Lai Chau: population, GRDP, income, health, schools, poverty and budgets

Lai Chau is a province of Vietnam, number 62 of 63 by population. The average population of Lai Chau in 2024 was 495,500 (preliminary figure from the National Statistics Office), 2nd least populous of 63 provinces and cities. Viet Nam as a whole had 101,343,800 people.

In depth

• Economy, jobs and prices in Lai Chau: Gross regional domestic product (GRDP) per person in Lai Chau was 60.4 million dong in 2024 at current prices (preliminary), 10th lowest of 63 provinces and cities; the national figure was 113.6 million dong. In 2020 it was 43.3 million dong.
• Health in Lai Chau: Life expectancy at birth in Lai Chau was 65.8 years in 2024 (preliminary), the lowest of 63 provinces and cities; the national figure was 74.7 years.
• Education in Lai Chau: Lai Chau had 215 general-education schools on 30 September 2024: 82 primary, 80 lower secondary and 23 upper secondary, plus 30 combined schools.
• Poverty and living standards in Lai Chau: 21.8% of households in Lai Chau were poor under the Government multidimensional poverty standard in 2024 (preliminary), 3rd highest of 63 provinces and cities; the national rate was 2.3%. In 2022 it was 30.3%.
• Government budget and revenue in Lai Chau: The 2025 state budget estimate for Lai Chau expects 2.02 trillion dong of state budget revenue to be collected in the province (Ministry of Finance, Decision 2894/QD-BTC), 4th lowest of 63 provinces and cities. This is an estimate for 2025, not a result.

How provinces are governed in Vietnam

Provinces and centrally run cities (34 since 1 July 2025; previously 63). People's Council elected for five years; it elects the People's Committee and its chair. Main level for planning, budgets and services.

Every tier of government in Vietnam

Other provinces of Vietnam

• Ho Chi Minh City 9,543,600
• Ha Noi 8,717,600
• Thanh Hoa 3,764,200
• Nghe An 3,472,300
• Dong Nai 3,365,400
• Binh Duong 2,870,600
• Hai Phong City 2,124,500
• Hai Duong 1,978,200
• Bac Giang 1,962,600
• Dak Lak 1,946,200
• An Giang 1,912,600
• Nam Dinh 1,894,200
• Thai Binh 1,890,400
• Tien Giang 1,796,100
• Kien Giang 1,766,700
• Long An 1,756,200
• Gia Lai 1,634,900
• Dong Thap 1,601,100
• Bac Ninh 1,546,600
• Quang Nam 1,543,900
• Phu Tho 1,543,900
• Binh Dinh 1,518,500
• Quang Ninh 1,396,500
• Thai Nguyen 1,365,200
• Lam Dong 1,362,500
• Son La 1,330,600
• Ha Tinh 1,329,800
• Hung Yen 1,318,100
• Ben Tre 1,306,300
• Da Nang City 1,276,000
• Can Tho City 1,271,700
• Khanh Hoa 1,269,300
• Binh Thuan 1,266,200
• Quang Ngai 1,259,900
• Vinh Phuc 1,225,300
• Ca Mau 1,212,000
• Soc Trang 1,205,300
• Tay Ninh 1,202,800
• Ba Ria - Vung Tau 1,194,600
• Thua Thien Hue 1,178,600
• Binh Phuoc 1,062,300
• Vinh Long 1,037,300
• Ninh Binh 1,030,300
• Tra Vinh 1,023,900
• Bac Lieu 928,700
• Quang Binh 924,800
• Ha Giang 911,400
• Hoa Binh 894,500
• Ha Nam 894,200
• Phu Yen 885,200
• Yen Bai 864,400
• Tuyen Quang 820,300
• Lang Son 814,000
• Lao Cai 792,200
• Hau Giang 730,000
• Dak Nong 695,700
• Quang Tri 659,200
• Dien Bien 656,700
• Ninh Thuan 612,700
• Kon Tum 601,800
• Cao Bang 558,500
• Bac Kan 329,300

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Sources

• Ministry of Finance of Viet Nam: Decision 2894/QD-BTC of 9 December 2024 publishing the 2025 state budget estimate, Form 21/CK-NSNN (revenue and balancing grant by province), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 35c81612fadf…)
• National Assembly of Viet Nam (Official Gazette): Resolution 202/2025/QH15 of 12 June 2025 on the arrangement of provincial-level administrative units, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 d3b5a505c86a…)
• National Statistics Office of Viet Nam (Ministry of Finance): Statistical Yearbook of Viet Nam 2024 (bilingual, provincial tables), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 c6c2d8fa61d7…)

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