Australia vs United States: Threshold income per month marking the poorest decile, the median, and the richest decile (after tax)
Australia
1,481 international-$ in 2021 prices
in 2020
United States
1,439 international-$ in 2021 prices
in 2024
Australia rank
12th
United States rank
13th
Threshold income per month marking the poorest decile, the median, and the richest decile (after tax) over time
- Australia
- United States
How they compare
Australia currently reports 1,481 international-$ in 2021 prices against 1,439 international-$ in 2021 prices in United States, a difference of 42 international-$ in 2021 prices.
The two have swapped places 2 times across 13 shared years of data; in 1981 it was United States ahead.
Australia ranks 12th and United States ranks 13th of 47 countries.
Across the 5 decades both report, Australia averaged higher in 1 and United States in 4.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Australia | United States | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 954.95 international-$ in 2021 prices | 1,050 international-$ in 2021 prices | 94.7 international-$ in 2021 prices | United States |
| 1990s | 894.46 international-$ in 2021 prices | 1,139 international-$ in 2021 prices | 244.72 international-$ in 2021 prices | United States |
| 2000s | 1,089 international-$ in 2021 prices | 1,204 international-$ in 2021 prices | 114.41 international-$ in 2021 prices | United States |
| 2010s | 1,408 international-$ in 2021 prices | 1,272 international-$ in 2021 prices | 135.67 international-$ in 2021 prices | Australia |
| 2020s | 1,481 international-$ in 2021 prices | 1,565 international-$ in 2021 prices | 84.15 international-$ in 2021 prices | United States |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher threshold income per month marking the poorest decile, the median, and the richest decile (after tax), Australia or United States?
- Australia, at 1,481 international-$ in 2021 prices against 1,439 international-$ in 2021 prices in United States as of 2020.
- What is the difference in threshold income per month marking the poorest decile, the median, and the richest decile (after tax) between Australia and United States?
- 42 international-$ in 2021 prices, with Australia ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Australia and United States?
- 13 years are reported by both, from 1981 to 2020.
- How do Australia and United States rank globally for threshold income per month marking the poorest decile, the median, and the richest decile (after tax)?
- Australia ranks 12th and United States ranks 13th of 47 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- Luxembourg Income Study (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as Threshold income per month marking the poorest decile, the median, and the richest decile (after tax). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Level of income per month below which 10% of the population falls.