Back to overview

Level of income inequality in OECD countries

Income inequalityInequalityHow does Australia compare?Headline charts

These charts compare overall income inequality in OECD countries, using the Gini coefficient, for which a higher score represents greater inequality.

2019-20: The chart shows that income inequality in Australia in 2021 or latest available date is close to the average level for wealthy nations, based on OECD data.

2017-18: The chart shows that income inequality in Australia in 2018 – the latest date for which comparative data is available – was close to the average level for wealthy nations.

2015-16: It shows that income inequality in Australia in 2015 – the latest date for which comparative data is available – was higher than the OECD average. Australia sits between other English-speaking countries, above Canada but below the United States and the United Kingdom; and alongside some countries with lower income levels, like Greece and Portugal.

Most European countries had much lower income inequality than Australia.

Privacy Preference Center