Poverty in Argentina rises to 32%, while destitution hits 7.5%
The poverty figure equals 15.5 million in the entire country, according to INDEC data published on Thursday La entrada Poverty in Argentina rises to 32%, while destitution hits 7.5% se publicó primero en Buenos Aires Herald .
Poverty in Argentina has reached 32% during the first half of 2026, according to official data from the INDEC statistics bureau. This figure represents nearly 10 million people, with the number of poor individuals increasing by 2 million since the end of 2025. Destitution, which affects 7.5% of the population or 2.2 million people in urban centers and 3.6 million nationwide, has also risen compared to the same period in 2025.
However, both poverty and destitution rates have shown a significant decline compared to the first half of 2024, when the rates were 53% and 18%, respectively. The main factors behind the current situation include the sharp devaluation of the Argentine peso, implemented by President Milei in December 2023, which led to soaring inflation.
The youngest population groups, particularly children and teenagers under 14, are the most affected by poverty, with 44.5% of them living in poverty. The northeast region of Argentina has the highest poverty rate (41%), followed by the Cuyo region (36%).
Written by urgent.news from Buenos Aires Herald's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
