Quality of life · Income & wealth
As at 12 October 2026 · official data unless labelled
People in relative income poverty
12.6%Worse than the OECD median▲ 0.2 pts2020vs OECD median 11.2%
What the numbers are telling us
The share of people in relative income poverty was 12.6% in 2020, up 0.2 pts on the previous reading (12.4%).
It is close to its average since 2012 of 12.8%.
Across 35 OECD countries (2020), Australia ranks 21st best of 35 on poverty, above the median of 11.2%.
Why it matters
The share of people living on less than half the median household income.
What it should be
There is no official target, so Australia is judged against comparable countries: lower than the OECD median is better. The OECD median is 11.2%.
Poverty: the last 5 readings
People in relative income poverty, 2012 to 2020
Australia ranks 21st best of 35 OECD countries
Poverty, 2020; OECD median 11.2%
Czechia5.29
Finland5.7
Denmark6.35
Slovenia7.05
Belgium7.33
Ireland7.68
France7.7
Netherlands8.2
Norway8.38
Canada8.64
Hungary8.72
Australia12.6
Every figure on this page is calculated from the stored official series (OECD, How's Life? Current well-being (OECD WISE)); the summary is written from the numbers, not edited by hand.