Median and mean income (after tax) in Australia
Australia: Median and mean income (after tax) was 44,836 international-$ in 2021 prices in 2020. ▲ Rising
Latest (2020)
44,836 international-$ in 2021 prices
Change on year
up 2.9%
World rank
8th
of 47 countries
All-time high
44,836 international-$ in 2021 prices
in 2020
All-time low
25,661 international-$ in 2021 prices
in 1995
Years of data
13
1981–2020
Median and mean income (after tax) in Australia, 1981–2020
Source: Luxembourg Income Study (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in international-$ in 2021 prices.
Analysis
In 2020, median and mean income (after tax) in Australia stood at 44,836 international-$ in 2021 prices. That is the highest value across all 13 years on record.
The figure is up 2.9% on the previous year and up 9.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, median and mean income (after tax) in Australia peaked at 44,836 international-$ in 2021 prices in 2020 and was at its lowest, 25,661 international-$ in 2021 prices, in 1995.
That places Australia 8th out of 47 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 13 years of available data.
Median and mean income (after tax) in Australia, year by year
| Year | international-$ in 2021 prices | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 26,956 international-$ in 2021 prices | — |
| 1985 | 26,976 international-$ in 2021 prices | +0.1% |
| 1989 | 27,827 international-$ in 2021 prices | +3.2% |
| 1995 | 25,661 international-$ in 2021 prices | -7.8% |
| 2001 | 28,927 international-$ in 2021 prices | +12.7% |
| 2003 | 29,467 international-$ in 2021 prices | +1.9% |
| 2004 | 32,378 international-$ in 2021 prices | +9.9% |
| 2008 | 40,887 international-$ in 2021 prices | +26.3% |
| 2010 | 40,910 international-$ in 2021 prices | +0.1% |
| 2014 | 43,769 international-$ in 2021 prices | +7.0% |
| 2016 | 43,253 international-$ in 2021 prices | -1.2% |
| 2018 | 43,561 international-$ in 2021 prices | +0.7% |
| 2020 | 44,836 international-$ in 2021 prices | +2.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 27,253 international-$ in 2021 prices | 26,956 international-$ in 2021 prices | 27,827 international-$ in 2021 prices | 3 |
| 1990s | 25,661 international-$ in 2021 prices | 25,661 international-$ in 2021 prices | 25,661 international-$ in 2021 prices | 1 |
| 2000s | 32,915 international-$ in 2021 prices | 28,927 international-$ in 2021 prices | 40,887 international-$ in 2021 prices | 4 |
| 2010s | 42,873 international-$ in 2021 prices | 40,910 international-$ in 2021 prices | 43,769 international-$ in 2021 prices | 4 |
| 2020s | 44,836 international-$ in 2021 prices | 44,836 international-$ in 2021 prices | 44,836 international-$ in 2021 prices | 1 |
Countries ranked near Australia
- 5 Norway 48,516 international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 6 Austria 46,830 international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 7 Canada 46,263 international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 9 Netherlands 43,829 international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 10 Germany 41,047 international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 11 Belgium 40,890 international-$ in 2021 prices compare
More economy & growth data for Australia
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 1.36 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 2.26 Percent per annum (2029)
- Gross capital formation (current US$), annual growth rate 2.94 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross capital formation (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.2446 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Gross capital formation (current US$), per capita 15,931 current US$ per person (2025)
- Gross capital formation (current LCU), annual growth rate 4.28 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross capital formation (current LCU), per unit of GDP 0.3779 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Gross capital formation (current LCU), per capita 24,616 current LCU per person (2025)
- Imports of goods and services (current US$), annual growth rate 2.97 % change on previous year (2025)
- Imports of goods and services (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.2266 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is median and mean income (after tax) in Australia?
- Median and mean income (after tax) in Australia was 44,836 international-$ in 2021 prices in 2020, according to Luxembourg Income Study (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest median and mean income (after tax) recorded in Australia?
- The highest recorded value was 44,836 international-$ in 2021 prices in 2020.
- What is the lowest median and mean income (after tax) recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was 25,661 international-$ in 2021 prices in 1995.
- How does Australia rank for median and mean income (after tax)?
- Australia ranks 8th out of 47 countries with data for 2020.
- Is median and mean income (after tax) rising or falling in Australia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 9.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Australia data come from?
- The figures come from Luxembourg Income Study (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Median and mean income (after tax). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 13 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Average income per year of the population.