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Value and profile of household wealth for each income group

Wealth inequalityInequalityComponents of wealth

This graph shows the distribution of wealth across income groups. It is more evenly distributed than across wealth groups, due largely to high levels of home ownership among retirees.

2017-18

The wealth of the highest 20% by income is valued at $2,148,000, almost three times as much as the middle 20% and four times as much as the lowest 20%. The average value of wealth in owner-occupied homes is fairly consistent across income groups, with four of the five groups holding no more than $400,000 in wealh in this form. The highest 20% have homes worth an average of $496,000 after mortgage debt is subtracted. Shares and other financial assets are heavily concentrated in the hands of the highest 20% by income. Their average holdings are worht $622,,00 – five times that of the middle 20% ($124,000) and nine times that of the lowest 20% ($73,000). The avearge superannuation wealth of the highest 20% is $496,000, three times that of the middle 20% ($179,000) and nine times that of the lowest 20% ($58,000). The average investment property holdings of the highest 20% are worth $281,000 – three times that of the middle 20% ($88000) and four times that of the lowest 20% ($63,000).

2015-16

The highest 20% of households ranked by disposable income had average wealth of $1,952,000, almost three times the middle 20% ($711,000) and almost four times the lowest 20% ($532,000). The highest 10% income group had average wealth of $2,676,000 and the highest 5% had $3,730,000. The main residence of the highest 20% of households by income had an average net value (after mortgage debt is subtracted) of $557,000 which was 1.7 times that of the middle 20% ($319,000) and 1.8 times that of the lowest 20% ($302,000).

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