Poverty and living standards in El Alto, Bolivia: official figures
INE's unmet basic needs index (NBI) classed 16.9% of the population of El Alto municipality as poor in 2024 (146,763 of 870,023 people), 4th highest of 10 Bolivian cities on this site for poverty on this measure; the national figure was 29.8%.
Has poverty fallen in El Alto?
The share of people in El Alto municipality with unmet basic needs was 36.0% at the 2012 census and 16.9% in 2024, a change of -19.2 percentage points; Bolivia moved from 44.9% to 29.8%.
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE) · saved copyHow many people in El Alto have their basic needs met?
In 2024, 35.3% of people in El Alto municipality had all basic needs met and 47.8% were at the threshold; 16.2% were in moderate poverty, 0.7% in indigence and 0.0% in marginality.
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE) · saved copyHow many people in El Alto live in poor housing?
Housing material was inadequate for 8.0% of people in El Alto municipality in 2024 and living space insufficient for 52.4%; the national shares were 21.2% and 64.2%.
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE) · saved copyHow many people in El Alto lack water and sanitation?
Water and sanitation were inadequate for 7.9% of people in El Alto municipality in 2024, against 27.1% in 2012 and 28.8% nationally; energy supplies were inadequate for 1.8% (Bolivia 17.9%).
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE) · saved copyHow many people in El Alto lack education or health care?
In 2024, 20.0% of people in El Alto municipality fell short on the education component of the NBI index (it was 34.2% in 2012) and 26.0% on health care, against 31.0% and 16.1% for Bolivia.
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE) · saved copyHow El Alto compares with other cities in Bolivia
Population with unmet basic needs (NBI), 2024 (2024)
El Alto ranks 4 of 10, highest first.
| Rank | City | Population with unmet basic needs (NBI), 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yacuiba | 21.5% |
| 2 | Sacaba | 20.3% |
| 3 | Cochabamba | 17.0% |
| 4 | El Alto | 16.9% |
| 5 | Potosí | 16.8% |
| 6 | Sucre | 16.2% |
| 7 | Tarija | 13.3% |
Change in the NBI poverty share, 2012 to 2024 (percentage points) (2012-2024)
El Alto ranks 10 of 10, highest first.
| Rank | City | Change in the NBI poverty share, 2012 to 2024 (percentage points) |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | Santa Cruz | -10.7 pts |
| 5 | Sucre | -10.8 pts |
| 6 | Cochabamba | -11.6 pts |
| 7 | Oruro | -12.6 pts |
| 8 | Yacuiba | -12.9 pts |
| 9 | Sacaba | -15.9 pts |
| 10 | El Alto | -19.2 pts |
Population with all basic needs met, 2024 (2024)
El Alto ranks 9 of 10, highest first.
| Rank | City | Population with all basic needs met, 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | Santa Cruz | 45.9% |
| 5 | Cochabamba | 45.8% |
| 6 | Potosí | 43.3% |
| 7 | Tarija | 42.8% |
| 8 | Sacaba | 36.4% |
| 9 | El Alto | 35.3% |
| 10 | Yacuiba | 22.7% |
Population with inadequate water and sanitation (NBI component), 2024 (2024)
El Alto ranks 9 of 10, highest first.
| Rank | City | Population with inadequate water and sanitation (NBI component), 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | Oruro | 14.0% |
| 5 | Sucre | 13.9% |
| 6 | Tarija | 13.7% |
| 7 | Yacuiba | 13.1% |
| 8 | Santa Cruz | 8.2% |
| 9 | El Alto | 7.9% |
| 10 | La Paz | 4.8% |
More on El Alto: overview · economy and jobs · health · education and schools · all cities in Bolivia
Sources
- Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE): Censo 2024, tabulados por municipio: Necesidades básicas insatisfechas, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 01b9098442d8…)
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