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LEARN MORE ABOUT .idIn Australia, the medium lowest quartile was the largest group in 2021, comprising 28.3% of first nations households with income.
Households form the common 'economic unit' in our society. Household Income is one of the most important indicators of socio-economic status. Australia-wide, First Nations households often report lower incomes than the average of all households, which is a strong indicator of disadvantage. However this does vary from place to place.
Income quartiles break the total households of Australia into four equal groups for each Census and track changes in smaller populations against these thresholds. This enables visualisation at a glance of both the First Nations incomes in a local area against the total population, and compared to First Nations households in a wider geographic area. Due to the equal sized nature of the four quartiles over time, it also allows direct comparison of change over time, so you can see whether First Nations are increasing or decreasing relative to incomes in the state.
Household income quartiles datasets should be viewed in conjunction with the raw Household income as well as related topics such as Qualifications and Occupations.
A detailed explanation of how Household Income quartiles are calculated and interpreted is available in specific data notes.
Q:
Derived from the Census question:
'What is the total of all wages/salaries, government benefits, pensions, allowances and other income the person usually receives?'
| Household Income Quartiles | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander households - Australia | 2021 | 2016 | Change | ||||
| Five year age group (years) | Number | % | Greater Capital Cities % | Number | % | Greater Capital Cities % | 2016 to 2021 |
| Lowest group | 89,141 | 28.0 | 24.9 | 68,882 | 30.0 | 25.6 | +20,259 |
| Medium lowest | 90,074 | 28.3 | 26.6 | 64,932 | 28.3 | 25.7 | +25,143 |
| Medium highest | 80,961 | 25.4 | 26.5 | 54,939 | 23.9 | 25.7 | +26,022 |
| Highest group | 58,443 | 18.3 | 22.0 | 40,721 | 17.7 | 23.1 | +17,722 |
| Total households | 318,621 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 229,475 | 100.0 | 100.0 | +89,146 |
| Household income - Quartile group dollar ranges | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calculated from income data for Australia | Weekly income by Census year | ||||||
| Household income ranges | 2021 | 2016 | 2011 | 2006 | 2001 | 1996 | 1991 |
| Lowest group | $0 to $867 | $0 to $743 | $0 to $625 | $0 to $539 | $0 to $413 | $0 to $336 | $0 to $300 |
| Medium lowest | $868 to $1,740 | $744 to $1,431 | $626 to $1,229 | $540 to $1,025 | $414 to $784 | $337 to $633 | $301 to $557 |
| Medium highest | $1,741 to $2,949 | $1,432 to $2,433 | $1,230 to $2,208 | $1,026 to $1,700 | $785 to $1,350 | $634 to $1,074 | $558 to $923 |
| Highest group | $2,950 and over | $2,434 and over | $2,209 and over | $1,701 and over | $1,351 and over | $1,075 and over | $924 and over |
Dominant groups
The most significant change in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander households in Australia between 2016 and 2021 was in the medium highest quartile which showed an increase of 26,022 households.
Income quartiles allow us to compare relative income-earning capabilities across time. Analysis of the distribution of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander households by income quartile in Australia compared to [POPBMHH] shows that there was lesser proportion of households in the highest income quartile and a greater proportion in the lowest income quartile.
Emerging groups
The most significant change in Australia between 2016 and 2021 was in the medium highest quartile which showed an increase of 26,022 households.
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