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Individuals

Last updated 23 September 2020

The Individuals section includes data on most of the return labels and calculations from the Individual tax return form for 2017 and the member contribution statement.

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Individuals summary tables and charts

Table 3: Individuals – median and average key items, by sex, 2015–16 and 2016–17 income years

 

2015–16

2016–17

Male

Female

Total

Male

Female

Total

Average taxable income ($)

69,644

48,043

58,689

69,278

48,118

59,014

Median taxable income ($)

52,316

37,767

43,877

52,376

37,908

44,382

Average net tax ($)

22,281

13,672

18,352

22,237

13,829

18,378

Median net tax ($)

13,182

7,979

10,488

13,324

8,219

10,676

Average superannuation account balance ($)

134,240

102,346

115,945

146,421

114,350

128,024

Median superannuation account balance ($)

45,887

34,630

37,473

50,239

38,781

41,731

To access this data in Excel format, as well as similar data back to the 2014–15 income year, download Snapshot table 4External Link from data.gov.au.

Chart 4: Individuals – top 10 postcodes, by average taxable income

Chart 4 shows the top 10 postcodes in Australia, ranked by average taxable income of individuals, for the 2016–17 income year. The link below will take you to the data behind this chart as well as similar data back to the 2011–12 income year.

To access the data for this chart, as well as similar data back to the 2011–12 income year, download Snapshot table 5External Link from data.gov.au.

Chart 5: Individuals – top 10 occupations, by average taxable income

Chart 5 shows the top 10 occupations in Australia, ranked by average taxable income of individuals, for the 2016–17 income year. The link below will take you to the data behind this chart as well as similar data back to the 2013–14 income year.

To access the data for this chart, as well as similar data back to the 2013–14 income year, download Snapshot table 5External Link from data.gov.au.

Table 4a: Individuals – single people with private health insurance, by income tier and age, 2016–17 income year

Single people

Tier 0:
$90,000 or less

Tier 1:
$90,001 to $105,000

Tier 2:
$105,001 to $140,000

Tier 3:
$140,001 or more

Less than 65 years of age (no.)

1,299,389

146,215

170,155

137,953

65 to 69 years (no.)

90,098

5,231

6,186

6,597

70 years or more (no.)

175,733

5,729

7,952

13,807

Unspecified (no.)

322

1

2

307

Table 4b Individuals – members of a couple with private health insurance, by income tier and age, 2016–17 income year

Members of a couple

Tier 0:
$180,000 or less

Tier 1:
$180,001 to $210,000

Tier 2:
$210,001 to $280,000

Tier 3:
$280,001 or more

Less than 65 years of age (no.)

3,207,213

420,232

481,551

439,475

65 to 69 years (no.)

340,816

15,431

19,340

22,868

70 years or more (no.)

444,453

11,368

15,937

22,175

Unspecified (no.)

91,912

11,397

11,817

7,408

In these tables, Income tier is determined by your income for surcharge purposes.

To access this data in Excel format, as well as similar data back to the 2013–14 income year, download Snapshot table 4External Link from data.gov.au.

Chart 6: Number of individuals and net tax, by tax bracket, 2016–17 income year

Chart 6 shows the distribution of individuals and net tax, across the different tax brackets, for the 2016–17 income year. The link below will take you to the data behind this chart as well as similar data back to the 2012–13 income year.

To access the data for this chart, as well as similar data back to the 2012–13 income year, download Snapshot table 5External Link from data.gov.au.

Table 5: Individuals – selected income items, 2015–16 to 2016–17 income years

Income item

2015–16

2016–17

Individuals
(no.)

Average
($)

Median
($)

Individuals
(no.)

Average
($)

Median
($)

Salary or wages

10,655,497

58,827

48,636

10,912,139

59,328

49,397

Gross interest

7,799,548

1,396

109

7,746,341

1,242

91

Dividends – franked amount

2,888,043

7,753

537

2,847,231

7,861

522

Dividends – franking credit

2,883,230

3,326

231

2,840,557

3,292

225

Allowances, earnings, tips, director’s fees etc

2,350,523

3,717

446

2,436,214

3,623

428

Net rent

2,116,755

−1,683

−1,565

2,179,107

−1,512

−1,427

Partnerships and trusts – net non-primary production amount

1,778,895

29,623

5,088

1,783,170

30,731

5,487

Net income or loss from business – non-primary production

1,165,174

26,571

12,413

1,223,272

26,680

12,329

Dividends – unfranked amount

1,009,691

970

70

1,066,285

928

63

Australian Government allowances and payments like Newstart, Youth allowance and Austudy payment

986,562

6,032

5,266

972,823

6,188

5,462

Assessable foreign source income

739,285

7,584

346

730,016

8,130

450

Net capital gain

661,564

27,371

1,634

698,060

28,721

2,154

Australian Government pensions and allowances

683,487

10,771

10,855

690,932

10,833

11,008

Total income or loss

13,508,101

61,465

46,108

13,870,745

61,781

46,576

In this table:

  • Total income or loss components do not add to the total number of taxpayers because taxpayers may declare more than one type of income.
  • Some components of total income are not listed.
  • The count, average and median for total income or loss are calculated including zeroes.

To access this data in Excel format, as well as similar data back to the 2007–08 income year, download Snapshot table 4External Link from data.gov.au.

Table 6: Individuals – selected deduction items, 2015–16 to 2016–17 income years

Deduction item

2015–16

2016–17

Individuals
(no.)

Average
($)

Median
($)

Individuals
(no.)

Average
($)

Median
($)

Work-related expenses

8,627,122

2,548

1,123

8,840,669

2,487

1,122

Cost of managing tax affairs

6,087,224

371

170

6,102,730

375

171

Gifts or donations

4,511,057

634

110

4,522,137

770

110

Other deductions

705,091

2,840

1,557

725,387

2,882

1,596

Low value pool deduction

302,859

456

183

302,435

458

182

Dividend deductions

262,835

3,860

817

258,528

3,658

717

Interest deductions

275,884

2,648

139

250,723

2,681

138

Personal superannuation contributions

208,111

21,764

26,500

214,204

22,521

28,524

Total deductions

13,508,101

2,638

711

13,870,745

2,631

700

In this table:

  • Other deductions is the label on the return form and does not include all other deductions from the tax return not listed.
  • Total deductions components do not add to the total number of taxpayers claiming deductions because taxpayers may claim more than one type of deduction.
  • Some components of total deductions are not listed.
  • The count, average and median for total deductions are calculated including zeroes.

To access this data in Excel format, as well as similar data back to the 2003–04 income year, download Snapshot table 4External Link from data.gov.au.

Table 7: Individuals – selected tax offsets and levies, 2015–16 to 2016–17 income years

Offset/levy

2015–16

2016–17

Individuals
(no.)

Average
($)

Median
($)

Individuals
(no.)

Average
($)

Median
($)

Medicare levy

9,385,453

1,510

1,166

9,562,761

1,528

1,186

Low income tax offset

6,627,045

314

360

6,729,323

313

358

Small business income tax offset

785,593

309

165

905,405

428

282

Seniors and pensioners tax offset

611,607

1,188

1,188

613,419

1,181

1,173

Foreign income tax offset

588,387

1,602

30

570,083

1,679

34

Zone or overseas forces tax offset

496,049

327

143

480,455

319

133

Commonwealth of Australia benefits and payments tax offset

429,488

611

605

437,919

629

626

Temporary budget repair levy payable

415,597

3,315

1,168

427,497

3,280

1,169

Employment termination payment tax offset

342,816

3,801

388

322,487

4,263

372

Australian superannuation income stream tax offset

232,871

2,963

2,290

227,672

3,045

2,359

Medicare levy surcharge

188,629

1,280

1,008

196,807

1,308

1,027

To access this data in Excel format, as well as similar data back to the 2003–04 income year, download Snapshot table 4External Link from data.gov.au.

Chart 7: Individuals – returns by lodgment type, 2016–17 income year

Chart 7 shows the  lodgment channel of 2016–17 individual income tax returns: 71.3% by agent, 26.9% by myTax, 1.8% other self-preparer. The link below will take you to the data behind this chart as well as similar data going back to the 2009–10 income year.

To access the data for this chart, as well as similar data back to the 2009–10 income year, download Snapshot table 5External Link from data.gov.au.

Chart 8: Individuals – returns by sex, 2012–13 to 2016–17 income years

Chart 8 shows the sex of individuals lodging income tax returns for the last 5 income years. The link below will take you to the data behind this chart as well as similar data back to the 2009–10 income year.

To access the data for this chart, as well as similar data back to the 2009–10 income year, download Snapshot table 5External Link from data.gov.au.

Chart 9: Individuals – returns by state/territory, 2016–17 income year

Chart 9 shows individual returns lodged by state or territory for the 2016–17 income year: NSW 31.5%, VIC 25.3%, QLD 19.8%, WA 10.7%, SA 6.8%, TAS 2%, ACT 1.9%, NT 0.9%, Overseas 1.1% and Unknown <0.1%. The link below will take you to the data behind this chart as well as similar data back to the 2009–10 income year.

To access the data for this chart, as well as similar data back to the 2009–10 income year, download Snapshot table 5External Link from data.gov.au.

Chart 10: Individuals – rental income and deductions, 2012–13 to 2016–17 income years

Chart 10 shows rental income and deduction items, as well as net rental income, for individuals over the last 5 income years. The link below will take you to the data behind this chart as well as similar data back to the 2009–10 income year.

To access the data for this chart, as well as similar data back to the 2009–10 income year, download Snapshot table 5External Link from data.gov.au.

Table 8: Individuals – interest in a rental property, by overall net rent outcome, 2015–16 to 2016–17 income years

Property interests (no.)

2015–16

2016–17

Net rent loss
(no.)

Net rent neutral/ profit
(no)

Total individuals
(no.)

Net rent loss
(no.)

Net rent neutral/ profit
(no.)

Total individuals
(no.)

1

917,287

577,221

1,494,508

929,961

606,151

1,536,112

2

242,300

153,737

396,037

247,312

160,659

407,971

3

72,750

49,946

122,696

73,893

52,022

125,915

4

26,051

19,187

45,238

26,703

19,757

46,460

5

10,776

8,104

18,880

11,126

8,378

19,504

6 or more

11,310

8,713

20,023

11,349

9,008

20,357

Total

1,280,474

816,908

2,097,382

1,300,344

855,975

2,156,319

In this table an interest in a property means the property may be solely or jointly owned, and includes properties bought or sold during the year.

To access this data in Excel format, as well as similar data back to the 1999–2000 income year, download Snapshot table 4External Link from data.gov.au.

Table 9: Individuals – workplace giving programs, 2014–15 to 2016–17 income years

 

2014–15

2015–16

2016–17

Total employees employed by workplace giving employers (no.)

3,319,105

3,601,066

3,553,057

Employees using workplace giving (no.)

162,573

169,714

173,466

Total donations given using workplace giving ($m)

43

35

36

Average donation ($)

261

206

208

Median donation ($)

76

75

78

To access this data in Excel format, as well as similar data back to the 2012–13 income year, download Snapshot table 4External Link from data.gov.au.

Chart 11: Individuals – gifts or donations, by state/territory, 2016–17 income year

Chart 11 shows the average and median deduction of individuals for gifts or donations, by state, for the 2016–17 income year. The link below will take you to the data behind this chart as well as similar data back to the 2009–10 income year.

To access the data for this chart, as well as similar data back to the 2009–10 income year, download Snapshot table 5External Link from data.gov.au.

Chart 12: Median super balance, by age and sex, 2016–17 financial year

Chart 12 shows the median superannuation balance of individuals by sex and age, for the 2016–17 financial year. The link below will take you to the data behind this chart as well as similar data back to the 2013–14 financial year.

Only individuals with an account balance greater than zero were included in this chart.

To access the data for this chart, as well as similar data back to the 2013–14 financial year, download Snapshot table 5External Link from data.gov.au.

Chart 13: Super balance, by state/territory and sex, 2016–17 financial year

Chart 13 shows the average and median superannuation balance of individuals by state, for the 2016–17 financial year. The link below will take you to the data behind this chart as well as similar data back to the 2013–14 financial year.

Only individuals with an account balance greater than zero were included in this chart.

To access the data for this chart, as well as similar data back to the 2013–14 income year, download Snapshot table 5External Link from data.gov.au.

Table 10: Super balance, by taxable income, 2015–16 to 2016–17 financial years

Taxable income

2015–16

2016–17

Individuals
(no.)

Average account balance
($)

Median account balance
($)

Individuals
(no.)

Average account balance
($)

Median account balance
($)

Less than or equal to $18,200

1,974,350

108,884

15,584

2,025,162

122,506

17,468

$18,201 to $37,000

2,772,218

80,239

18,894

2,786,488

89,241

19,788

$37,001 to $80,000

4,818,100

101,187

49,234

5,399,194

114,316

56,159

$80,001 to $180,000

2,363,753

212,081

120,714

2,025,970

241,342

139,902

$180,000 or more

396,982

532,278

254,273

409,033

582,420

279,587

No tax return

4,037,426

63,598

8,817

4,028,609

72,752

10,237

Total

16,362,829

115,945

37,473

16,674,456

128,194

41,731

In this table:

  • Only individuals that had a member contribution statement with an account balance greater than zero were included in the calculation of averages and medians.
  • The sum of those with taxable income ranges does not equal the total shown in other tables. This is because some individuals lodging tax returns do not have member contribution statements.

To access this data in Excel format, as well as similar data back to the 2013–14 income year, download Snapshot table 4External Link from data.gov.au.

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