pienituloisten

Pienituloisten is the genitive plural form of pienituloiset, a Finnish term used to describe people with low income or households with low income. The base adjective pienituloinen combines pien- (small, low) with tulo (income), and pienituloiset refers to the group as a whole. The form pienituloisten appears in phrases such as pienituloisten asema (the position of low-income people) or pienituloisten tulot (the incomes of low-income people).

In statistical and policy contexts, pienituloiset denotes individuals or households whose income falls below a threshold used in poverty analysis. The threshold is commonly around 60 percent of the national median income, with adjustments for household size through equivalization. Definitions can vary between data sources and depending on whether gross or net income is used, and whether the threshold is applied before or after social transfers.

The concept is used in discussions of welfare, social security, housing, and living conditions, and it helps frame debates about inequality and poverty reduction. Pienituloisten status can be affected by changes in employment, wages, benefits, and living costs, making it a focal point for social policy evaluation.

Related Finnish terms include pienituloisuus (low income level or poverty risk) and köyhyys (poverty). The term pienituloisten is a common linguistic construction in Finnish policy and research to refer to the group rather than individuals, reflecting the plural nature of the category in discussions about income distribution.