Data indicate that descendants of low-educated parents are more likely to live in poverty when they reach adulthood. In 2019, the at-risk-of-poverty rate in the EU was more than twice as high for adults (aged 25 to 59) whose parents had a low level of education (20.3 %) than it was for people whose parents had achieved a high level of education (8.6 %). The corresponding rate was 12.0 % for people whose parents had a medium level of education.
The share of people at risk of poverty who had parents with a low level of education was more than 20 % in 10 EU Member states (Estonia, Greece, Luxembourg, Spain, Italy, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Bulgaria and Romania), with the highest rate recorded in Romania (37.4 %).
In contrast, the lowest rates were observed in Czechia (9.3 %) and Denmark (9.4 %) as well as the Netherlands and Finland (both 10.3 %).
The greatest at-risk-of-poverty rate among people who had highly educated parents was in Austria (14.8 %) and Sweden (12.7 %), whereas the lowest rates were recorded in Czechia (2.3 %) and Romania (3.2 %).
For more information:
- Eurostat Statistics Explained article on intergenerational transmission of disadvantages
- Eurostat dedicated section on income and living conditions
- Eurostat database on income and living conditions