Poverty risk and labour market context (Latvia, 2024)
In 2024, the poverty risk threshold in Latvia was €699 per month for a single person, calculated as 60% of the median equivalised disposable income. According to data from Centrālā statistikas pārvalde, 22.0% of the population (around 404,000 people) had incomes below this threshold. Poverty risk remained highest in Latgale and lowest in the Rīga region.
Although disposable incomes increased, the poverty risk indicator is a relative income measure and only partially reflects the impact of inflation and rising mandatory household costs, including energy and housing. Rising nominal incomes therefore do not automatically translate into improved affordability.
At the same time, while poverty risk stabilised or declined for most household types, the risk increased again for couples living together and for households with three or more children, indicating a shift in the structure of vulnerable groups.
Labour market statistics for the 15–74 age group do not link income levels to sectors, type of employer or form of employment. As a result, it is not possible to determine whether poverty among the working-age population reflects labour market structure or individual characteristics.
The data describe income outcomes, but not the mechanisms through which the labour market produces low incomes.. BSM © 2026
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