As of 2024, the top 1% in Barbados earned 21.18% of total national income, while the bottom 50% received just 14.13%. Barbados’s income inequality has decreased since 1980, when the top 1% share was 23.75%.
Key Income Distribution Metrics for Barbados in 2024
In 2024, income in Barbados was distributed as follows: the wealthiest 1% of the population captured 21.18% of total national income, which is notably higher than the global average of 16.17%. Meanwhile, the bottom half of earners received 14.13% of income, slightly lower than the global average of 14.97%.
| Metric | Barbados | Global Average |
|---|---|---|
| Top 1% Income Share | 21.18% | 16.17% |
| Top 10% Income Share | 48.52% | 45.21% |
| Bottom 50% Income Share | 14.13% | 14.97% |
How Has Income Inequality Changed in Barbados?
Top 1% Income Share Trend (1980-2024)
The share of income going to Barbados’s top 1% has decreased over the past 44 years. In 1980, the top 1% captured 23.75% of national income. By 2024, this figure had fallen by 2.57 percentage points to 21.18%.
Top 10% vs Bottom 50% Income Gap Over Time
The income gap between the top 10% and bottom 50% in Barbados has narrowed over this period. In 1980, the top 10% earned 55.94% while the bottom 50% received 8.19%. By 2024, these figures shifted to 48.52% and 14.13% respectively.
| Year | Top 1% | Top 10% | Bottom 50% | Gap (Top 10 – Bottom 50) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 23.75% | 55.94% | 8.19% | 47.75 pp |
| 1986 | 23.07% | 55.92% | 8.00% | 47.92 pp |
| 1992 | 22.55% | 55.70% | 7.93% | 47.77 pp |
| 1998 | 22.49% | 55.12% | 8.14% | 46.98 pp |
| 2004 | 21.89% | 54.30% | 8.39% | 45.91 pp |
| 2010 | 21.21% | 53.55% | 8.60% | 44.95 pp |
| 2016 | 21.19% | 50.49% | 11.97% | 38.52 pp |
| 2022 | 21.18% | 48.52% | 14.13% | 34.39 pp |
How Barbados Compares Globally
Barbados vs North America Average
Compared to other countries in North America, Barbados’s top 1% income share of 21.18% is roughly on par with the regional average of 20.66%. The bottom 50% in Barbados receives 14.13% of income, compared to the North America average of 11.73%.
Where Barbados Ranks Among All Countries
- Top 1% income concentration: Barbados ranks 40th out of 184 countries (higher rank = more concentrated wealth at the top)
- Bottom 50% income share: Barbados ranks 109th out of 184 countries (higher rank = larger share for the bottom half)
Countries with similar income inequality levels to Barbados include income distribution in Dominica, Grenada, Antigua and Barbuda.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the income share of the top 1% in Barbados?
As of 2024, the top 1% in Barbados earned 21.18% of total national income. This level of concentration is considered very high by international standards.
Is income inequality increasing or decreasing in Barbados?
Income inequality in Barbados has decreased since 1980. The top 1% income share moved from 23.75% in 1980 to 21.18% in 2024.
What percentage of income goes to the bottom 50% in Barbados?
In 2024, the bottom 50% of earners in Barbados received 14.13% of total national income. This compares with the top 10% who captured 48.52%.
Last updated: April 8, 2026
Data source: World Inequality Database (WID). This dataset covers income distribution metrics for 199 countries from 1980 to 2024.