Prosperity gap (average shortfall from a prosperity standard) in Australia
Australia: Prosperity gap (average shortfall from a prosperity standard) was 1.2 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day in 2020. ▼ Falling
Prosperity gap 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. Measured in average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day.
Analysis
Australia recorded 1.2 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day for prosperity gap in 2020.
That represents a change of up 20.0% on the previous year and up 33.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, prosperity gap in Australia peaked at 1.5 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day in 1995 and was at its lowest, 0.9 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day, in 2008.
That places Australia 95th out of 123 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 13 years of available data.
Prosperity gap (average shortfall from a prosperity standard) in Australia, year by year
| Year | average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 1.3 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | — |
| 1985 | 1.4 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | +7.7% |
| 1989 | 1.3 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | -7.1% |
| 1995 | 1.5 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | +15.4% |
| 2001 | 1.4 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | -6.7% |
| 2003 | 1.5 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | +7.1% |
| 2004 | 1.2 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | -20.0% |
| 2008 | 0.9 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | -25.0% |
| 2010 | 0.9 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 0.9 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 0.9 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 1 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | +11.1% |
| 2020 | 1.2 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | +20.0% |
Australia compared with similar countries
- Australia's 1.2 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day is above the median for high income countries, which is 1.05 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day, 1.1× the median. (42 countries reporting)
- Australia's 1.2 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 2.4 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day, 50% of the median. (11 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 1.33 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | 1.3 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | 1.4 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | 3 |
| 1990s | 1.5 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | 1.5 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | 1.5 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | 1 |
| 2000s | 1.25 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | 0.9 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | 1.5 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | 4 |
| 2010s | 0.925 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | 0.9 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | 1 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | 4 |
| 2020s | 1.2 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | 1.2 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | 1.2 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | 1 |
Countries ranked near Australia
More poverty & inequality data for Australia
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via the World Bank 3 surveys (2025)
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via 0 surveys per person (2025)
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via 0 surveys per US$ 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 prosperity gap in Australia?
- Prosperity gap in Australia was 1.2 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day 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 prosperity gap recorded in Australia?
- The highest recorded value was 1.5 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day in 1995.
- What is the lowest prosperity gap recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.9 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day in 2008.
- How does Australia rank for prosperity gap?
- Australia ranks 95th out of 123 countries with data for 2020.
- Is prosperity gap rising or falling in Australia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 33.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- 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 Prosperity gap (average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
The average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28 per day (adjusted for differences in purchasing power parity across countries). It is measured as the average factor by which incomes fall short of $28.