Spatial Analysis of Poverty in Poland

Abstract

The aim of this article is to analyze the spatial differentiation of extreme, relative, and statutory poverty across voivodeships in Poland. The study utilizes spatial autocorrelation methods at both global and local scales. Based on data from the Local Data Bank (BDL), an analysis was conducted, confirming the existence of spatial dependencies in the studied phenomenon. The analysis identified clusters of voivodeships with similar poverty levels as well as regions that significantly differ from their neighboring areas. A statistically significant positive autocorrelation was observed for all poverty categories, suggesting the presence of spatial clusters characterized by similar levels of poverty indicators. Using the local Moran’s statistic, a statistically significant area of high poverty incidence was identified, encompassing the Podkarpackie voivodeship, and in the case of relative and statutory poverty, also the Lubelskie voivodeship. Furthermore, the study identified voivodeships exhibiting atypical spatial patterns: the Wielkopolskie voivodeship, where the analyzed phenomenon exhibited significantly higher levels compared to surrounding areas, and the Mazowieckie voivodeship, where poverty levels were notably lower than in neighboring regions. The obtained results provide a basis for conducting in-depth analyses of the factors influencing the regional distribution of poverty. Moreover, they may serve as a foundation for the development of social policies aimed at poverty reduction, particularly in region exhibiting its highest concentration.