Poverty and living standards in Thimphu, Bhutan: official figures
2.1% of people in Thimphu lived below the national poverty line in 2022, according to the Bhutan Living Standards Survey, the lowest of the 20 dzongkhags (Bhutan: 12.4%). The survey estimate has a standard error of 0.8 percentage points.
How much crime is there in Thimphu?
The Royal Bhutan Police recorded 801 criminal incidents in Thimphu in 2024, 48 per 10,000 residents, 2nd highest of the 20 dzongkhags (Bhutan: 2,476 incidents, 32 per 10,000).
Source: Royal Bhutan Police, Planning and Development Division · saved copyHow many people die on the roads in Thimphu?
8 people were killed in road accidents in Thimphu in 2024, out of 300 motor vehicle accidents reported to the police (Bhutan: 97 deaths in 1,118 accidents).
Source: Royal Bhutan Police, Planning and Development Division · saved copyHow many people are arrested in Thimphu?
Police in Thimphu arrested 2,189 people in 2024, 131 per 10,000 residents (Bhutan: 5,743, 74 per 10,000).
Source: Royal Bhutan Police, Planning and Development Division · saved copyMore figures
- The police recorded 45 fire incidents in Thimphu in 2024 (Bhutan: 139). Source: Royal Bhutan Police, Planning and Development Division · saved copy
How Thimphu compares with other dzongkhags
Population below the national poverty line (BLSS) (2022)
Thimphu ranks 20 of 20, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Population below the national poverty line (BLSS) |
|---|---|---|
| 14 | Bumthang | 9.8% |
| 15 | Haa | 9.7% |
| 16 | Gasa | 8.2% |
| 17 | Paro | 6.0% |
| 18 | Sarpang | 5.6% |
| 19 | Punakha | 2.9% |
| 20 | Thimphu | 2.1% |
Criminal incidents per 10,000 people (2024)
Thimphu ranks 2 of 20, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Criminal incidents per 10,000 people |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sarpang | 52 |
| 2 | Thimphu | 48 |
| 3 | Chhukha | 48 |
| 4 | Paro | 36 |
| 5 | Wangdue Phodrang | 32 |
| 6 | Trashi Yangtse | 26 |
| 7 | Punakha | 26 |
More on Thimphu: overview · Bhutan
Sources
- National Statistics Bureau, Royal Government of Bhutan (with the World Bank): Poverty Mapping in Bhutan: Small Area Estimation, District and Town Level Results (2023), Table 4.1 survey estimates from the Bhutan Living Standards Survey 2022, read 27 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 9241159c450d…)
- Royal Bhutan Police, Planning and Development Division: Statistical Yearbook 2024 (Table 3.1 criminal incidents, Table 6.1 fire incidents, Tables 7.3 and 7.7 motor vehicle accidents and deaths, by dzongkhag), read 27 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 1f140360dcb9…)
Each saved copy is the file exactly as downloaded, kept so the figures can be checked even if the source changes. Report an error.