Income share of the richest 1%: World Inequality Database vs. World Bank in Australia
Australia: Income share of the richest 1%: World Inequality Database vs. World Bank was 7.7% in 2022. ▲ Rising
Income share of the richest 1%: World Inequality Database vs. World Bank in Australia, 1980–2022
Source: World Inequality Database (WID.world) (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2022, income share of the richest 1%: world inequality database vs. world bank in Australia stood at 7.7%.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.3% on the previous year and down 4.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, income share of the richest 1%: world inequality database vs. world bank in Australia peaked at 8.5% in 2009 and was at its lowest, 4.2%, in 1981.
Australia ranks 94th of 109 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 43 years of available data.
Income share of the richest 1%: World Inequality Database vs. World Bank in Australia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 4.3% | — |
| 1981 | 4.2% | -3.2% |
| 1982 | 4.5% | +5.7% |
| 1983 | 4.4% | -0.4% |
| 1984 | 4.7% | +5.4% |
| 1985 | 5.0% | +6.4% |
| 1986 | 5.3% | +7.2% |
| 1987 | 6.1% | +14.3% |
| 1988 | 7.5% | +23.5% |
| 1989 | 6.0% | -20.3% |
| 1990 | 5.5% | -7.5% |
| 1991 | 5.6% | +0.9% |
| 1992 | 5.4% | -3.4% |
| 1993 | 5.9% | +9.3% |
| 1994 | 6.0% | +1.5% |
| 1995 | 6.0% | +0.2% |
| 1996 | 6.3% | +5.5% |
| 1997 | 5.8% | -9.0% |
| 1998 | 6.3% | +9.0% |
| 1999 | 6.3% | +0.2% |
| 2000 | 6.3% | -0.2% |
| 2001 | 7.0% | +11.0% |
| 2002 | 7.2% | +3.3% |
| 2003 | 7.1% | -0.8% |
| 2004 | 7.1% | -0.3% |
| 2005 | 7.1% | +0.3% |
| 2006 | 6.9% | -3.2% |
| 2007 | 7.4% | +6.5% |
| 2008 | 7.7% | +4.6% |
| 2009 | 8.5% | +10.0% |
| 2010 | 8.1% | -4.4% |
| 2011 | 8.1% | +0.2% |
| 2012 | 8.1% | -0.9% |
| 2013 | 7.9% | -1.5% |
| 2014 | 8.2% | +3.0% |
| 2015 | 7.7% | -5.3% |
| 2016 | 7.2% | -6.8% |
| 2017 | 7.2% | +0.3% |
| 2018 | 6.9% | -5.0% |
| 2019 | 7.3% | +6.0% |
| 2020 | 7.0% | -4.0% |
| 2021 | 7.7% | +10.0% |
| 2022 | 7.7% | +0.3% |
Australia compared with similar countries
- Australia's 7.7% is below the median for high income countries, which is 9.1%, 84% of the median. (43 countries reporting)
- Australia's 7.7% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 14.7%, 53% of the median. (14 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 5.2% | 4.2% | 7.5% | 10 |
| 1990s | 5.9% | 5.4% | 6.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 7.2% | 6.3% | 8.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 7.7% | 6.9% | 8.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 7.5% | 7.0% | 7.7% | 3 |
Countries ranked near Australia
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 income share of the richest 1%: world inequality database vs. world bank in Australia?
- Income share of the richest 1%: world inequality database vs. world bank in Australia was 7.7% in 2022, according to World Inequality Database (WID.world) (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest income share of the richest 1%: world inequality database vs. world bank recorded in Australia?
- The highest recorded value was 8.5% in 2009.
- What is the lowest income share of the richest 1%: world inequality database vs. world bank recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.2% in 1981.
- How does Australia rank for income share of the richest 1%: world inequality database vs. world bank?
- Australia ranks 94th out of 109 countries with data for 2022.
- Is income share of the richest 1%: world inequality database vs. world bank rising or falling in Australia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 4.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Australia data come from?
- The figures come from World Inequality Database (WID.world) (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Income share of the richest 1%: World Inequality Database vs. World Bank. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of income received by the richest 1% of the population. Income here is measured after taxes and benefits.