The number of people at risk of poverty is increasing in Germany. According to data from the Federal Statistical Office, in 2025, nearly 13.3 million people in Germany were at risk of poverty. This represents 16.1% of the country's population. Their share has also increased compared to the previous year, when it was 15.5%, according to the ARD.
Below the poverty line
People whose income is less than 60% of the national average are considered at risk of poverty. In 2025, this threshold was equal to 1,446 euros of net income for a single person, and for households with two adults and two children under 14 years of age - it was 3,036 euros per month.
In particular, single people living in separate housing, as well as single mothers or the unemployed are particularly often at risk of poverty. The incomes of almost 65% of these groups were below the poverty line. The same group of people at risk of poverty also includes a number of people of retirement age.
Social exclusion
Even more dramatic are the data for those who, due to lack of funds, are practically excluded from the social life of society - that is, from the opportunity to use offers in the fields of education, culture, sports, arts, etc. If they were also taken into account, the number of people at risk of poverty or social exclusion last year would have risen to 17.6 million. This corresponds to a share of more than a fifth of the entire society.
In a rich country like Germany, there are families with children in which it is not possible to repair a broken bed or a broken washing machine due to lack of funds. The data for 2025 show that 15.2% of children were at risk of poverty. The biggest risk factor in this regard is the low level of education of the parents, which almost always leads to unemployment or low-paid work.