Approximately 20.5% of Madeira's population was at risk of poverty or social exclusion in 2025, equating to one in five people. This figure, released by EAPN Portugal in the "Poverty and Social Exclusion in Portugal 2026" report, shows an improvement from 2024 when the rate was 22.9%.
The 2.4 percentage point decrease continues the trend of convergence towards the national average, which stood at 18.6%. Monetary poverty also declined, falling from 19.1% to 16.6%, bringing the region closer to the national average of 15.4%.
Other indicators such as severe material and social deprivation and income inequality also showed improvements. Social transfers, excluding pensions, were crucial in reducing poverty risk, with Madeira recording the country's highest value in this regard. However, the percentage of people in households with very low work intensity saw a slight increase.
