Latest release

Income and work: Census

Information on income, occupation and employment

Reference period

2021

Released

28/06/2022

Next release Unknown

First release

Key statistics

The national median personal income is $805 per week. This is a $143 increase since 2016. This includes the adult population from 15 years to over 85 years, including those who are unemployed or retired.
The Australian Capital Territory has the highest median personal income at $1,203 per week. Tasmania has the lowest median personal income at $701.
There are over 9.6 million people earning below the national median personal income or earning no income.

Census data about employment and occupation will be released in October 2022.

Image

Median weekly household income

State Median household income per week NT 2,061 QLD 1,675 WA 1,815 SA 1,455 VIC 1,759 TAS 1,358 ACT 2,373 NSW 1,829

Description

Median weekly household income

The image shows a map of Australia displaying the median household income for each state and territory. WA $1,815, NT $2,061, QLD $1,675, NSW $1,829, ACT $2,373, TAS $1,358, VIC $1,759, SA $1,455

Based on place of enumeration. Excludes visitor only and other non-classifiable households.

Source: Total household income (weekly) (HIND)

Total personal income (weekly) by state and territory(a), 2021 Census
	Median income	Negative income	Nil income	$1-$149	$150-$299	$300-$399	$400-$499	$500-$649	$650-$799	$800-$999	$1,000-$1,249	$1,250-$1,499	$1,500-$1,749	$1,750-$1,999	$2,000-$2,999	$3,000 or more
New South Wales	813	48,024	558,019	199,715	301,947	497,863	497,263	472,795	453,482	518,187	580,866	436,915	379,950	289,392	519,595	373,538
Victoria	803	40,097	462,585	181,402	259,576	393,575	398,650	378,559	366,570	437,356	483,105	365,266	321,293	229,793	392,855	263,112
Queensland	787	28,996	303,632	140,223	201,611	325,481	326,763	322,430	306,103	360,782	384,211	280,697	242,883	177,863	291,027	170,135
South Australia	734	9,293	103,721	50,776	81,493	131,617	135,058	121,526	111,354	128,716	141,776	101,079	82,849	58,086	87,386	47,071
Western Australia	848	14,775	175,789	74,433	106,129	153,779	149,720	146,826	135,161	155,856	182,352	143,853	132,068	100,717	190,276	127,181
Tasmania	701	3,018	29,744	14,983	25,490	44,367	46,543	40,553	37,358	41,024	44,639	30,046	24,860	17,270	23,812	11,468
Northern Territory	936	1,319	11,169	6,751	15,308	11,024	9,485	8,923	8,737	12,176	16,339	13,793	13,095	9,734	16,841	7,360
Australian Capital Territory	1,203	1,238	24,751	11,408	13,363	15,655	17,863	19,285	19,895	26,161	33,173	30,992	31,827	25,579	53,018	29,121
Australia(b)	805	146,805	1,669,570	679,812	1,005,072	1,573,594	1,581,612	1,511,161	1,438,936	1,680,606	1,866,801	1,402,863	1,229,021	908,593	1,575,067	1,029,073

Please note that there are small random adjustments made to all cell values to protect the confidentiality of data. These adjustments may cause the sum of rows or columns to differ by small amounts from table totals.

(a) Count of persons aged 15 years and over. Based on place of usual residence. Excludes overseas visitors.

(b) Includes Other Territories.

Source: Total personal income (weekly) (INCP)

Census data stories and concepts

How Census data is used

Learn how Census data helps community groups, businesses and governments make important decisions.

Census data informs planning for mining fly-in fly-out facilities

Global market research and consulting company Frost & Sullivan used Census data to inform how organisations provide services to fly-in fly-out workers. Census data helped it estimate the total size of the facilities management market in remote areas of Australia.

Mark Dougan, Head of Frost & Sullivan Australia and New Zealand, said the credibility of the data it uses for research is critical and Census data is a key contributor.

“With high quality data, we can help make clients and markets more efficient and informed. That comes from the highest possible completion rate for the Census and highest levels of accuracy,” Mr Dougan said.

“We looked at mining sites for fly-in fly-out workers. The camps in these sites are often run by third-party organisations that contract out cleaning, catering and maintenance.

“We knew what the daily charge per resident would be to cover these costs. We also needed to find out how many workers would be staying in the camps across remote Australia at any one time.”

Census data provided the number of individuals staying in company-provided accommodation in remote areas on the night of the Census.

“This told us there were about 70,000 individuals using these services, which we then used to calculate the value of the facilities management market.”

Frost & Sullivan provides insights to help businesses plan and grow. The company analyses data to help its clients make strategic decisions to innovate or enter new markets.

By providing analysis of the fly-in fly-out market, Frost & Sullivan has assisted facility management companies to plan, budget and be more competitive.

“Census data adds credibility and enables better informed decisions to be made across a broad spectrum,” said Mr Dougan.

See more Census stories.

Key questions in 2021 Census

What is the total of all income the person usually receives?
Last week, did the person have a job of any kind?
In the main job held last week, was the person: (Working for an employer; Working in own business)?
Was the person's business (Unincorporated; Incorporated)?
Does the person’s business employ people?
In the main job held last week, what was the person's occupation?
What are the main tasks that the person usually performs in that occupation?
For the main job held last week, what was the employer’s business name?
What best describes the industry or business of the employer at the location where the person works?
What are the main goods produced or main services provided by the employer’s business?
For the main job held last week, what was the person’s workplace address?
Last week, how many hours did the person work in all jobs?
Did the person actively look for work at any time in the last four weeks?
If the person had found a job, could the person have started work last week?

The questions from the 2021 Census are output into variables. To see descriptions of the variables, including data use considerations, relevant to this topic see the 2021 Census dictionary: Income and work.