Poverty and living standards in Bengkulu, Indonesia: official figures
11.88% of people in Bengkulu lived below the poverty line in September 2025, 11th highest of 38 provinces; the national poverty rate was 8.25%.
How many people live in poverty in Bengkulu?
About 250 thousand people in Bengkulu were poor in September 2025, 16th lowest of 38 provinces for the number of poor people (Indonesia: 23.36 million).
Source: Ministry of Health (Kemenkes), Secretariat General · saved copyWhat is the poverty line in Bengkulu?
The poverty line in Bengkulu was Rp 712,003 per person per month in September 2025, 18th highest of 38 provinces; the national line was Rp 641,443.
Source: Ministry of Health (Kemenkes), Secretariat General · saved copyIs poverty higher in rural or urban areas of Bengkulu?
Poverty in Bengkulu was 13.23% in cities and towns and 11.19% in rural areas in September 2025 (national: 6.60% urban, 10.72% rural).
Source: Ministry of Health (Kemenkes), Secretariat General · saved copyHow many poor people live in rural Bengkulu?
Of the 250 thousand poor people in Bengkulu in September 2025, 95 thousand lived in urban areas and 156 thousand in rural areas.
Source: Ministry of Health (Kemenkes), Secretariat General · saved copyHow deep is poverty in Bengkulu?
The poverty depth index in Bengkulu was 1.67 and the poverty severity index 0.32 in September 2025 (national: 1.29 and 0.30); the depth index is 13th highest of 38 provinces, and a higher value means the poor live further below the poverty line.
Source: Ministry of Health (Kemenkes), Secretariat General · saved copyHow unequal is Bengkulu?
The Gini index of spending inequality in Bengkulu was 0.339 in 2025 (0 is perfect equality, 1 is total inequality), 18th most unequal of 38 provinces; the national index was 0.363.
Source: Ministry of Health (Kemenkes), Secretariat General · saved copyIs inequality rising in Bengkulu?
Inequality in Bengkulu fell from 0.343 in 2024 to 0.339 in 2025; nationally the Gini index fell from 0.390 to 0.363.
Source: Ministry of Health (Kemenkes), Secretariat General · saved copyHow Bengkulu compares with other provinces
Share of people below the poverty line (September 2025)
Bengkulu ranks 11 of 38, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Share of people below the poverty line |
|---|---|---|
| 8 | Maluku | 15.25% |
| 9 | Gorontalo | 12.62% |
| 10 | Aceh | 12.22% |
| 11 | Bengkulu | 11.88% |
| 12 | West Nusa Tenggara | 11.38% |
| 13 | Central Sulawesi | 10.52% |
| 14 | West Sulawesi | 10.18% |
Gini index of spending inequality (2025)
Bengkulu ranks 18 of 38, highest first. 0 is perfect equality, 1 is total inequality
| Rank | Region | Gini index of spending inequality |
|---|---|---|
| 15 | Highland Papua | 0.347 |
| 16 | North Sulawesi | 0.341 |
| 17 | Central Papua | 0.340 |
| 18 | Bengkulu | 0.339 |
| 19 | Bali | 0.333 |
| 20 | East Nusa Tenggara | 0.322 |
| 21 | Banten | 0.312 |
Poverty depth index (P1) (September 2025)
Bengkulu ranks 13 of 38, highest first. How far the average poor person falls below the poverty line
| Rank | Region | Poverty depth index (P1) |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | Aceh | 2.06 |
| 11 | West Sulawesi | 1.97 |
| 12 | Special Region of Yogyakarta | 1.79 |
| 13 | Bengkulu | 1.67 |
| 14 | Southeast Sulawesi | 1.61 |
| 15 | West Nusa Tenggara | 1.57 |
| 16 | South Sumatra | 1.54 |
More on Bengkulu: overview · economy and jobs · health · education and schools · government budget · Indonesia
Sources
- Ministry of Health (Kemenkes), Secretariat General: Profil Kesehatan Indonesia 2025, Lampiran 1.8: Gini index by province, 2021-2025 (Susenas, Statistics Indonesia), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 d90b802535dc…)
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