Median income: 2021 vs. 2017 international-$ in Australia
Australia: Median income: 2021 vs. 2017 international-$ was 59.71 international-$ in 2021 prices in 2020. ▲ Rising
Latest (2020)
59.71 international-$ in 2021 prices
Change on year
up 3.6%
World rank
12th
of 120 countries
All-time high
59.71 international-$ in 2021 prices
in 2020
All-time low
33.65 international-$ in 2021 prices
in 1995
Years of data
13
1981–2020
Median income: 2021 vs. 2017 international-$ in Australia, 1981–2020
Source: World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in international-$ in 2021 prices.
Analysis
In 2020, median income: 2021 vs. 2017 international-$ in Australia stood at 59.71 international-$ in 2021 prices. That is the highest value across all 13 years on record.
That represents a change of up 3.6% on the previous year and up 11.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, median income: 2021 vs. 2017 international-$ in Australia peaked at 59.71 international-$ in 2021 prices in 2020 and was at its lowest, 33.65 international-$ in 2021 prices, in 1995.
Australia ranks 12th of 120 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 13 years of available data.
Median income: 2021 vs. 2017 international-$ in Australia, year by year
| Year | international-$ in 2021 prices | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 35.08 international-$ in 2021 prices | — |
| 1985 | 35.63 international-$ in 2021 prices | +1.6% |
| 1989 | 36.56 international-$ in 2021 prices | +2.6% |
| 1995 | 33.65 international-$ in 2021 prices | -8.0% |
| 2001 | 38.2 international-$ in 2021 prices | +13.5% |
| 2003 | 39.46 international-$ in 2021 prices | +3.3% |
| 2004 | 43.25 international-$ in 2021 prices | +9.6% |
| 2008 | 52.58 international-$ in 2021 prices | +21.6% |
| 2010 | 53.39 international-$ in 2021 prices | +1.5% |
| 2014 | 56.75 international-$ in 2021 prices | +6.3% |
| 2016 | 56.42 international-$ in 2021 prices | -0.6% |
| 2018 | 57.61 international-$ in 2021 prices | +2.1% |
| 2020 | 59.71 international-$ in 2021 prices | +3.6% |
Australia compared with similar countries
- Australia's 59.71 international-$ in 2021 prices is above the median for high income countries, which is 49.01 international-$ in 2021 prices, 1.2× the median. (42 countries reporting)
- Australia's 59.71 international-$ in 2021 prices is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 13.36 international-$ in 2021 prices, 4.5× the median. (11 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 35.76 international-$ in 2021 prices | 35.08 international-$ in 2021 prices | 36.56 international-$ in 2021 prices | 3 |
| 1990s | 33.65 international-$ in 2021 prices | 33.65 international-$ in 2021 prices | 33.65 international-$ in 2021 prices | 1 |
| 2000s | 43.37 international-$ in 2021 prices | 38.2 international-$ in 2021 prices | 52.58 international-$ in 2021 prices | 4 |
| 2010s | 56.04 international-$ in 2021 prices | 53.39 international-$ in 2021 prices | 57.61 international-$ in 2021 prices | 4 |
| 2020s | 59.71 international-$ in 2021 prices | 59.71 international-$ in 2021 prices | 59.71 international-$ in 2021 prices | 1 |
Countries ranked near Australia
- 9 Belgium 62.89 international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 10 Denmark 60.72 international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 11 Iceland 60.63 international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 13 France 57.21 international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 14 Finland 56.48 international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 15 Malta 56.03 international-$ in 2021 prices compare
More reference data data for Australia
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.21 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 28.02 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 38.41 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 2.55 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 38.41 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 4.07 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 6.14 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 118.71 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 170.29 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 13.9 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is median income: 2021 vs. 2017 international-$ in Australia?
- Median income: 2021 vs. 2017 international-$ in Australia was 59.71 international-$ in 2021 prices in 2020, according to World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest median income: 2021 vs. 2017 international-$ recorded in Australia?
- The highest recorded value was 59.71 international-$ in 2021 prices in 2020.
- What is the lowest median income: 2021 vs. 2017 international-$ recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was 33.65 international-$ in 2021 prices in 1995.
- How does Australia rank for median income: 2021 vs. 2017 international-$?
- Australia ranks 12th out of 120 countries with data for 2020.
- Is median income: 2021 vs. 2017 international-$ rising or falling in Australia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 11.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Australia data come from?
- The figures come from World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Median income: 2021 vs. 2017 international-$. 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
Value of income or consumption per day below which 50% of the population live.