Working Hours Needed to Exit Poverty in OECD Countries

What We're Showing

This infographic shows the number of weekly working hours a single person (with no children) needs to work to rise above the poverty line in different OECD countries, assuming they earn 67% of the national average wage.

The poverty line is defined as 50% of the median disposable income in each country. The data comes from the OECD's 2024 analysis.

Key Takeaways

• Slovenia ranks highest, where a single worker needs to work 35 hours per week to escape poverty.
• By contrast, in Türkiye, just 9 hours per week while earning 67% of the average income level is sufficient to clear the poverty threshold.
• The OECD average stands at 21 hours per week, meaning several countries require less than a typical part-time job to lift a low-income worker above poverty.
• Other countries with low weekly hours needed include the UK (14 hrs), Belgium (16 hrs), Greece (16 hrs), and Japan (16 hrs).
• On the higher end, Czechia (28 hrs), New Zealand (27 hrs), and the U.S. (26 hrs) are significantly above the OECD average in terms of working hours needed.