ABS Household Income and Income Distribution, Australia, 2011-12  

(Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 16/08/2013)   

KEY RESULTS

Some of the key income results from the 2011-12 SIH are:

• in real terms, average weekly equivalised disposable household income for low income households rose by 5% (from $452 to $475) between 2009-10 and 2011-12, and those for middle income households rose by 4% (from $760 to $793)
• there were no significant changes in income between 2009-10 and 2011-12 for high income households (from $1,797 to $1,814), or for all households in total (from $894 to $918) 
• the share of total household income received by low and middle income households increased between 2007-08 and 2011-12, while the share received by high income households decreased
• for households with middle and high income levels, wages and salaries were the main source of income for 79% and 88% of households respectively, while for low income households (i.e. those people with household income in the second and third deciles) government pensions and allowances were the main income source for more than 60% of households
  
• people living in older households (households where the reference person was aged 65 and over) had the lowest average weekly equivalised disposable household income at $660, and those living alone were more likely than those living in couple households to have government pensions and allowances as their main source of income (76% compared to 61%)
  
• couples with dependent children only, where the oldest child was under five, had an average weekly equivalised disposable household income of $960 (29% lower than for young couples without children)
  
• average equivalised disposable household incomes in the capital cities in Australia were 21% above those outside the capital cities
  
• average equivalised disposable household incomes in the Australian Capital Territory ($1,144), Western Australia ($1,017), and the not very remote parts of the Northern Territory ($1,012) were above the national average ($918)
  
• average equivalised disposable household incomes in Tasmania, South Australia and Victoria were below the national average by 15%, 8% and 4% respectively
  

Some of the key net worth results from the 2011-12 SIH are:

• the wealthiest 20% of households in Australia account for 61% of total household net worth, with an average net worth of $2.2 million per household 
• the poorest 20% of households account for 1% of total household net worth, with an average net worth of $31,205 per household
  
• the households in which the 20% of people with the lowest equivalised household incomes live, account for 15% of total household net worth, similar to the shares of net worth held by the households with people in the second and third equivalised household income quintiles
  
• the households in which the 20% of people with the highest equivalised household incomes live account for 37% of total household net worth