 thousand families in difficulty.
Considering the national distribution of families in absolute poverty, 38.6% reside in the South, 45.3% in the North and 16.1% in the Centre. The intensity of poverty, which measures how poor families’ spending is below the threshold necessary to satisfy essential needs, stands at 18.5% at the national level. In the South it rises to 19%, from 18.5% in 2024.
Over one million minors in absolute poverty
The economic condition of families with children represents one of the most relevant aspects of the relationship. In 2025 there will be 1 million and 136 thousand minors in absolute poverty, equal to 12.5% of children and young people resident in Italy. The percentage reaches 15.2% in the South, while in the Center it stands at 10.7%.
Among young people aged between 18 and 34, the incidence is 12.1%, for almost 1.2 million people. The spread of poverty decreases in subsequent age groups: it concerns 8.9% of people between 35 and 64 years old and 6.1% of those over sixty-five. Compared to 2024, signs of improvement emerge among children and young people aged 7-13, with an incidence falling from 14.9% to 12.1%.
Large families and single parents are more exposed
Absolute poverty increases with the number of family members. Among families with five or more people, the incidence reaches 19.2%, while it drops to 10.5% for those with four members and 8.4% for those with three.
Among couples with at least three children, almost one in six is in absolute poverty: the percentage reaches 16.9%. Single-parent families also recorded values higher than the national average, with an incidence of 11.5%.
Considering only families with minor children, the economic risk increases as the number of children increases. Poverty concerns 7.8% of couples with one minor child, 10% of those with two and 17.7% of couples with at least three minor children.
Working is not always enough to avoid poverty
The employment situation of the family’s reference person affects the spread of poverty. Among families in which this person is an employee, the incidence is 8.5%.
The percentage rises to 14.3% when the reference person is a worker or carries out a similar activity. The value reaches 20.7% among families in which the reference person is looking for work.
The qualification represents another element of differentiation. Absolute poverty affects 4.4% of families in which the reference person has at least a high school diploma. The share rises to 11.9% when the maximum qualification is a middle school diploma and to 12.3% when it does not exceed a primary school diploma.
The differences between Italian and foreign families
Istat data also highlights differences based on the citizenship of the family members. Among families made up exclusively of Italian citizens, the incidence of absolute poverty is equal to 5.9%.
The percentage rises to 26.7% in families with at least one foreign member and reaches 29.4% among those made up only of foreign citizens. The difference is also recorded in families with minors.
In this case, absolute poverty concerns 7.8% of households made up exclusively of Italians and 31.4% of those made up only of foreigners. Compared to 2024, however, a reduction in the incidence of absolute poverty is observed among families with minors in which foreign citizens are present.
Poverty in small municipalities and large cities
In 2025, some improvements will be recorded in municipalities with up to 50 thousand inhabitants that do not belong to the suburbs of metropolitan areas. In these territories the incidence of absolute poverty drops from 8.9% in 2024 to 7.4%.
In peripheral municipalities of metropolitan areas and in other municipalities with over 50 thousand inhabitants, however, the percentage stands at 8.9%. In the centers of metropolitan areas the national value is equal to 8.1%, but with territorial differences. In the North the incidence decreases from 8.2% to 5%, while in the Center it rises from 4.1% to 8.3%. Finally, for families with minors, the highest values are recorded precisely in the central municipalities of metropolitan areas, where the incidence reaches 13.4%.
