In Nagaland, the bottom 50 per cent of households receive only around 18 per cent of the State’s total income, while the richest five per cent account for approximately 21 per cent. The figures point to a sharp gap in income distribution, but differences in property ownership and access to secure jobs show that economic inequality goes beyond earnings.
According to the State Government’s Report on Income Disparity in Nagaland, the findings are based on a survey conducted between October and December 2024.
The district-level figures also show differences in income inequality. Longleng recorded the highest inequality, with a Gini coefficient of 0.492, while Phek recorded the lowest at 0.366. The Gini coefficient is a measure of how evenly income is distributed. A higher figure indicates greater inequality.
In rural areas, Longleng recorded the highest inequality at 0.456, while Zunheboto had the lowest at 0.330. In urban areas, Longleng stood at 0.509 and Zunheboto at 0.359.
Kohima, meanwhile, recorded the highest average annual household income in the State at Rs 4,82,258. However, the summary findings released by the department do not provide Kohima’s district-level Gini coefficient.
While these figures show how income is distributed, they do not tell us how much land, property, savings or other assets are held by different sections of the population.
A study by Sungjeminla Longkumer, titled Income Distribution and Inequalities among Rural Farmers of Nagaland, India, published in the September 2026 issue of the International Journal of Environmental & Agriculture Research, provides another insight into income differences among rural households.
Based on primary data from 200 farm households in Peren district, the study found that non-farm activities contributed 48.57 per cent of total household income.
It also found that income inequality was higher among marginal and small farmers. Households with larger farms generally earned more from farming. However, the study found that income from activities outside farming tended to be higher among households with smaller farms.
The study is limited to Peren district and its findings cannot be applied to the entire State. However, it shows how income from activities outside farming has become an important part of rural household earnings, while also pointing to differences in the income earned by farmers of different sizes.
The gap in economic security is also seen in property ownership between women and men.
The National Family Health Survey-5 (2019-21) found that 26 per cent of women aged 15-49 owned a house, either alone or jointly, compared with 52 per cent of men. In the case of land, 16 per cent of women reported ownership, compared with 41 per cent of men.
These figures do not cover every landowner in Nagaland, but they show a clear difference in reported property ownership among women and men in the age group surveyed.
Getting a complete picture of land ownership is also difficult because land records are still being updated. According to the Government’s land records department, detailed surveys and physical verification have been completed in 586 villages. However, work to digitise the records and link land maps with ownership details is still underway.
The Centre’s land records dashboard also shows that Nagaland has yet to make gender-based land ownership details available in any district. This does not mean that women do not own land. It means that official records do not yet provide a district-wise picture of land ownership by gender.
While existing surveys provide some information on income and property ownership, a fuller picture of household wealth is still lacking. The ongoing surveys by the National Statistics Office (NSO) are expected to provide more information on this.
The NSO is conducting three nationwide household surveys across the State from July 2026 to June 2027. These include the All India Debt and Investment Survey (AIDIS), the Situation Assessment Survey of Agricultural Households and the Migration Survey.
The AIDIS will collect information on household assets, debt, loans and access to credit, providing a picture of the financial condition of households. The agricultural survey will examine land and livestock ownership, farm income and debt, while the migration survey will look at population movement and its links with employment and livelihoods.
The findings could provide a clearer picture of household wealth, debt and economic conditions in Nagaland. However, the surveys are still underway, and their findings are not yet available.
Employment is another important part of the inequality question, as regular work and social security can help families deal with financial difficulties.
The State’s Survey Report on Employment, Unemployment, Skill and Migration in Nagaland, 2025 placed the unemployment rate at 16.07 per cent. Phek recorded the highest district-level rate at 25 per cent, while Mon had the lowest at 8.92 per cent. The labour force participation rate was 56 per cent.
The survey found that 56 per cent of respondents were self-employed, while 16 per cent worked in the public sector and 13 per cent in the private sector as salaried employees. It also found that 88 per cent of respondents were not eligible for social security benefits.
Among those who were unemployed, 55 per cent had been without work for more than three years. While 58 per cent identified the lack of employment opportunities as the main reason for unemployment, 78 per cent had no previous work experience.
These figures do not directly measure income inequality. However, they show the difficulties many people face in finding work and securing regular earnings. The lack of social security coverage also raises concerns about how households manage during illness, loss of income and old age.
Taken together, the findings show that economic inequality in Nagaland goes beyond differences in income. Property ownership, access to regular employment and social security also affect how financially secure a household can be.
However, the available surveys do not provide a complete picture of how wealth is shared across the State. The ongoing NSO surveys may help fill some of these gaps. Their findings will be important in understanding who has access to land, property and other assets, and how households across Nagaland are managing their finances.
