Income share held by lowest 10% in Australia
Australia: Income share held by lowest 10% was 2.6% in 2020. ▬ Flat
Income share held by lowest 10% in Australia, 1981–2020
Source: World Bank, Poverty and Inequality Platform. Data are based on primary household survey data obtained from government statistical agencies and World Bank country departments. Data for high-income econ.
Analysis
The most recent figure for income share held by lowest 10% in Australia is 2.6%, measured in 2020. That is the lowest value across all 13 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 3.7% on the previous year and down 3.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, income share held by lowest 10% in Australia peaked at 3.0% in 2004 and was at its lowest, 2.6%, in 1989.
Australia ranks 75th of 123 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Income share held by lowest 10% in Australia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 2.8% | — |
| 1985 | 2.7% | -3.6% |
| 1989 | 2.6% | -3.7% |
| 1995 | 2.8% | +7.7% |
| 2001 | 2.7% | -3.6% |
| 2003 | 2.7% | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 3.0% | +11.1% |
| 2008 | 2.8% | -6.7% |
| 2010 | 2.7% | -3.6% |
| 2014 | 2.8% | +3.7% |
| 2016 | 2.8% | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 2.7% | -3.6% |
| 2020 | 2.6% | -3.7% |
Australia compared with similar countries
- Australia's 2.6% is below the median for high income countries, which is 2.8%, 91% of the median. (42 countries reporting)
- Australia's 2.6% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 2.9%, 90% of the median. (11 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 2.7% | 2.6% | 2.8% | 3 |
| 1990s | 2.8% | 2.8% | 2.8% | 1 |
| 2000s | 2.8% | 2.7% | 3.0% | 4 |
| 2010s | 2.8% | 2.7% | 2.8% | 4 |
| 2020s | 2.6% | 2.6% | 2.6% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Australia
More poverty & inequality data for Australia
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via the World Bank 3 surveys (2025)
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via 0 surveys per person (2025)
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via 0 surveys per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Fertility rate vs. share living in extreme poverty 1.64 live births per woman (2023)
- Cereal yield vs. share in extreme poverty 2,690 kg per hectare (2024)
- Cereal yield vs extreme poverty, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Cereal yield vs extreme poverty, annual growth rate -0.0446 % change on previous year (2024)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, gaps filled 30.36 (2022)
- Tax revenue as share of GDP vs. income inequality 30.4% (2022)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2022)
Frequently asked questions
- What is income share held by lowest 10% in Australia?
- Income share held by lowest 10% in Australia was 2.6% in 2020, according to World Bank, Poverty and Inequality Platform. Data are based on primary household survey data obtained from government statistical agencies and World Bank country departments. Data for high-income econ.
- What is the highest income share held by lowest 10% recorded in Australia?
- The highest recorded value was 3.0% in 2004.
- What is the lowest income share held by lowest 10% recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.6% in 1989.
- How does Australia rank for income share held by lowest 10%?
- Australia ranks 75th out of 123 countries with data for 2020.
- Is income share held by lowest 10% rising or falling in Australia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 3.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Australia data come from?
- The figures come from World Bank, Poverty and Inequality Platform. Data are based on primary household survey data obtained from government statistical agencies and World Bank country departments. Data for high-income econ, published as part of Income share held by lowest 10%. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Percentage share of income or consumption is the share that accrues to subgroups of population indicated by deciles or quintiles.