Poverty and living standards in Incheon, South Korea: official figures

198,136 people in Incheon in 142,459 households were eligible for the basic livelihood security programme (customised benefits) in December 2025, or 64.6 for every 1,000 registered residents (South Korea: 55.4). Eligible means entitled to benefits, whether or not they were paid out. Incheon ranks 17th highest share eligible of 36 South Korean cities covered on this site.

How many people in Incheon get housing benefit?

In December 2025 109,522 people in Incheon were eligible for medical aid and 189,958 for housing benefit, or 35.7 and 61.9 for every 1,000 registered residents (South Korea: 30.2 and 52.1). Incheon ranks 15th highest share eligible for housing benefit of 36 South Korean cities covered on this site.

Source: Korea Social Security Information Service · saved copy

How many older people in Incheon receive the basic pension?

404,370 people in Incheon were eligible for the basic pension for older people in December 2025, equal to 66.5% of residents aged 65 or over (South Korea: 62.2%). Incheon ranks 17th highest share of older people eligible of 36 South Korean cities covered on this site.

Source: Korea Social Security Information Service · saved copy

How many people with disabilities in Incheon get the disability pension?

18,977 people in Incheon were eligible for the disability pension in December 2025, or 6.2 for every 1,000 registered residents (South Korea: 6.8). Incheon ranks 7th lowest share eligible for the disability pension of 36 South Korean cities covered on this site.

Source: Korea Social Security Information Service · saved copy

How many low-income people in Incheon are just above the benefit line?

In December 2025 the near-poor groups just above the benefit line in Incheon included 7,773 people with disabilities, 19,834 people with reduced medical co-payments and 288 in self-sufficiency programmes: 9.1 for every 1,000 registered residents across the three groups (South Korea: 8.8). Incheon ranks 15th lowest near-poor share of 36 South Korean cities covered on this site.

Source: Korea Social Security Information Service · saved copy

How many children in Incheon get school cost support for low-income families?

23,460 people in Incheon were eligible for the basic livelihood education benefit (school costs for low-income families) in December 2025, or 57.8 for every 1,000 residents under 18 (South Korea: 47.1). Incheon ranks 13th lowest share eligible of 36 South Korean cities covered on this site.

Source: Korea Social Security Information Service · saved copy

How Incheon compares with other cities in South Korea

Basic livelihood programme: eligible people per 1,000 residents (Dec 2025)

Incheon ranks 17 of 36, highest first.

Rank	City	Basic livelihood programme: eligible people per 1,000 residents
14	Sacheon	69.0
15	Gimcheon	68.5
16	Gongju	67.8
17	Incheon	64.6
18	Seogwipo	64.0
19	Gyeongju	63.9
20	Gyeongsan	62.0

Source: Korea Social Security Information Service · saved copy

Housing benefit: eligible people per 1,000 residents (Dec 2025)

Incheon ranks 15 of 36, highest first.

Rank	City	Housing benefit: eligible people per 1,000 residents
12	Miryang	67.7
13	Pohang	66.3
14	Sacheon	63.0
15	Incheon	61.9
16	Seogwipo	59.6
17	Gyeongju	59.3
18	Gyeongsan	58.5

Source: Korea Social Security Information Service · saved copy

Basic pension: eligible people as a share of residents aged 65+ (Dec 2025)

Incheon ranks 17 of 36, highest first.

Rank	City	Basic pension: eligible people as a share of residents aged 65+
14	Seosan	67.4%
15	Gyeongju	67.4%
16	Gyeongsan	66.6%
17	Incheon	66.5%
18	Daegu	66.4%
19	Pohang	66.1%
20	Gumi	65.6%

Source: Korea Social Security Information Service · saved copy

Disability pension: eligible people per 1,000 residents (Dec 2025)

Incheon ranks 30 of 36, highest first.

Rank	City	Disability pension: eligible people per 1,000 residents
27	Dangjin	6.3
28	Geoje	6.3
29	Gimhae	6.3
30	Incheon	6.2
31	Ulsan	5.8
32	Asan	5.7
33	Cheonan	5.5

Source: Korea Social Security Information Service · saved copy

Near-poor groups (three programmes) per 1,000 residents (Dec 2025)

Incheon ranks 22 of 36, highest first.

Rank	City	Near-poor groups (three programmes) per 1,000 residents
19	Daejeon	9.4
20	Pohang	9.3
21	Gongju	9.2
22	Incheon	9.1
23	Gimhae	8.8
24	Changwon	8.6
25	Jinju	8.0

Source: Korea Social Security Information Service · saved copy

More on Incheon: overview · health · all cities in South Korea

Sources

Korea Social Security Information Service: People eligible for welfare programmes by city, county and district, December 2025 (open file on the Public Data Portal), read 30 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 157ececacb6e…)

Each saved copy is the file exactly as downloaded, kept so the figures can be checked even if the source changes. Report an error.