Full data

Kedah in numbers

Every official state-level figure: economy, jobs, income and poverty since 1970. For a quick picture of each district, see the district slides.

Kedah today

Kedah GDP, 2025
RM56.3 bn
Constant 2015 prices · +4.1% vs 2024
Employed people, 2024
956k
Labour Force Survey
Median household income, 2024
RM4,895
Malaysia: RM7,017
Absolute poverty, 2024
8.4%
Malaysia: 5.1%

What do Kedah's people work in?

956k people were employed in 2024. Manufacturing and wholesale & retail trade employ 39% of them.

By industry Official

Thousand workers, 2024. Vertical tick = 2023.

Manufacturing201.2
Wholesale & retail trade176.0
Food, beverage & accommodation100.1
Agriculture, forestry & fishing87.3
Construction77.7
Education72.1
Public administration & defence58.6
Health & social work42.0
Administrative & support services41.1
Transport & storage35.5
Finance & insurance15.4
Professional, scientific & technical13.6
Other services12.0
Water, sewerage & waste7.1
Information & communication7.0
Electricity, gas & air-con supply4.1
Households as employers2.0
Arts, entertainment & recreation1.6
Real estate1.2
Mining & quarrying0.8

Source: DOSM, Labour Force Survey Report 2024, Table B4.8.

By occupation Official

Thousand workers, 2024. Vertical tick = 2023.

Service & sales workers228.8
Plant & machine operators, assemblers147.5
Elementary occupations113.9
Craft & related trades workers105.3
Technicians & associate professionals104.1
Professionals99.8
Clerical support workers76.7
Skilled agricultural & fishery workers55.4
Managers25.1

Source: DOSM, Labour Force Survey Report 2024, Table B4.5.

District-level job breakdowns are not yet openly published. We are requesting Census 2020 tables from DOSM; until then, district profiles show sector estimates.

Who contributes to Kedah's GDP?

Three districts — Kuala Muda, Kota Setar, Kulim — produce 72% of Kedah's GDP (2020). The other nine share the rest.

GDP by district, 2020 Official

RM billion, constant 2015 prices · % of Kedah

Kuala MudaRM11.34 bn · 24.6%
Kota SetarRM11.00 bn · 23.9%
KulimRM10.66 bn · 23.2%
Kubang PasuRM3.55 bn · 7.7%
LangkawiRM2.42 bn · 5.3%
BalingRM1.53 bn · 3.3%
Pokok SenaRM1.50 bn · 3.3%
PendangRM1.26 bn · 2.7%
Padang TerapRM0.87 bn · 1.9%
YanRM0.73 bn · 1.6%
Bandar BaharuRM0.63 bn · 1.4%
SikRM0.56 bn · 1.2%

Source: DOSM, GDP by District (latest edition: 2020).

Kedah since 1970

In 1970, 63% of Kedah households were poor. By 2016 that was near zero on the old poverty line — before DOSM raised the line in 2019.

Kedah median household income Official

RM a month, current prices (not adjusted for inflation)

Kedah median income since 1974RM0RM2,000RM4,000RM6,00019801990200020102020RM4,895

Source: DOSM, Household Income by State.

Absolute poverty in Kedah Official

% of households. The two poverty lines are not directly comparable.

  • Old poverty line (to 2016)
  • 2019 poverty line
Kedah poverty since 19700.0%20.0%40.0%60.0%80.0%1970198019902000201020200.2%8.4%

Source: DOSM, Poverty by State.