Poverty and living standards in Huehuetenango, Guatemala: official figures

81.3% of people in Huehuetenango lived in poverty in the 2023 ENCOVI (national: 56.0%), 3rd highest of 22 departments.

Poverty rate (ENCOVI 2023)

81.3%

2023

What is the extreme poverty rate in Huehuetenango?

29.7% of people in Huehuetenango lived in extreme poverty in 2023 (national: 16.2%), 5th highest of 22.

Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE) · saved copy

How deep is poverty in Huehuetenango?

The 2023 ENCOVI puts the poverty gap in Huehuetenango at 37.0%, 5th highest of 22 departments; the gap measures how far the average poor household falls below the poverty line.

Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE) · saved copy

How severe is poverty in Huehuetenango?

The poverty severity index in Huehuetenango was 21.0% in 2023, 5th highest of 22 departments; it gives more weight to households furthest below the poverty line.

Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE) · saved copy

How unequal is Huehuetenango?

The Gini coefficient of consumption in Huehuetenango was 0.34 in 2023, 10th most unequal of 22.

Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE) · saved copy

How many poor people in Huehuetenango are in extreme poverty?

Extreme poverty accounts for 37% of the poverty rate in Huehuetenango; in the country as a whole the share is 29% (ENCOVI 2023).

Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE) · saved copy

How Huehuetenango compares with other departments

Poverty rate (ENCOVI) (2023)

Huehuetenango ranks 3 of 22, highest first.

Rank	Region	Poverty rate (ENCOVI)
1	Alta Verapaz	90.3%
2	Quiche	86.4%
3	Huehuetenango	81.3%
4	Baja Verapaz	80.1%
5	Jalapa	79.9%
6	Santa Rosa	74.0%
7	Jutiapa	74.0%

Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE) · saved copy

Extreme poverty rate (ENCOVI) (2023)

Huehuetenango ranks 5 of 22, highest first.

Rank	Region	Extreme poverty rate (ENCOVI)
2	Baja Verapaz	35.8%
3	Jalapa	34.5%
4	Quiche	34.4%
5	Huehuetenango	29.7%
6	Chiquimula	25.3%
7	Jutiapa	18.8%
8	Santa Rosa	16.2%

Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE) · saved copy

Poverty gap (ENCOVI) (2023)

Huehuetenango ranks 5 of 22, highest first.

Rank	Region	Poverty gap (ENCOVI)
2	Quiche	42.1%
3	Jalapa	40.6%
4	Baja Verapaz	40.0%
5	Huehuetenango	37.0%
6	Jutiapa	31.3%
7	Santa Rosa	29.0%
8	Chiquimula	29.0%

Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE) · saved copy

Gini coefficient of consumption (ENCOVI) (2023)

Huehuetenango ranks 10 of 22, highest first.

Rank	Region	Gini coefficient of consumption (ENCOVI)
7	Baja Verapaz	0.37
8	Peten	0.37
9	Sacatepequez	0.35
10	Huehuetenango	0.34
11	El Progreso	0.33
12	Chimaltenango	0.33
13	Escuintla	0.33

Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE) · saved copy

More on Huehuetenango: overview · economy and jobs · health · education and schools · Guatemala

Sources

Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE): Encuesta Nacional de Condiciones de Vida (ENCOVI) 2023: Poverty and inequality (departmental maps for poverty, extreme poverty, poverty gap and severity, Gini, water, sanitation, electricity), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 df15ab3fe8b7…)

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