As at 13 October 2026 · official data unless labelled

Financially insecure: savings under three months of poverty-line income

39.4%Worse than the OECD median▼ 3.9 pts2020vs OECD median 37.4%

What the numbers are telling us

The share of people who are financially insecure was 39.4% in 2020, down 3.9 pts on the previous reading (43.3%).

It is below its average since 2014 of 43.1%, which is a better reading than usual.

Across 29 OECD countries (latest available, 2017–2023), Australia ranks 16th best of 29 on financial insecurity, above the median of 37.4%.

Why it matters

People without enough liquid savings to ride out three months without 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 37.4%.

Financial insecurity: the last 3 readings

Financially insecure: savings under three months of poverty-line income, 2014 to 2020

Source: OECD, How's Life? Current well-being (OECD WISE).

Australia ranks 16th best of 29 OECD countries

Financial insecurity, latest available, 2017–2023; OECD median 37.4%

Netherlands11

Korea17

Japan21.5

Norway23.14

Austria23.8

Denmark25

Czechia30.93

Italy32.46

Luxembourg34

Germany34.48

Belgium34.51

Australia39.4

Source: OECD and World Bank cross-country series as stored.

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.