Informal employment in World: Low income

World: Low income: Informal employment was 256,228 in 2027. ▲ Rising

Latest (2027)
256,228
Change on year
up 2.8%
Rank
21st
of 87 groups
All-time high
256,228
in 2027
All-time low
146,997
in 2004
Years of data
24
2004–2027

Informal employment in World: Low income, 2004–2027

0100.0k200.0k300.0k2004201520272004: 147.0k2005: 151.0k2006: 154.6k2007: 158.2k2008: 161.2k2009: 165.7k2010: 169.0k2011: 174.2k2012: 175.7k2013: 182.0k2014: 183.8k2015: 186.5k2016: 189.7k2017: 193.4k2018: 198.6k2019: 203.7k2020: 206.3k2021: 213.7k2022: 222.1k2023: 229.2k2024: 235.7k2025: 242.2k2026: 249.3k2027: 256.2k

Source: International Labour Organization.

Analysis

The most recent figure for informal employment in World: Low income is 256,228, measured in 2027. That is the highest value across all 24 years on record.

The figure is up 2.8% on the previous year and up 32.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, informal employment in World: Low income peaked at 256,228 in 2027 and was at its lowest, 146,997, in 2004.

World: Low income ranks 21st of 87 groups on this measure, in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 24 years of available data.

Informal employment in World: Low income, year by year

Annual values for Informal employment (ILO modelled estimates) in World: Low income, 2004 to 2027.
Year Value Change
2004 146,997
2005 150,977 +2.7%
2006 154,648 +2.4%
2007 158,170 +2.3%
2008 161,227 +1.9%
2009 165,692 +2.8%
2010 168,970 +2.0%
2011 174,247 +3.1%
2012 175,733 +0.9%
2013 181,968 +3.5%
2014 183,770 +1.0%
2015 186,479 +1.5%
2016 189,710 +1.7%
2017 193,438 +2.0%
2018 198,597 +2.7%
2019 203,712 +2.6%
2020 206,315 +1.3%
2021 213,733 +3.6%
2022 222,058 +3.9%
2023 229,231 +3.2%
2024 235,739 +2.8%
2025 242,248 +2.8%
2026 249,257 +2.9%
2027 256,228 +2.8%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 156,285 146,997 165,692 6
2010s 185,662 168,970 203,712 10
2020s 231,851 206,315 256,228 8

More work & labour data for World: Low income

All data for World: Low income →

Frequently asked questions

What is informal employment in World: Low income?
Informal employment in World: Low income was 256,228 in 2027, according to International Labour Organization.
What is the highest informal employment recorded in World: Low income?
The highest recorded value was 256,228 in 2027.
What is the lowest informal employment recorded in World: Low income?
The lowest recorded value was 146,997 in 2004.
How does World: Low income rank for informal employment?
World: Low income ranks 21st out of 87 groups with data for 2027.
Is informal employment rising or falling in World: Low income?
Over the last ten years it is up 32.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this World: Low income data come from?
The figures come from International Labour Organization, published as part of Informal employment (ILO modelled estimates). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Informal employment in World: Low income. Statizoid, drawing on International Labour Organization. Retrieved 03 September 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/informal-employment-ilo-modelled-estimates/world-low-income/

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About this data

Indicator
Informal employment (ILO modelled estimates)
Source
International Labour Organization
Licence
ILO Terms of Use (attribution required)
Coverage
87 places, 2,088 data points, 2004–2027
Last refreshed

Imputed observations are not based on national data, are subject to high uncertainty and should not be used for country comparisons or rankings. This series is based on the 13th ICLS definitions. Informal employment comprises persons who in their main or secondary jobs were (a) own-account workers, employers and members of producers' cooperatives employed in their own informal sector enterprises; (b) own-account workers engaged in the production of goods exclusively for own final use by their household (e.g. subsistence farming); (c) contributing family workers, regardless of whether they work in formal or informal sector enterprises; or (d) employees holding informal jobs, whether employed by formal sector enterprises, informal sector enterprises, or as paid domestic workers by households. For more information, refer to the ILO Modelled Estimates (ILOEST) database description.