Poverty and living standards in Selangor, Malaysia: official figures
The absolute poverty rate in Selangor was 0.9% of households in 2024 (households with income below the national poverty line), 2nd lowest among the 16 areas.
Has poverty in Selangor gone down?
Poverty in Selangor fell between the 2022 and 2024 household surveys: 1.5% of households were below the poverty line in 2022 and 0.9% in 2024, a change of -0.6 percentage points.
Source: Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) · saved copyHow unequal is income in Selangor?
Income inequality in Selangor, measured by the Gini coefficient of household income, was 0.332 in 2024 (0 is perfect equality, 1 is maximum inequality), 7th most equal among the 16 areas.
Source: Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) · saved copyIs income inequality in Selangor getting better or worse?
The Gini coefficient of household income in Selangor fell from 0.361 in 2022 to 0.332 in 2024, so income inequality narrowed.
Source: Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) · saved copyHow much of their income do households in Selangor spend?
Households in Selangor spent on average 55% of their income in 2024 (RM7,266 out of RM13,296 a month), a share that ranks 3rd lowest among the 16 areas.
Source: Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) · saved copyWhy is average income higher than median income in Selangor?
The mean household income in Selangor is 24% higher than the median (RM13,296 against RM10,726 a month in 2024); the gap ranks 8th narrowest among the 16 areas.
Source: Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) · saved copyHow Selangor compares with other states
Absolute poverty rate, 2024 (% of households) (2024)
Selangor ranks 15 of 16, highest first. Share of households with income below the national poverty line.
| Rank | Region | Absolute poverty rate, 2024 (% of households) |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | Melaka | 3.0% |
| 11 | Johor | 2.5% |
| 12 | Labuan | 2.0% |
| 13 | Penang | 1.9% |
| 14 | Kuala Lumpur | 1.0% |
| 15 | Selangor | 0.9% |
| 16 | Putrajaya | 0.2% |
Income inequality (Gini coefficient), 2024 (2024)
Selangor ranks 10 of 16, highest first. Gini coefficient of household income: 0 is perfect equality, 1 is maximum inequality.
| Rank | Region | Income inequality (Gini coefficient), 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| 7 | Melaka | 0.337 |
| 8 | Kedah | 0.334 |
| 9 | Perlis | 0.334 |
| 10 | Selangor | 0.332 |
| 11 | Labuan | 0.327 |
| 12 | Putrajaya | 0.324 |
| 13 | Pahang | 0.319 |
More on Selangor: overview · economy and jobs · health · education and schools · Malaysia
Sources
- Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM): Household Income and Expenditure Survey by state, 2022 and 2024: mean and median household income, mean household expenditure, Gini coefficient, absolute poverty rate, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 2006002bbfb2…)
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