Poverty and living standards in La Paz, Bolivia: official figures
31.8% of the population of La Paz was poor by the unmet basic needs (NBI) measure in the 2024 census, down from 46.3% in 2012 and above the national figure of 29.8% (4th lowest of 9 departments).
Is poverty falling in La Paz?
The 2024 census counted 926,371 people with unmet basic needs in La Paz; the NBI poverty rate moved by -14.5 percentage points since 2012, against -15.1 points for Bolivia (4th highest of 9 departments, where a higher figure means a smaller fall).
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadistica (INE), Bolivia · saved copyHow many people in La Paz live in extreme poverty?
4.0% of people in La Paz were in the two most severe NBI categories (indigent or marginal) in 2024, down from 11.0% in 2012 and above the national figure of 3.8% (4th lowest of 9 departments).
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadistica (INE), Bolivia · saved copyIs poverty higher in rural areas of La Paz?
Poverty by the NBI measure was 62.7% in rural La Paz and 15.2% in urban La Paz in 2024, against 61.8% and 15.8% for rural and urban Bolivia.
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadistica (INE), Bolivia · saved copyHow La Paz compares with other departments
Population with unmet basic needs (NBI poverty) (2024)
La Paz ranks 6 of 9, highest first. Share of the population measured by the census
| Rank | Region | Population with unmet basic needs (NBI poverty) |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | Pando | 40.8% |
| 4 | Chuquisaca | 37.6% |
| 5 | Oruro | 33.1% |
| 6 | La Paz | 31.8% |
| 7 | Cochabamba | 29.9% |
| 8 | Tarija | 21.4% |
| 9 | Santa Cruz | 20.5% |
Population in indigent or marginal NBI categories (2024)
La Paz ranks 6 of 9, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Population in indigent or marginal NBI categories |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | Beni | 4.9% |
| 4 | Oruro | 4.5% |
| 5 | Cochabamba | 4.2% |
| 6 | La Paz | 4.0% |
| 7 | Pando | 2.6% |
| 8 | Santa Cruz | 1.4% |
| 9 | Tarija | 1.3% |
NBI poverty in rural areas (2024)
La Paz ranks 6 of 9, highest first.
| Rank | Region | NBI poverty in rural areas |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | Chuquisaca | 67.8% |
| 4 | Oruro | 66.9% |
| 5 | Pando | 64.9% |
| 6 | La Paz | 62.7% |
| 7 | Cochabamba | 60.8% |
| 8 | Santa Cruz | 51.4% |
| 9 | Tarija | 42.3% |
Change in NBI poverty rate since 2012 (percentage points) (2012-2024)
La Paz ranks 4 of 9, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Change in NBI poverty rate since 2012 (percentage points) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Beni | -12.7 pts |
| 2 | Tarija | -13.2 pts |
| 3 | Oruro | -13.9 pts |
| 4 | La Paz | -14.5 pts |
| 5 | Potosi | -14.7 pts |
| 6 | Santa Cruz | -15.0 pts |
| 7 | Cochabamba | -15.6 pts |
More on La Paz: overview · economy and jobs · health · education and schools · Bolivia
Sources
- Instituto Nacional de Estadistica (INE), Bolivia: Censo 2024, tabulados de Necesidades Basicas Insatisfechas (NBI): population by poverty condition and NBI components, censuses 2012 and 2024 (cuadros 1 and 3), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 01b9098442d8…)
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