Income inequality in Sweden

Sweden has moderate income inequality and a generally high standard of living. Unemployment was 9% as of 2026, one of the highest unemployment rates in the EU. The Nordic model of a social welfare society exemplified by Sweden and its near neighbours provides social welfare and includes many unemployment benefits for the poor, and amply funded health, housing and social security provision, within essentially corruption free nations subscribing to principles of a measure of openness of information about government activity. Income inequality in Sweden ranks as moderate in the Gini coefficient index, being 29.3 as of 2023 with inequality rising sharply since 2021.

Swedes pay very high taxes, some 52.1% of GDP (2014 est.) but correspondingly enjoy a very generous universal welfare state. Sweden's highest earning households have a somewhat lower share of income capital when compared to other countries; with the highest earning 10% having 24% of income or consumption (compared to the US, in which the highest earning 10% percent have 30% of income or consumption and Germany, have 24%, while Norway has 21.2%), and very low absolute poverty rates. However, more recent studies have shown the wealth gap to be growing in Sweden. In 2018 a leading Swiss bank claimed that in Sweden the highest 10% have 60-70% of the nation's wealth. The wealth inequality highlighted by the bank is accumulated wealth, not income inequality. Other studies have shown that the top 10% made 90% of 'capital income.' but still maintaining relatively low poverty rates. Ranked by inequality in accumulated wealth, Sweden is the 12th most unequal nation in the world as of 2021.