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The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK)’s Hong Kong Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies conducted a telephone survey from 6 May to 20 May 2025 to study citizens’ views on the wealth disparity in Hong Kong. The findings showed that 70.1% of respondents considered the problem of the disparity between rich and poor to be serious, a rise of 1.4 percentage points compared to a similar survey conducted last year. The survey also found that 80.7% of respondents believed that the government should do more to address the problem.

In addition to the 70.1% of respondents who believed that the problem of the disparity between the rich and the poor in Hong Kong was serious, an increase of 1.4 percentage points compared to last year’s survey, 23.8% opined that the situation was “in-between”, a decrease of 0.8 percentage points. Only 4.0% felt that the situation was not serious, a decrease of 0.9 percentage points. The Chi-square test showed no statistically significant difference in the percentage distribution between the two surveys.

43.6% of respondents thought that the problem of wealth disparity was more severe now compared to five years ago, a rise of 3.2 percentage points compared to last year’s survey. 43.4% believed that the situation was about the same, a decrease of 0.9 percentage points, while 10.6% thought that the problem had improved, a decrease of 1.0 percentage points. The Chi-square test showed no statistically significant difference in the percentage distribution between the two surveys.

Regarding estimation of income inequality in the next five years, 39.1% of respondents believed that the situation would remain about the same, 38.3% expected it to become more severe and 16.5% believed that it would improve. Compared to last year’s survey, the percentages of respondents who thought that the situation would remain about the same had not changed much (38.8% in 2024), while the proportion who believed it would improve decreased by 4.4 percentage points and those who believed it would become more severe increased by 3.7 percentage points. The Chi-square test showed no statistically significant difference in the percentage distribution between the two surveys.

The survey also found that 9.9% of respondents said that their current household income was not enough to cover their daily expenses, similar to that for the last survey (10.2%); 35.5% answered that it was just enough, a decrease of 3.0 percentage points; 40.9% and 12.6% responded that it was quite sufficient and entirely sufficient respectively, which were 3.5 and 1.1 percentage points higher respectively. The Chi-square test indicated no statistically significant difference in the percentage distribution between the two surveys.

When respondents were asked whether poverty was mainly caused by personal factors (such as laziness and insufficient ability) or social factors (such as an unfair system and monopoly of resources), 33.2% answered social factors, a decrease of 4.2 percentage points from the last survey; 32.2% replied personal factors, a decrease of 1.0 percentage points; and 31.7% said both, an increase of 5.5 percentage points. The Chi-square test again indicated that the percentage distribution difference over the two years was not statistically significant.

Faced with the current wealth disparity in Hong Kong, 80.7% of respondents believed that the government should do more to address the problem, the same as the last survey. 8.9% thought that no change was needed, an increase of 1.0 percentage points, while only 5.5% felt that less should be done, similar to the corresponding figure for last year (5.3%). The Chi-square test showed no statistically significant difference in the percentage distribution between the two surveys. When those who said the government should do more were asked in what areas (each respondent could choose up to two answers), 56.0% answered education, 53.5% chose healthcare and 46.2% said public housing.

When asked whether they should pay more tax to help the poor, 51.2% of respondents agreed, a decrease of 1.5 percentage points from last year’s survey; 37.3% disagreed, an increase of 1.7 percentage points; and 11.6% replied “don’t know” or “hard to say”, similar to the corresponding figure for last year (11.8%). The Chi-square test indicated that the percentage distribution difference over the two years was not statistically significant.

The survey employed a dual-frame sampling design that included both landline and mobile phone numbers. A total of 702 respondents aged 18 or above (landline: 136; mobile: 566) were successfully interviewed, with a response rate of 57.9% (landline: 52.5%; mobile: 59.2%). The sampling error for the sample size of 702 is estimated at plus or minus 3.70 percentage points at a 95% confidence level. Furthermore, the data in this survey was weighted based on the probability of the respondents being selected via a dual-frame sampling design and on the latest information on the age-sex distribution of the population published by the Census and Statistics Department.