Italy sees progress in well-being indicators, but poverty remains above EU average

By Aysu Bicer

LONDON (AA) - Italy has made progress in several areas of equitable and sustainable well-being, including health and the environment, but continues to face challenges related to poverty, disposable income and households’ ability to make ends meet, according to the latest report by the Italian National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT).

The report, which examines 132 indicators of equitable and sustainable well-being, found that 54 indicators improved, 55 remained stable and 23 deteriorated.

Despite the overall progress, Italy’s at-risk-of-poverty rate remains 2.3 percentage points above the EU average.

Compared with the EU, Italy performs better in health and safety, while significant challenges persist in education and training, employment, work-life balance, and innovation, research and creativity.

More than 5.4 million people were living in absolute poverty in Italy in 2025, with large families and households with at least one minor child facing particularly difficult conditions.

According to the report, 8% of households were living in absolute poverty, affecting 9.3% of the country’s population.

The incidence of individual absolute poverty remained highest in southern Italy, although it declined to 11.5% in 2025 from 12.5% in 2024.

In northern Italy, the rate fell to 8.5% from 8.8% a year earlier, while central Italy continued to record the lowest incidence, at 7.4%, down from 7.6% in 2024.

Aysu Biçer