This table shows the number and percentage of people who live below the 50% and 60% of median income poverty lines in 2015-16 and 2017-18. It also shows the ‘poverty gap’, a measure of the depth of poverty for those living below the poverty line (the average gap between the incomes of people in poverty and the poverty line). It is important to measure poverty gaps, because even if the rate of poverty is reduced, this could still leave many people living well below the poverty line.

2017-18

After taking account of housing costs, over one in eight people (13.6%) live below the 50% of median income poverty line. The poverty rate among children is much higher, over one in six children (17.7%). The poverty rate among young people (aged 15-24) is 13.9%.  There  are 3,239,000 people living in poverty in Australia. This figure includes 774,000 children and 424,800 young people. The ‘poverty gap’ is 42% of the poverty line, or $282 a week. That is, people below the poverty line have incomes that are, on average, $282 a week below the line. This average figure includes larger households. Since this figure is not adjusted for household size (equivalised) it is higher than the average poverty gap for – for example, a single person living alone.

2015-16

After taking account of housing costs, more than one in eight people (13.2%) live below the 50% of median income poverty line. The poverty rate among children is much higher, more than one in six (17.3%). All told, there are 3.05 million people in poverty, including 739,000 children. The ‘poverty gap’ is 38% of the (after-housing) poverty line, or $135 per week. That is, people below the poverty line have incomes that average $135 per week below the line. Note that the dollar measure of the poverty gap for 2015 is adjusted downwards for household size (equivalised), so it is much lower than the dollar poverty gap reported for 2017 (which is calculated on a different basis).