Personal and family income
What is the average personal income in Denmark? How much money does an average family with children have at its disposal? The income statistics state income before and after taxes per person or per family with or without children. You can also find information on whether the income is from labour, public transfers or capital income.
Explainer on…
Income that arises as a result of return on capital. Covers e.g. interest received and interest paid
Earned income includes earnings of employed persons, profits of self-employed persons from their own businesses and fees for consultancy services. In addition to regular salaries, earnings also include remuneration and fees for serving on boards and committees etc., allowances and the value of fringe benefits. The earned income is stated before taxes and labour market contributions.
Public transfers include old-age pension, disability pension, early retirement pension, various forms of unemployment benefits and cash benefits, state education grants, housing benefits, family allowances and green cheques. The transfers are paid by public funds and unemployment insurance funds. Most transfers are taxable and stated here before taxes.
The amount of money that a person or household has available for spending and saving after income taxes and interest expenses have been accounted for.
In the income statistics, private pensions include ongoing payments of civil servants¿ pensions, Danish Labour Market Supplementary Pension (ATP) and mandatory occupational pensions and private pension schemes, which are paid out as life annuities and fixed period annuities. Capital pensions and retirement savings are not included in the statistics. Income from private pensions is stated before taxes.
Selected statistics on Personal and family income
Developments in real income by type of income
The main sources are registers operated by The Central Tax Administration. This includes the Central Taxpayers' Register (CSR), the Central Pension Register (CPS), and the Pension Tax Register (PAF).
In addition, the following registers are used and maintained by Statistics Denmark:
- Central Business Register,
- Register for Labour Market Policy Measures (AMFORA),
- Register of Unemployment Benefit Payments (DUR),
- Register of Population Statistics,
- Employment Classification Module (AKM),
- Statistic Denmark's Register of Child Allowance Statistics,
- Register of Pension Statistics,
- Register of Housing Allowance Statistics.
The Central Taxpayers' Register (CSR): Data is produced by The Central Customs and Tax Administration. They are based on final tax assessments from the Central Taxpayers' Register. It contains data on income, income tax allowance, and wealth, reported by municipalities to The Central Customs and Tax Administration on the basis of the income tax return forms. Furthermore, the register contains a range of data reported by employers, banks, and municipalities to the tax authorities according to The Danish Tax Control Act. The register also contains information used in valuing social benefits. Finally, the register contains different background information for administrative use, e.g. concerning pensions, joint taxation, and various estimated amounts in relation to income tax assessment.
Statistic Denmarks e-income Register (The Salary Information Register (COR): Data Produced by the Central Customs and Tax Administration): The register is based on the information that has to be sent to the tax authority by employers and others who pay wages and salaries, remunerations, pensions etc. For each employee, the pay declaration slip contains information regarding all employment including size and kind of income, size of ATP contributions (labor market supplementary pension contributions) and the amount withheld to A-tax (provisional tax). The register, in this way, makes it possible to split up the A-income into various income types, e.g. wages and salaries, unemployment benefits and social pensions. The register also contains information about some kinds of B-income (other income than A-income dividends from shares and tax free social pensions), e.g. unemployment benefits for the self-employed.
The Central Pension Register (CPS): Data Produced by the Central Customs and Tax Administration in August: The register contains information about contributions to pension funds which has to be sent to the tax authority by insurance companies, pension funds, financial institution and other administrators of pension capital.
The Pension Tax Register (PAF): Data Produced by the Central Customs and Tax Administration in August: The register is based on information about pension withdrawals subject to duties which have to be sent to the tax authority by insurance companies, pension funds, financial institutions and other administrators of pension capital.
Statistics Denmark's Central Business Register: The register contains information about legal enterprise units and possibly their departments. The register also contains information about the responsible owners of the registered enterprises. A number of identification items are contained in the register, for instance: Possible responsible owners, civil registration number, information about geographic location, type of ownership, sector, and size.
Statistics Denmark's Register for Labor Market Policy Measures (AMFORA): For each individual person the AMFORA includes information about the duration of the periods in which the person participated in the labor market policy measure.
Register of Unemployment Benefit Payments: The register contains information about persons who are insured against unemployment and receive unemployment benefits (excluding holiday allowance benefits). The register includes information about weekly paid unemployment benefits (excluding holiday allowance benefits).
Register of Population Statistics: The Register of Population Statistics contains basic demographic information about the Danish population. The basis for the register is the Central Population Register.
Statistic Denmark's Register of Pensions -The register contains data on reciepients on disablility- and old-age pensions. It classifies individuals by the type of pension they recieve, it covers relevant attributes for the amount that is paid out and it includes all relevant payouts of pension benefits.
Statistic Denmark's Register of Child Allowance Statistics, Statistic Denmark's Register of Housing Allowance Statistics.
Personal income per person by socio-economic status
The main sources are registers operated by The Central Tax Administration. This includes the Central Taxpayers' Register (CSR), the Central Pension Register (CPS), and the Pension Tax Register (PAF).
In addition, the following registers are used and maintained by Statistics Denmark:
- Central Business Register,
- Register for Labour Market Policy Measures (AMFORA),
- Register of Unemployment Benefit Payments (DUR),
- Register of Population Statistics,
- Employment Classification Module (AKM),
- Statistic Denmark's Register of Child Allowance Statistics,
- Register of Pension Statistics,
- Register of Housing Allowance Statistics.
The Central Taxpayers' Register (CSR): Data is produced by The Central Customs and Tax Administration. They are based on final tax assessments from the Central Taxpayers' Register. It contains data on income, income tax allowance, and wealth, reported by municipalities to The Central Customs and Tax Administration on the basis of the income tax return forms. Furthermore, the register contains a range of data reported by employers, banks, and municipalities to the tax authorities according to The Danish Tax Control Act. The register also contains information used in valuing social benefits. Finally, the register contains different background information for administrative use, e.g. concerning pensions, joint taxation, and various estimated amounts in relation to income tax assessment.
Statistic Denmarks e-income Register (The Salary Information Register (COR): Data Produced by the Central Customs and Tax Administration): The register is based on the information that has to be sent to the tax authority by employers and others who pay wages and salaries, remunerations, pensions etc. For each employee, the pay declaration slip contains information regarding all employment including size and kind of income, size of ATP contributions (labor market supplementary pension contributions) and the amount withheld to A-tax (provisional tax). The register, in this way, makes it possible to split up the A-income into various income types, e.g. wages and salaries, unemployment benefits and social pensions. The register also contains information about some kinds of B-income (other income than A-income dividends from shares and tax free social pensions), e.g. unemployment benefits for the self-employed.
The Central Pension Register (CPS): Data Produced by the Central Customs and Tax Administration in August: The register contains information about contributions to pension funds which has to be sent to the tax authority by insurance companies, pension funds, financial institution and other administrators of pension capital.
The Pension Tax Register (PAF): Data Produced by the Central Customs and Tax Administration in August: The register is based on information about pension withdrawals subject to duties which have to be sent to the tax authority by insurance companies, pension funds, financial institutions and other administrators of pension capital.
Statistics Denmark's Central Business Register: The register contains information about legal enterprise units and possibly their departments. The register also contains information about the responsible owners of the registered enterprises. A number of identification items are contained in the register, for instance: Possible responsible owners, civil registration number, information about geographic location, type of ownership, sector, and size.
Statistics Denmark's Register for Labor Market Policy Measures (AMFORA): For each individual person the AMFORA includes information about the duration of the periods in which the person participated in the labor market policy measure.
Register of Unemployment Benefit Payments: The register contains information about persons who are insured against unemployment and receive unemployment benefits (excluding holiday allowance benefits). The register includes information about weekly paid unemployment benefits (excluding holiday allowance benefits).
Register of Population Statistics: The Register of Population Statistics contains basic demographic information about the Danish population. The basis for the register is the Central Population Register.
Statistic Denmark's Register of Pensions -The register contains data on reciepients on disablility- and old-age pensions. It classifies individuals by the type of pension they recieve, it covers relevant attributes for the amount that is paid out and it includes all relevant payouts of pension benefits.
Statistic Denmark's Register of Child Allowance Statistics, Statistic Denmark's Register of Housing Allowance Statistics.
Disposable income by family types
The main sources are registers operated by The Central Tax Administration. This includes the Central Taxpayers' Register (CSR), the Central Pension Register (CPS), and the Pension Tax Register (PAF).
In addition, the following registers are used and maintained by Statistics Denmark:
- Central Business Register,
- Register for Labour Market Policy Measures (AMFORA),
- Register of Unemployment Benefit Payments (DUR),
- Register of Population Statistics,
- Employment Classification Module (AKM),
- Statistic Denmark's Register of Child Allowance Statistics,
- Register of Pension Statistics,
- Register of Housing Allowance Statistics.
The Central Taxpayers' Register (CSR): Data is produced by The Central Customs and Tax Administration. They are based on final tax assessments from the Central Taxpayers' Register. It contains data on income, income tax allowance, and wealth, reported by municipalities to The Central Customs and Tax Administration on the basis of the income tax return forms. Furthermore, the register contains a range of data reported by employers, banks, and municipalities to the tax authorities according to The Danish Tax Control Act. The register also contains information used in valuing social benefits. Finally, the register contains different background information for administrative use, e.g. concerning pensions, joint taxation, and various estimated amounts in relation to income tax assessment.
Statistic Denmarks e-income Register (The Salary Information Register (COR): Data Produced by the Central Customs and Tax Administration): The register is based on the information that has to be sent to the tax authority by employers and others who pay wages and salaries, remunerations, pensions etc. For each employee, the pay declaration slip contains information regarding all employment including size and kind of income, size of ATP contributions (labor market supplementary pension contributions) and the amount withheld to A-tax (provisional tax). The register, in this way, makes it possible to split up the A-income into various income types, e.g. wages and salaries, unemployment benefits and social pensions. The register also contains information about some kinds of B-income (other income than A-income dividends from shares and tax free social pensions), e.g. unemployment benefits for the self-employed.
The Central Pension Register (CPS): Data Produced by the Central Customs and Tax Administration in August: The register contains information about contributions to pension funds which has to be sent to the tax authority by insurance companies, pension funds, financial institution and other administrators of pension capital.
The Pension Tax Register (PAF): Data Produced by the Central Customs and Tax Administration in August: The register is based on information about pension withdrawals subject to duties which have to be sent to the tax authority by insurance companies, pension funds, financial institutions and other administrators of pension capital.
Statistics Denmark's Central Business Register: The register contains information about legal enterprise units and possibly their departments. The register also contains information about the responsible owners of the registered enterprises. A number of identification items are contained in the register, for instance: Possible responsible owners, civil registration number, information about geographic location, type of ownership, sector, and size.
Statistics Denmark's Register for Labor Market Policy Measures (AMFORA): For each individual person the AMFORA includes information about the duration of the periods in which the person participated in the labor market policy measure.
Register of Unemployment Benefit Payments: The register contains information about persons who are insured against unemployment and receive unemployment benefits (excluding holiday allowance benefits). The register includes information about weekly paid unemployment benefits (excluding holiday allowance benefits).
Register of Population Statistics: The Register of Population Statistics contains basic demographic information about the Danish population. The basis for the register is the Central Population Register.
Statistic Denmark's Register of Pensions -The register contains data on reciepients on disablility- and old-age pensions. It classifies individuals by the type of pension they recieve, it covers relevant attributes for the amount that is paid out and it includes all relevant payouts of pension benefits.
Statistic Denmark's Register of Child Allowance Statistics, Statistic Denmark's Register of Housing Allowance Statistics.
On the statistics – documentation, sources and method
See the documentation of statistics to learn more:
The purpose of the Provisional Income Statistics is to provide a more up to date picture of the compilation of income than is possible, by means of the final Personal Income Statistics. Compilation of the final Personal Income Statistics have to wait until the tax assessment process has reached a sufficiently acceptable level concerning the A-income (wages, salaries, unemployment benefits and social pensions etc.) and other income, e.g. entrepreneurial income. This does not apply to the Provisional Income Statistics.
The purpose of the income statistics - is to provide statistics on the population's incomes and tax payments as well as the distribution of incomes. The statistics are useful in the field of social sciences and form the basis for effective policymaking in areas that affect the economic situation of the households. Statistics Denmark has published statistics on income since 1905 and has coherent time series going back to the 1980’s.
The purpose of these statistics is to provide register based information on the distribution of assets and liabilities in different strata in the population. In addition to this, it is also used in analyses of the pension system and to measure economic inequality. The statistics has been produced since 2014.