He INDEC disseminated the results of the Permanent Household Survey (EPH) corresponding to the first quarter of 2026which reflect an increase in inequality in income distribution. He Gini coefficient went up to 0,442 and the gap between the highest and lowest income sectors remained at 15 times
The report showed a deterioration in income distribution
He National Institute of Statistics and Censuses (INDEC) published the results of the Permanent Household Survey (EPH) of the first quarter of 2026where an increase in socioeconomic inequality is evident in the 31 urban agglomerations relieved.
The main indicator of the study, the Gini coefficientreached the 0.442 pointsabove the 0,435 recorded in the same period of 2025. This index measures the distribution of income on a scale of 0 a 1where the values closest to 1 They represent a greater concentration of wealth.
Income and the gap between different sectors
The report details that the average per capita income of the reference population, made up of 30.1 million peopleit was from $728.008while the median was located in $500.000.
When segmenting by strata, the lower income sector recorded a per capita average of $264.131while the high stratum reached the $1.823.599.
For its part, the distance between the extremes of the distribution also continues to be significant. The decile 10 mediancorresponding to 10% with highest incomewas 15 times higher to that of decile 1composed of 10% lower income.
Differences by gender and employment status persist
The data released by the organization also show differences in income according to gender and employment status.
Los men recorded an average individual income of $1.352.247while that of the women was from $959.030.
Regarding employment, the salaried employees with retirement discount They received an average income of $1.375.143while those who work without retirement discount They reached an average of $731.150reflecting a significant difference between registered and informal workers.
Labor income continues to be the main source of resources
The survey indicates that the labor income They represented the 77,7% of total household resources.
He 22,3% The remainder corresponded to non-labor income, such as retirements, pensions, subsidies and other social aid. In the case of lowest income decilethese sources explained the 61% of the household’s economic resources, which shows greater dependence on state transfers among the most vulnerable sectors.
The panorama by regions of the country
The report also analyzes the distribution of income in the six statistical regions of the country.
The Patagonia was once again positioned as the region with the higher nominal incomewhile the Northwest (NOA) and the Cloudy (NEA) They recorded the lowest income levels and greater dependence on non-labor income.
Meanwhile, the Greater Buenos Aires (GBA) It concentrated the largest amount of population surveyed and presented average per capita income aligned with the national average, although with high levels of labor informality.
What the first quarter results reflect
The results published by the INDEC show an increase in inequality in income distribution during the first quarter of 2026measured through the Gini coefficientalong with a persistent gap between the highest and lowest income sectors.
The report constitutes an x-ray of the evolution of income in the main urban centers of the country and provides indicators on the distribution of resources, the differences between formal and informal workers and the regional and gender disparities that characterized the beginning of the year.
