Number of people in poverty by location in 2019-20, and change in poverty
Poverty was somewhat higher (at 2,232,000 people) among people living in capital cities than among those living outside them (1,087,000 people).
Poverty rates were highest in non-urban areas in the smallest States and Territories, including 52,000 people outside the capital in Tasmania, 57,000 people outside the capital in South Australia, and 28,000 people in the Northern Territory.
The greatest reductions in poverty in the fourth quarter of 2019-20 occurred outside the capital in Victoria (by 125,000 people), in Brisbane (by 196,000 people), in Hobart (by 13,000 people), and in the Australian Capital Territory (by 21,000 people).
Rate of poverty by location in 2019-20, and change in poverty
Poverty was somewhat higher (at 13.4%) among people living in capital cities than among those living outside them (13.3%).
Two thirds (67%) of people in poverty lived in capital cities, which is broadly equivalent to the population share living in those cities.
Poverty rates were highest in non-urban areas in the smallest States and Territories, including 17.7% outside the capital in Tasmania, 17.4% outside the capital in South Australia, and 15.8% in the Northern Territory.
The greatest reductions in poverty in the fourth quarter of 2019-20 occurred outside the capital in Victoria (by 8.9%), in Brisbane (by 7.4%), in Hobart (by 5.5%), and in the Australian Capital Territory (by 4.8%).
Poverty in income support households (2019-20 compared with previous years - % of people)
Poverty was higher overall in 2019-20 in ‘income support households’, with large increases for those reliant on Parenting Payment and Carer Payment, but much lower in those relying mainly on JobSeeker Payment and Youth Allowance.
Poverty by main household income (2019-20 compared with previous years - % of people)
Poverty was significantly lower in 2019-20 compared with previous years for people relying mainly on social security payments, but higher among those relying mainly in wages and ‘other’ incomes (including
investment income).
Poverty by age and family type (2019-20 compared with previous years, % of people)
The average poverty rate in 2019-20 (13.1%) was very close to the average across 2009-17 (13%). However, sole parents and older people had significantly higher poverty rates in 2019-20 than across previous
years and single people without children had significantly lower poverty rates.
Change in number of single and couple parents employed through 2020 (December 2019 = 0%)
The above graph shows that sole parents, who were more likely to be employed in casual and part time jobs in service industries, were disproportionately impacted by job losses at this time and it took longer for their employment prospects to improve as lockdowns eased.
Number of people in poverty in 2019-20 by housing tenure, and change in poverty
The above graph shows that in 2019-20 the risk of poverty was twice as great (1,238,000 people) for people in households renting privately than for home purchasers (492,000 people) and homeowners (1,004,000 people), reflecting the higher cost and/or lower incomes of people in private rental housing.
Poverty is even higher among tenants in public housing (311,000 people), mostly due to the lower incomes of this group. It is also high, at 275,000 people, in ‘other’ tenures including community housing.
Almost half (1,549,000 people) of those in poverty were either tenants in private rentals or public housing.
Among people in households renting privately, approximately 1,935,000 people in households receiving CRA were in poverty, compared with approximately 4,110,000 private tenants without Rent Assistance.
Similarly, among people in ‘other’ housing tenures, approximately 393,000 people in these households receiving CRA were in poverty. On the other hand, only 1,085,000 people in ‘other’ tenures who did not receive CRA were in poverty.
Poverty fell substantially in the final quarter of 2019-20 (by 383,000 people) among people renting their homes, who as indicated faced a much higher risk of poverty in the first place.
Among homeowners and purchasers, poverty rose slightly by 80,000 people among people without a mortgage and fell slightly by 163,000 people among those with a mortgage.
Number of adults in poverty in 2019-20 by country of birth, and change in poverty
The key distinction here is the lower poverty rate among migrants born in a major English-speaking country (218,000 people), compared with those born elsewhere (887,000 people). The rate of poverty was also below-average among people born in Australia (1,454,000 people).
In the fourth quarter of 2019-20, poverty declined (by 254,000 people) among migrants from places other than ‘major Englishspeaking countries’ but rose slightly (by 12,000 people) among those from major English-speaking countries.
Number of people in poverty by labour force status of main income-earner in 2019-20, and change in poverty
Among people in households where the main income-earner was unemployed, 231,000 people were in poverty in 2019-20.
Where the main income-earner was under 65 years old and not in the labour force, 1,186,000 household members were in poverty.
Poverty rates were much lower where the main income-earner was employed fulltime (701,000 people).
People in households relying on a single part-time wage were more than three times as likely as those relying on a fulltime wage to be in poverty (574,000 people).
Among people in households where the main income-earner was 65 years and over and not in the labour force, 628,000 were in poverty.
The greatest reductions in poverty occurred among people in households whose main income-earner was unemployed (by 94,000 people) or under 65 years and not in the labour force (by 327,000 people).
Poverty also declined in households whose main income-earner was employed fulltime (by 367,000 people) but increased slightly where they were employed part-time (by 3,000 people).
Number of adults in poverty by disability status in 2019-20, and change in poverty
The above graph shows that the rate of poverty among adults with disability in 2019-20 was 853,000 people, and 295,000 people among adults with a core activity limitation. One-third of adults in poverty had a disability.
Poverty among people with disability declined by 170,000 people in the fourth quarter of 2019-20. The decline in poverty was greater for people without a core activity restriction (by 153,000 people) than for those with one (by 10,000 people).