Poverty and living standards in Mashonaland Central, Zimbabwe: official figures
87.9% of people in Mashonaland Central lived below the total consumption poverty line in 2017, ZIMSTAT's latest provincial poverty measurement (PICES 2017), the highest of the 10 provinces (Zimbabwe: 70.5%).
How many people in Mashonaland Central cannot afford enough food?
49.5% of people in Mashonaland Central were extremely poor in 2017, unable to afford the minimum food basket, the highest of the 10 provinces (Zimbabwe: 29.3%); 81.6% of households were poor (Zimbabwe: 60.6%).
Source: Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZIMSTAT) · saved copyHow wealthy are households in Mashonaland Central?
34.1% of people in Mashonaland Central were in the poorest fifth of Zimbabwe's households by wealth (assets and housing) in the 2023-24 Demographic and Health Survey, 2nd highest of the 10 provinces (20% nationally by definition).
Source: Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZIMSTAT) and Ministry of Health and Child Care, with ICF (The DHS Program) · saved copyHow common is domestic violence in Mashonaland Central?
36.8% of women in Mashonaland Central who had ever had a husband or partner had suffered emotional, physical or sexual violence from their current or most recent husband or partner, according to the 2023-24 survey, 4th highest of the 10 provinces (Zimbabwe: 33.5%).
Source: Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZIMSTAT) and Ministry of Health and Child Care, with ICF (The DHS Program) · saved copyMore figures
- Wealth inequality within Mashonaland Central measured a Gini coefficient of 0.37 in 2023-24 (0 is equal, 1 totally unequal), joint 5th most unequal of the 10 provinces (Zimbabwe: 0.35). Source: Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZIMSTAT) and Ministry of Health and Child Care, with ICF (The DHS Program) · saved copy
How Mashonaland Central compares with other provinces
People below the total consumption poverty line (2017)
Mashonaland Central ranks 1 of 10, highest first.
| Rank | Region | People below the total consumption poverty line |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mashonaland Central | 87.9% |
| 2 | Matabeleland North | 85.3% |
| 3 | Manicaland | 80.7% |
| 4 | Mashonaland West | 78.7% |
| 5 | Matabeleland South | 76.9% |
| 6 | Mashonaland East | 75.8% |
| 7 | Masvingo | 75.0% |
More on Mashonaland Central: overview · economy and jobs · health · education and schools · Zimbabwe
Sources
- Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZIMSTAT) and Ministry of Health and Child Care, with ICF (The DHS Program): Zimbabwe Demographic and Health Survey 2023-24: Final Report (province rows of the tables), read 27 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 0a74a171032f…)
- Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZIMSTAT): Zimbabwe Poverty Report 2017 (PICES 2017), Tables 2.7 and 2.8: poverty by province, read 27 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 2aeb02bbf4c7…)
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