Median gross income gap

What is being tracked?

Measure: Gap in median gross income for people with disability aged 15–64 years compared with people without disability

This measure is part of the Economic independence priority of the Strategy. This priority is about supporting people with disability to earn enough money to live well, plan for their future and have choice and control over their own lives.

The desired outcome is that the gap between income of people with disability and those without disability is reduced.

Last updated:

Outcome area: Employment and financial security Priority: Economic independence

  • Baseline value

    $511 per weekin 2018

  • Latest value

    $511 per weekin 2018

Status not known yet more data from after the Strategy started are needed

View the data source

Has the disability income gap decreased over time?

The data in the graph and the table below show the median gross income for people with disability aged 15–64 years compared with people without disability. Data from 2015 and 2018 are used. In 2018, the disability income gap was $511 per week, compared with $485 per week in 2015.

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics – Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers (SDAC) | Data source overview

State and territory

Does the disability income gap vary between states and territories?

The data in the graph and the table below show the gap in median gross income for people with disability aged 15–64 years compared with people without disability, grouped by Australian states and territories. In 2018, the disability income gap was $864 per week in the Northern Territory, and $249 per week in the Australian Capital Territory (please note that the income gap for the ACT is not significantly different from zero).

˜ Gap small or not significant: available data cannot confirm with confidence that there is a disability-related gap for this group.

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics – Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers (SDAC) | Data source overview

Population groups

How this measure varies by…

  • Is the disability income gap different for First Nations people and non-Indigenous Australians?

    The data in the graph and the table below show the gap in median gross income for people with disability aged 15–64 years compared with people without disability, by Indigenous status. In 2018, the disability income gap was $350 per week for First Nations people and $524 per week for non-Indigenous people.

    Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics – Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers (SDAC) | Data source overview

  • Does the disability income gap vary by sex?

    The data in the graph and the table below show the gap in median gross income for people with disability aged 15–64 years compared with people without disability, for males and females. In 2018, the disability income gap was $683 per week for males and $363 per week for females.

    Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics – Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers (SDAC) | Data source overview

  • Does the disability income gap vary by age?

    The data in the graph and the table below show the gap in median gross income for people with disability aged 15–64 years compared with people without disability, grouped by age. In 2018, the disability income gap was $651 per week for the 45–64 age group, compared with $87 per week in the 15–24 age group.

    Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics – Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers (SDAC) | Data source overview

  • Does the disability income gap vary by cultural and linguistic diversity background?

    The data in the graph and the table below show the gap in median gross income for people with disability aged 15–64 years compared with people without disability, by culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) status. In 2018, the disability income gap was $444 per week for people from CALD backgrounds and $543 per week among the non-CALD group.

    Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics – Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers (SDAC) | Data source overview

  • Does the disability income gap vary by remoteness?

    The data in the graph and the table below show the gap in median gross income for people with disability aged 15–64 years compared with people without disability, grouped by remoteness. In 2018, the disability income gap was $505 per week in major cities, compared with $473 per week in outer regional and remote areas.

    Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics – Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers (SDAC) | Data source overview

  • Does the disability income gap vary by disability group?

    The data in the graph and the table below show the gap in median gross income for people with disability aged 15–64 years compared with people without disability, by disability group. In 2018, the disability income gap was $566 per week for both people with intellectual and people with psychosocial disability, and $469 per week for people with sensory and speech disability.

    Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics – Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers (SDAC) | Data source overview

  • Does the disability income gap vary by severity of disability?

    The data in the graph and the table below show the gap in median gross income for people with disability aged 15–64 years compared with people without disability, grouped by disability severity. In 2018, the disability income gap for people with severe or profound disability was $586 per week, compared with $416 per week for people with other disability status.

    Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics – Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers (SDAC) | Data source overview

Where did these data come from?

Data on the median gross income gap come from survey data collected by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Learn more about these data
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