The most crucial state for young people in the EU. For 15-29 year olds, the proportion at risk of poverty or social exclusion rose by 3.3 percentage points in 2025 to stand at nearly a quarter (24.2% of the total population was at risk of poverty or social exclusion by comparison). This is important for those starting out in life. Just over a fifth (19.6%) of youth were at risk of poverty in the EU-27 in 2025 (and a greater share in 2019 than in 2015: 16.3% of young people were affected in 2019, which compares to 16.4% in 2015), whilst 8.2% of youth households in which people lived experienced low work intensity (in 2019, 7.9% of all such households).
Deprivation:
A mixed regional outlook: high but static rates of deprivation among the youth. As in the previous year, 5.8% of youth were subject to severe material and social deprivation (but slightly fewer young people: a small proportion, 6.3% of all the EU population, was subject to severe deprivation also).
Residents from Romania (15.1%), Greece (14.7%) and Bulgaria (14.0%) have significantly the highest rates for young people. However, 10 member states recorded below 3.0% in 2019, with the following five member states (in which young individuals lived): Croatia, Greece, Luxembourg, Poland, and Estonia also recording 5% and above (all above 5.8%), and so Croatia, Estonia, and Poland had similar values to Bulgaria (all just below 10%).
