Median gross income gap

Population groups

• Indigenous status

  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.

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  Disability status	With disability	95% Confidence Interval	Without disability	95% Confidence Interval	Gap	95% Confidence Interval
  First Nations	$450	($435–$500)	$800	($750–$950)	$350	($247–$453)
  Non-Indigenous	$512	($500–$548)	$1,036	($1,005–$1,055)	$524	($490–$558)
  All persons	$505	($499–$534)	$1,016	($1,000–$1,050)	$511	($481–$541)

  Notes:

  1. Total personal weekly income. Excludes people whose income was 'Not stated', 'Not applicable', 'Amount not known', and people who reported no sources of income. The income gap is calculated by subtracting median income of people with disability from median income of people without disability.
  2. Restricted to people aged 15–64 living in households.
  3. Data source does not cover very remote areas and discrete Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

  Source: ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) 2019. Microdata: Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers, Australia, 2018, ABS cat. no. 4430.0.30.002, ABS, AIHW analysis of detailed microdata in DataLab, accessed 11 August 2022.

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

• Sex and gender

  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.

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  Disability status	With disability	95% Confidence Interval	Without disability	95% Confidence Interval	Gap	95% Confidence Interval
  Males	$525	($500–$594)	$1,208	($1,200–$1,247)	$683	($632–$734)
  Females	$500	($480–$529)	$863	($855–$900)	$363	($330–$396)
  All persons	$505	($499–$534)	$1,016	($1,000–$1,050)	$511	($481–$541)

  Notes:

  1. Total personal weekly income. Excludes people whose income was 'Not stated', 'Not applicable', 'Amount not known', and people who reported no sources of income. The income gap is calculated by subtracting median income of people with disability from median income of people without disability.
  2. Restricted to people aged 15–64 living in households.

  Source: ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) 2019. Microdata: Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers, Australia, 2018, ABS cat. no. 4430.0.30.002, ABS, AIHW analysis of detailed microdata in DataLab, accessed 11 August 2022.

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

• Age group

  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.

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  Disability status	With disability	95% Confidence Interval	Without disability	95% Confidence Interval	Gap	95% Confidence Interval
  15–24	$373	($281–$425)	$460	($441–$499)	$87	($11–$163)
  25–44	$645	($581–$718)	$1,151	($1,151–$1,200)	$506	($435–$577)
  45–64	$500	($481–$535)	$1,151	($1,151–$1,200)	$651	($615–$687)
  All ages	$505	($499–$534)	$1,016	($1,000–$1,050)	$511	($481–$541)

  Notes:

  1. Total personal weekly income. Excludes people whose income was 'Not stated', 'Not applicable', 'Amount not known', and people who reported no sources of income. The income gap is calculated by subtracting median income of people with disability from median income of people without disability.
  2. Restricted to people aged 15–64 living in households.

  Source: ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) 2019. Microdata: Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers, Australia, 2018, ABS cat. no. 4430.0.30.002, ABS, AIHW analysis of detailed microdata in DataLab, accessed 11 August 2022.

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

• Cultural and linguistic diversity status

  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.

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  Disability status	With disability	95% Confidence Interval	Without disability	95% Confidence Interval	Gap	95% Confidence Interval
  CALD	$460	($450–$500)	$904	($875–$959)	$444	($396–$492)
  CALD – low English proficiency	$350	($310–$409)	$550	($479–$600)	$200	($123–$277)
  CALD – high English proficiency	$500	($475–$579)	$959	($959–$1,000)	$459	($404–$514)
  Non-CALD	$516	($500–$550)	$1,059	($1,055–$1,100)	$543	($510–$576)
  All persons	$505	($499–$534)	$1,016	($1,000–$1,050)	$511	($481–$541)

  Notes:

  1. Total personal weekly income. Excludes people whose income was 'Not stated', 'Not applicable', 'Amount not known', and people who reported no sources of income. The income gap is calculated by subtracting median income of people with disability from median income of people without disability.
  2. Restricted to people aged 15–64 living in households.
  3. Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) cohort includes people not born in a main English-speaking country and/or who mainly speak a language other than English at home.
  4. English proficiency is reported for people in the CALD cohort only. Low English proficiency group includes people who mainly speak a language other than English at home and say they speak English 'not well' or 'not at all'. High English proficiency group includes people who mainly speak English at home, and those who mainly speak a language other than English at home and say they speak English 'well' or 'very well'.

  Source: ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) 2019. Microdata: Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers, Australia, 2018, ABS cat. no. 4430.0.30.002, ABS, AIHW analysis of detailed microdata in DataLab, accessed 11 August 2022.

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

• Remoteness

  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.

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  Disability status	With disability	95% Confidence Interval	Without disability	95% Confidence Interval	Gap	95% Confidence Interval
  Major cities	$550	($510–$600)	$1,055	($1,055–$1,096)	$505	($457–$553)
  Inner regional	$480	($460–$501)	$959	($959–$1,000)	$479	($451–$507)
  Outer regional and remote	$490	($454–$552)	$963	($926–$1,016)	$473	($408–$538)
  All areas	$505	($499–$534)	$1,016	($1,000–$1,050)	$511	($481–$541)

  Notes:

  1. Total personal weekly income. Excludes people whose income was 'Not stated', 'Not applicable', 'Amount not known', and people who reported no sources of income. The income gap is calculated by subtracting median income of people with disability from median income of people without disability.
  2. Restricted to people aged 15–64 living in households.
  3. Remoteness is classified according to Accessibility and Remoteness Index of Australia. Data source does not cover very remote areas.

  Source: ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) 2019. Microdata: Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers, Australia, 2018, ABS cat. no. 4430.0.30.002, ABS, AIHW analysis of detailed microdata in DataLab, accessed 11 August 2022.

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

• Disability group

  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.

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  Disability status	With disability	95% Confidence Interval	Without disability	95% Confidence Interval	Gap	95% Confidence Interval
  Sensory and speech	$547	($500–$650)	$1,016	($1,000–$1,050)	$469	($392–$546)
  Intellectual	$450	($450–$458)	$1,016	($1,000–$1,050)	$566	($541–$591)
  Physical restriction	$479	($460–$500)	$1,016	($1,000–$1,050)	$537	($506–$568)
  Psychosocial	$450	($450–$457)	$1,016	($1,000–$1,050)	$566	($541–$591)
  Head injury, stroke or acquired brain injury	$454	($450–$474)	$1,016	($1,000–$1,050)	$562	($535–$589)
  Other	$455	($450–$463)	$1,016	($1,000–$1,050)	$561	($536–$586)
  All with disability	$505	($499–$534)	$1,016	($1,000–$1,050)	$511	($481–$541)

  Notes:

  1. Total personal weekly income. Excludes people whose income was 'Not stated', 'Not applicable', 'Amount not known', and people who reported no sources of income. The income gap is calculated by subtracting median income of people with disability from median income of people without disability.
  2. Restricted to people aged 15–64 living in households.
  3. Components will not add to total as people may report impairments related to more than one disability group. In such cases, people are counted separately for each disability group but are only counted once in the aggregated total.

  Source: ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) 2019. Microdata: Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers, Australia, 2018, ABS cat. no. 4430.0.30.002, ABS, AIHW analysis of detailed microdata in DataLab, accessed 11 August 2022.

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

  Does the disability income gap vary for Autistic and non-Autistic people with 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, by whether they have autism, and compared with people without disability. In 2018, the disability income gap was $616 per week for Autistic people with disability, and $496 per week for non-Autistic people with disability.

  Please note that, in this data source, not all Autistic people are considered to have disability. Autistic people who do not report significant limitations, impairments or restrictions are considered to not have disability; these people are included in the ‘Without disability’ group in the graph and table.

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  Disability status	With disability	95% Confidence Interval	Without disability	95% Confidence Interval	Gap	95% Confidence Interval
  Autistic people with disability	$400	($320–$453)	$1,016	($1,000–$1,050)	$616	($546–$686)
  Non-Autistic people with disability	$520	($500–$550)	$1,016	($1,000–$1,050)	$496	($461–$531)
  All with disability	$505	($499–$534)	$1,016	($1,000–$1,050)	$511	($481–$541)

  Notes:

  1. Total personal weekly income. Excludes people whose income was 'Not stated', 'Not applicable', 'Amount not known', and people who reported no sources of income. The income gap is calculated by subtracting median income of people with disability from median income of people without disability.
  2. Restricted to people aged 15–64 living in households.
  3. Autistic people are those who reported that they have a long-term condition in the group 'Autism and related disorders (including Rett's syndrome and Asperger's syndrome)'. In this data source, not all Autistic people are considered to have disability. In 2018, according to the definition of disability used in this data source, 88% of Autistic people had disability and 12% did not have disability.

  Source: ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) 2019. Microdata: Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers, Australia, 2018, ABS cat. no. 4430.0.30.002, ABS, AIHW analysis of detailed microdata in DataLab, accessed 8 May 2024.

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

• Severity of disability

  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.

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  Disability status	With disability	95% Confidence Interval	Without disability	95% Confidence Interval	Gap	95% Confidence Interval
  Severe or profound disability	$430	($405–$450)	$1,016	($1,000–$1,050)	$586	($553–$619)
  Other disability status	$600	($575–$671)	$1,016	($1,000–$1,050)	$416	($363–$469)
  All with disability	$505	($499–$534)	$1,016	($1,000–$1,050)	$511	($481–$541)

  Notes:

  1. Total personal weekly income. Excludes people whose income was 'Not stated', 'Not applicable', 'Amount not known', and people who reported no sources of income. The income gap is calculated by subtracting median income of people with disability from median income of people without disability.
  2. Restricted to people aged 15–64 living in households.
  3. Severe or profound disability means always or sometimes needing assistance or supervision with self-care, mobility, and/or communication.

  Source: ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) 2019. Microdata: Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers, Australia, 2018, ABS cat. no. 4430.0.30.002, ABS, AIHW analysis of detailed microdata in DataLab, accessed 11 August 2022.

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