Press Release 27/10/2021

PERSONAL AND FAMILY INCOME STATISTICS 2019

(This note has been revised due to an error in the primary data processing)

The average income of the population of the Basque Country grew by 5.1% in 2019

Families with incomes below the Basque Country average were those where the main earner was under 40 or over 70 years old

Basque Country residents aged 18 and over obtained an average personal income of 22,548 euros in 2019, which was an increase of 5.1% (1,090 euros more) compared to the previous year, according to data prepared by Eustat, in collaboration with the Regional Internal Revenue Services of Álava, Bizkaia and Gipuzkoa.

Regarding the distribution by province, Gipuzkoa recorded the highest average personal income (with €23,756), followed by Álava with €21,994 and Bizkaia with €21,959. Compared to 2018, Bizkaia and Gipuzkoa had the same increase (5.1%), slightly higher than in Álava (4.8%).

With regard to the provincial capitals, the aforementioned differences were more pronounced, given that the average income of people residing in San Sebastián (€27,297) exceeded the Basque average by 4,700 euros, compared to the populations of Bilbao (€22,659) and Vitoria-Gasteiz (€22,111), which saw incomes closer to the Basque average.

The disposable income, calculated as total income less income tax and social security contributions by the workers, of the population resident in the Basque Country in 2019 stood at €18,768, a figure equivalent to 83.2% of total income. Once again, Gipuzkoa (€19,751) achieved a higher disposable income than that obtained in Bizkaia (€18,287) and Álava (€18,323).

In terms of the composition of total personal income received by residents of the Basque Country during the 2019 financial year, 60% of it came from work, with an average of €13,563 (€597 more than the previous year), while the rest was distributed among 26.8% from transfers or social provisions (€6,033), 4.7% as income from economic activities (€1,056) and 8.4% from capital gains, both moveable and immoveable (€1,897).

Regarding the distribution of income amongst the population, more than 1.6 million individuals aged 18 and over received some type of income, that is, 86.5%, whilst 13.5% of the population in these age groups did not receive any type of income during 2019. Furthermore, more than 60% of individuals received an income below the Basque Country average, including those who did not receive any income; whereas 10% had an income that was almost double the average, incomes over €45,088 to be precise.

The median, the indicator that establishes the income that divides the population in two equal parts, stood at €17,888, that is, half of the adult population of the Basque Country had an average annual personal income over €17,888 in 2019; while the other half received an income below this figure.

The distribution of income between men and women was uneven. Men in the Basque Country received an average income of €27,831, whereas women received an average income of €17,681. In other words, men earned just over €10,100 more than women. The greatest difference was recorded in the 70-74 age group, where the average income for men exceeded that of women by almost €16,000. Despite the significant differences, in 2019, these gaps decreased by €364 in relation to the previous year, with €135 coming from the greater increase in income from employment for women with respect to men.

When compared with the data for 2018, this particular set of data shows that the total income rose by 5.1%, something that extended to practically all components. The increase in capital gains (10.5%) was especially notable.

Half of families in the Basque Country received an average yearly family income above €36,635 in 2019

Average family income in the Basque Country stood at €45,899 in 2019. The total family income is obtained as an aggregation of the personal incomes of all adult members of the family. The average income for families overall in the Basque Country was slightly more than twice the average personal income.

Once again, Gipuzkoa, with €48,368, was the province with the highest family income, followed by Bizkaia with €45,064 and Álava with €43,496. San Sebastián, with €55,606, was the capital with the highest family income, followed by Bilbao (€45,840) and Vitoria-Gasteiz (€43,439).

As regards regional distribution, there were also differences between the twenty regions of the Basque Country, which remained unchanged compared to 2018 in terms of the regions with the highest and lowest figures. Nine regions received family income higher than the average, in particular Plentzia-Mungia (€54,895) in Bizkaia; Estribaciones del Gorbea (€54,066) in Álava; and Urola Costa (€51,509) in Gipuzkoa. In contrast, the eleven remaining regions had family incomes lower than the average, and the lowest figures of the classification were found in Bajo Bidasoa (€43,624) in Gipuzkoa; Encartaciones (€39,026) in Bizkaia; and Rioja Alavesa (€36,262) in Álava was the region with the lowest family income in the Basque Country.

There were inequalities regarding family income depending on the gender of the main earner. Where the main recipient was a man, the families had an average income of €50,193, with the majority of families being concentrated in the intermediate and high strata, whereas if the main recipient was a woman the average income stood at €40,561 euros and was concentrated in the lowest income strata; 7.3% of these families were in the €9,001 to €12,000 stratum.

Around 60% of families received an income below the Basque Country average (€45,899) or received no income at all. 2.4% of families were in the latter situation and did not have any income in 2019. On the other hand, 10% of families received incomes of around double the average (>€86,096).

Family income increased progressively as the person who contributed most income to the household got older until the 60 to 64 age group was reached, the age at which a maximum average income of €56,423 was attained. This maximum was also seen for men (€63,263), while women reached this peak in the 50-54 age bracket (€49,990). Families with an income above the Basque Country average were those where the main earner was aged between 40 and 69.

For further information:

Eustat - Euskal Estatistika Erakundea / Basque Statistics Institute C/ Donostia-San Sebastián, 1 01010 Vitoria-Gasteiz Press Service: servicioprensa@eustat.eus Tel.: 945 01 75 62