Low & middle income Population 2026
As of 2025, the combined population of low- and middle-income countries, as defined by the World Bank, stands at approximately 6,563,501,708 people. This aggregate grouping encompasses nations with per capita incomes below a certain threshold, representing the vast majority of the global population. The region continues to experience steady demographic expansion, driven by higher fertility rates and youthful age structures in many constituent countries.
Population Trend
Overview
The low- and middle-income aggregate recorded a 1-year population growth rate of 0.99% in 2025, reflecting a gradual deceleration from the 10-year average annual growth rate of 1.13%. This trend suggests a slow but ongoing demographic transition, where declining fertility rates in some areas are offset by continued high birth rates in others. The total population of over 6.56 billion accounts for roughly 82% of the world’s inhabitants, making this group the primary driver of global population dynamics.
Regional variation within this aggregate is significant. Sub-Saharan Africa and parts of South Asia exhibit the fastest growth, while East Asia and the Pacific—particularly China—show much slower or even negative growth due to aging populations and low fertility. Latin America and the Caribbean fall in between, with moderate growth rates. The 10-year average growth of 1.13% masks these disparities, as some countries are expanding at over 2% annually while others are below 0.5%.
Economic factors, urbanization, and access to healthcare and education heavily influence these demographic patterns. Low-income countries often have higher fertility rates but also higher mortality, while middle-income nations tend to have lower fertility and longer life expectancy. The aggregate’s growth rate of 0.99% in 2025 indicates a slight slowdown compared to the previous decade, likely due to ongoing economic development and family planning efforts in many regions.
Despite the slowing growth, the absolute increase remains substantial. With a base of over 6.5 billion people, even a 0.99% growth rate adds roughly 65 million new individuals each year. This continued expansion poses challenges for infrastructure, resource management, and environmental sustainability, particularly in the poorest countries where growth is most rapid.