Statistics on living standards and conditions: 1800-present day

Poverty Rate (Below Subsistence Level)

1800: 63.5% of population
1820: 52.5% of population
1840: 48.5% of population
1860: 42.5% of population
1880: 37% of population
1900: 28.6% of population
1920: 15.3% of population
1940: 9.4% of population
1960: 4.5% of population
1980: 1.7% of population
2000: 0.23% of population
2020: Negligible.

Gini Index (Income Inequality- Post Tax and Transfers):

1880: 0.441
1900: 0.402
1920: 0.369
1940: 0.296
1960: 0.218
1980: 0.184
2000: 0.165
2020: 0.179

Indoor Bathrooms with modern toilet and sanitation:

1800: 0.5% of households
1850: 2% of households
1875: 6.75% of households
1900: 23.5% of households
1920: 61% of households
1930: 77.5% of households
1940: 96.75% of households
1950: 99.5% of households
1960: 100% of households
1970: Same as above
1980: Same as above
1990: Same as above
2000: Same as above
2010: Same as above
2020: Same as above

Electrification of Households:

1870: 1.75% of households
1880: 4.5% of households
1890: 10.5% of households
1900: 27.5% of households
1910: 49.5% of households
1920: 77% of households.
1930: 95% of households.
1940: 99.75% of households
1950: 100% of households

Refrigerator ownership:
1900: 1% of households
1910: 5.5% of households
1920: 19.5% of households
1930: 42% of households
1940: 80.5% of households
1950: 97% of households
1960: 99.7% of households
1970: 100% of households
1980: Same as above
1990: Same as above
2000: Same as above
2010: Same as above
2020: Same as above

Washing Machine ownership:

1920: 2% of households
1925: 9.5% of households
1930: 18% of households
1935: 33.5% of households
1940: 54.25% of households
1945: 72.25% of households
1950: 84.75% of households
1955: 91.25% of households
1960: 94% of households
1965: 95% of households
1970: 96.25% of households
1975: 98.25% of households
1980: 99% of households
1985: 99.5% of households

Dishwasher ownership:

1935: 2.5% of households
1940: 7% of households
1945: 15.5% of households
1950: 36.75% of households
1955: 54.5% of households
1960: 67.5% of households
1965: 79.5% of households
1970: 87% of households
1975: 91.5% of households
1980: 96.5% of households
1985: 97.75% of households

Television ownership:

1935: 2.75% of households (B&W)
1940: 17.75% of households (B&W)
1945: 48.5% of households (B&W)- Half of households had a TV set by Q2 1945.
1950: 90.25% of households (B&W)
1955: 91.25% of households (B&W); 7.25% of households (Colour- minimal colour service): Total-98.5%
1960: 58.5% of households (B&W); 40.5% of households (Colour): Total- 99% (Half of TV owning households had a colour set by Q1 1961)
1965: 15.75% of households (B&W); 83.25% of households (Colour): Total- 99%
1970: 1.25% of households (B&W); 98.25% of households (Colour): Total-99.5%
1975: 0.05% of households (B&W); 99.6% of households (Colour): Total- 99.65%
1980: 99.75% of households (Colour): Total-99.75%
1985: 99.85% of households (Colour): Total- 99.85%

VCR tape recorder/ DVD player ownership:

1960: 1.25% of households owned a VCR tape recorder
1965: 9.75% of households owned a VCR tape recorder
1970: 42% of households owned a VCR tape recorder (Half of households had a VCR Player by Q4 1970)
1975: 85.75% of households owned a VCR tape recorder
1980: 95.5% of households owned a VCR tape recorder; 3.5% of households owned a DVD Player.
1985: 89% of households owned a VCR tape recorder; 31.5% of households owned a DVD Player (Half of households had a DVD Player by Q3 1987)
1990: 66.5% of households owned a VCR tape recorder; 74.25% of households owned a DVD Player.
1995: 29.5% of households owned a VCR tape recorder; 95.5% of households owned a DVD Player.
2000: 8.25% of households owned a VCR tape recorder; 97% of households owned a DVD Player.

Personal computer ownership (not anglotel terminals):

1965: 0.25 % of households
1970: 2.25% of households
1975: 14.5% of households
1980: 29.75% of households
1985: 48.25% of households (Half of households owning a personal computer in Q1 1986)
1990: 79.25% of households
1995: 94.75% of households
2000: 96.5% of households
2005: 98% of households
2010: 98.5% of households
2015: 98.75% of households
2020: 99% of households

Car Ownership:

1900: 0.5% of households
1910: 1.5% of households
1920: 8.5% of households
1930: 19% of households
1940: 35.5% of households (Half of households owned a car by Q3 1946)
1950: 59.25% of households
1960: 75.5% of households
1970: 80% of households
1980: 81% of households
1990: 79% of households
2000: 77% of households
2010: 73% of households
2020: 68.5% of households