1370.0 - Measures of Australia's Progress, 2010  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 15/09/2010   
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Household economic wellbeing

Average real equivalised disposable household weekly income(a)(b)
Graph Image for Average real equivalised disposable household weekly income(a)(b)

Footnote(s): (a) Year ending 30 June. (b) Based on 2007-08 dollars, adjusted using changes in the Consumer Price Index. (c) Households in collection districts defined as very remote were excluded, accounting for about 23% of the population in the Northern Territory. (d) As the balance of state is not available for the ACT, estimates for the ACT are the same as those for Canberra.

Source(s): ABS Household Income and Income Distribution, Australia, 2007-08 (cat. no. 6523.0)
Mean net worth of households - 2005-06
Graph Image for Mean net worth of households - 2005-06

Footnote(s): (a) Households in collection districts defined as very remote were excluded, accounting for about 23% of the population in the Northern Territory.

Source(s): ABS Household Wealth and Wealth Distribution, 2005-06 (cat. no. 6554.0)

STATES AND TERRITORIES

In 2007-08, there were differences in the average levels of household income between the states and territories. Tasmania's average real equivalised disposable household weekly income was 19% below the national average of $811 per week and South Australia's was 8% below. The Australian Capital Territory (ACT), the Northern Territory (NT) and Western Australia (WA) all recorded the highest average household incomes. This most likely reflects the younger age profile of the ACT and the NT and the greater number of employed people per household. The results for the NT also reflects the exclusion of households in 'very remote' areas, which, if included, would be likely to reduce the average income (ABS 2009a). This was also the pattern a decade earlier in 1997-98, however New South Wales (NSW) had a higher average household income compared with WA.

Overall, average household income increased for all the states and territories between 1997-98 and 2007-08 (Endnote 1). The states and territories experiencing the direct effects of the mining boom (WA, Qld and NT) have all shown strong income growth.

There was also some variation in average household wealth between the states and territories. In 2005-06, the average net worth of households ranged from around $632,000 in NSW to $392,000 in the NT (compared with an Australian average of $563,000).

ENDNOTES

  1. Estimates presented for 2007–08 are not directly comparable with estimates for previous cycles due to improvements made to measuring income introduced in the 2007–08 cycle. Estimates for 2003–04 and 2005–06 have been recompiled to reflect the new measures of income, however not all components introduced are available to present the years on a comparable basis. See Appendix 4 of ABS Household Income and Income Distribution, Australia, 2007-08 (cat. no. 6523.0) for further information. (link)

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