Share of children in primary school age who are in school in Hungary
Hungary: Share of children in primary school age who are in school was 97.2% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Share of children in primary school age who are in school in Hungary, 1820–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026); Lee and Lee (2016) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of children in primary school age who are in school in Hungary is 97.2%, measured in 2024.
The figure is down 0.7% on the previous year and up 0.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of children in primary school age who are in school in Hungary peaked at 100.0% in 2003 and was at its lowest, 12.7%, in 1820.
Hungary ranks 91st of 209 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 57 years of available data.
Share of children in primary school age who are in school in Hungary, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1820 | 12.7% | — |
| 1825 | 14.4% | +13.4% |
| 1830 | 16.3% | +13.1% |
| 1835 | 18.4% | +12.8% |
| 1840 | 20.6% | +12.5% |
| 1845 | 23.1% | +12.1% |
| 1850 | 25.8% | +11.7% |
| 1855 | 28.7% | +11.2% |
| 1860 | 32.3% | +12.4% |
| 1865 | 33.6% | +4.2% |
| 1870 | 39.0% | +16.1% |
| 1875 | 49.9% | +27.8% |
| 1880 | 51.3% | +2.9% |
| 1885 | 57.7% | +12.4% |
| 1890 | 64.2% | +11.2% |
| 1895 | 65.1% | +1.4% |
| 1900 | 64.8% | -0.4% |
| 1905 | 62.5% | -3.6% |
| 1910 | 63.0% | +0.8% |
| 1915 | 50.5% | -19.9% |
| 1920 | 57.6% | +14.3% |
| 1925 | 47.7% | -17.3% |
| 1930 | 76.6% | +60.7% |
| 1935 | 73.3% | -4.3% |
| 1940 | 91.4% | +24.8% |
| 1945 | 95.4% | +4.4% |
| 1950 | 99.4% | +4.2% |
| 1955 | 93.4% | -6.0% |
| 1960 | 99.0% | +6.0% |
| 1965 | 97.0% | -2.0% |
| 1970 | 94.0% | -3.1% |
| 1975 | 96.5% | +2.6% |
| 1980 | 95.0% | -1.5% |
| 2001 | 98.5% | +3.7% |
| 2002 | 99.9% | +1.4% |
| 2003 | 100.0% | +0.1% |
| 2004 | 100.0% | -0.0% |
| 2005 | 99.9% | -0.0% |
| 2006 | 99.8% | -0.1% |
| 2007 | 99.6% | -0.3% |
| 2008 | 99.1% | -0.4% |
| 2009 | 98.4% | -0.8% |
| 2010 | 97.9% | -0.4% |
| 2011 | 97.6% | -0.3% |
| 2012 | 98.3% | +0.7% |
| 2013 | 97.5% | -0.8% |
| 2014 | 96.7% | -0.8% |
| 2015 | 96.4% | -0.4% |
| 2016 | 96.1% | -0.3% |
| 2017 | 96.5% | +0.3% |
| 2018 | 97.1% | +0.7% |
| 2019 | 97.4% | +0.3% |
| 2020 | 97.6% | +0.2% |
| 2021 | 98.1% | +0.5% |
| 2022 | 98.3% | +0.2% |
| 2023 | 97.8% | -0.4% |
| 2024 | 97.2% | -0.7% |
Hungary compared with similar countries
- Hungary's 97.2% is below the median for high income countries, which is 98.2%, 99% of the median. (74 countries reporting)
- Hungary's 97.2% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 98.6%, 99% of the median. (51 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Share of children in primary school age who are in school in Hungary changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1930 | +60.7% | 47.7% | 76.6% |
| 1875 | +27.8% | 39.0% | 49.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1820s | 13.5% | 12.7% | 14.4% | 2 |
| 1830s | 17.3% | 16.3% | 18.4% | 2 |
| 1840s | 21.9% | 20.6% | 23.1% | 2 |
| 1850s | 27.3% | 25.8% | 28.7% | 2 |
| 1860s | 33.0% | 32.3% | 33.6% | 2 |
| 1870s | 44.5% | 39.0% | 49.9% | 2 |
| 1880s | 54.5% | 51.3% | 57.7% | 2 |
| 1890s | 64.6% | 64.2% | 65.1% | 2 |
| 1900s | 63.7% | 62.5% | 64.8% | 2 |
| 1910s | 56.7% | 50.5% | 63.0% | 2 |
| 1920s | 52.7% | 47.7% | 57.6% | 2 |
| 1930s | 74.9% | 73.3% | 76.6% | 2 |
| 1940s | 93.4% | 91.4% | 95.4% | 2 |
| 1950s | 96.4% | 93.4% | 99.4% | 2 |
| 1960s | 98.0% | 97.0% | 99.0% | 2 |
| 1970s | 95.2% | 94.0% | 96.5% | 2 |
| 1980s | 95.0% | 95.0% | 95.0% | 1 |
| 2000s | 99.5% | 98.4% | 100.0% | 9 |
| 2010s | 97.2% | 96.1% | 98.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 97.8% | 97.2% | 98.3% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Hungary
- 88 Malta 97.4% compare
- 89 Israel 97.3% compare
- 90 Latvia 97.3% compare
- 92 Sao Tome and Principe 97.1% compare
- 93 Kyrgyzstan 97.0% compare
- 94 Saint Kitts and Nevis 96.9% compare
More education data for Hungary
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 78,564 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 6,790 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 163,967 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 150,126 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 815,267 (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 384,692 (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 0.9656 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0402 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of children in primary school age who are in school in Hungary?
- Share of children in primary school age who are in school in Hungary was 97.2% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026); Lee and Lee (2016) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of children in primary school age who are in school recorded in Hungary?
- The highest recorded value was 100.0% in 2003.
- What is the lowest share of children in primary school age who are in school recorded in Hungary?
- The lowest recorded value was 12.7% in 1820.
- How does Hungary rank for share of children in primary school age who are in school?
- Hungary ranks 91st out of 209 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of children in primary school age who are in school rising or falling in Hungary?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Hungary data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026); Lee and Lee (2016) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of children in primary school age who are in school. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of children of primary school age (typically 6–11 years) who are enrolled in primary education.