Australian Economic Reference Library • 73 Primary-Source Series • 1901–2026 Coverage
The Australian Economy, Explained Through Data.
An independent, structured statistical library covering Australian inflation, employment, wages, GDP, interest rates, housing, population, trade, and public finance-compiled directly from ABS and RBA primary sources.
Latest Available Releases
Australia’s Economy at a Glance
Click any headline indicator for full historical series, CSV download & methodology
Inflation & Prices 2026 Q2
Inflation (CPI)
3.9% % p.a.
-0.2 pp 1923–2026
Employment & Wages Sep 2026
Unemployment
4.7% %
0.0 pp 1950–2026
Economic Growth 2026 Q2
GDP Growth
2.1% % p.a.
-0.4 pp 1950–2026
Interest Rates Sep 2026
RBA Cash Rate
4.36% % p.a.
+0.01 pp 1976–2026
Employment & Wages 2026 Q2
Wage Growth (WPI)
3.2% % p.a.
0.0 pp 1998–2026
Population & Demographics 2026 Q1
Population
27.92M Persons
+130,887 1901–2026
Economic Growth Jun 2025
Retail Spending
$37,907m A$ million / month
+449 1982–2025
Trade & Industry Oct 2026
AUD/USD
US$0.6965 US$ per A$1
-0.0157 1960–2026
Economic Growth 2026 Q2
Household Saving Ratio
6.5% % of disposable income
+0.1 pp 1959–2026
Trade & Industry 2026 Q2
Trade Balance
-0.7% % of GDP
-0.3 pp 1959–2026
Secular Trajectories
Four Long-Run Perspectives on the Australian Economy
Interactive charts - hover to inspect annual observations
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Source: Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) / Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) (GCPIAGYP) Latest: 3.9 % p.a. (2026 Q2)
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Source: Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) / Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) (GLFSURSA) Latest: 4.7 % (Sep 2026)
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Source: Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) / Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) (GGDPCVGDPY) Latest: 2.1 % p.a. (2026 Q2)
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Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) (1.3.TOT.AUS.Q) Latest: 27921150 Persons (2026 Q1)
Complete Statistical Directory
View all primary sources & series codes →
Explore the Eight Economic Pillars (73 Datasets)
Inflation & Prices
Consumer Price Index (CPI), underlying trimmed mean inflation, living cost indexes, and expenditure category price histories since 1922.
- Australian Inflation Rate (CPI) 1923–2026 · Quarterly3.9% 2026 Q2
- Australian Consumer Price Index (CPI Level) 1922–2026 · Quarterly102.31 2026 Q2
- Trimmed Mean Core Inflation 1983–2026 · Quarterly3.6% 2026 Q2
- Monthly CPI Indicator 2025–2026 · Monthly4.0% Aug 2026
- Food & Non-Alcoholic Beverages Inflation 1973–2026 · Quarterly3.2% 2026 Q2
- Housing & Utilities CPI Inflation 1973–2026 · Quarterly6.8% 2026 Q2
- Health & Medical CPI Inflation 1990–2026 · Quarterly3.9% 2026 Q2
- Automotive Fuel & Petrol Price Inflation 1973–2026 · Quarterly6.2% 2026 Q2
- Electricity Price Inflation 1981–2026 · Quarterly21.9% 2026 Q2
- Non-Tradables (Domestic) Inflation 1983–2026 · Quarterly4.8% 2026 Q2
- Employee Household Living Cost Index (LCI) 1999–2026 · Quarterly3.7% 2026 Q2
- Producer Price Index (Final Demand) 1999–2026 · Quarterly3.6% 2026 Q2
Employment & Wages
Unemployment rate, labour force participation, job vacancies, Wage Price Index (WPI), Average Weekly Earnings (AWOTE), and productivity.
- Australian Unemployment Rate 1950–2026 · Monthly4.7% Sep 2026
- Labour Force Participation Rate 1978–2026 · Monthly66.8% Sep 2026
- Total Employed Persons & Employment Growth 1979–2026 · Monthly1.2% Sep 2026
- Full-Time Employed Persons 1978–2026 · Monthly10,232.4k Sep 2026
- Underemployment Rate 1978–2026 · Monthly6.3% Sep 2026
- Youth Unemployment Rate (Aged 15–24) 1978–2026 · Monthly11.1% Sep 2026
- Australian Job Vacancies 1979–2026 · Quarterly325.0k 31 Aug 2026
- Wage Price Index (WPI) Annual Growth 1998–2026 · Quarterly3.2% 2026 Q2
- Average Weekly Ordinary Time Earnings (AWOTE) 2012–2026 · Semi-Annual$2,084 May 2026
- Non-Farm Labour Productivity Growth 1986–2026 · Quarterly-0.3% 2026 Q2
Economic Growth & National Accounts
Real and nominal Gross Domestic Product (GDP), GDP per capita, household consumption, saving ratio, disposable income, retail trade, and business investment.
- Australian Real GDP Growth Rate 1950–2026 · Quarterly2.1% 2026 Q2
- Real GDP Per Capita Growth 1974–2026 · Quarterly0.7% 2026 Q2
- Nominal Gross Domestic Product (Current Prices) 1959–2026 · Quarterly$742.5b 2026 Q2
- Household Final Consumption Growth 1960–2026 · Quarterly1.8% 2026 Q2
- Household Net Saving Ratio 1959–2026 · Quarterly6.5% 2026 Q2
- Real Household Disposable Income Growth 1960–2026 · Quarterly2.3% 2026 Q2
- Private Business Investment Growth 1986–2026 · Quarterly10.5% 2026 Q2
- Australian Retail Trade Turnover 1982–2025 · Monthly$37,907m Jun 2025
- Corporate Profit Share of GDP (GOS) 1959–2026 · Quarterly19.2% 2026 Q2
Interest Rates, Money & Credit
RBA Cash Rate Target, 2-year and 10-year Commonwealth Government bond yields, actual mortgage and business lending rates, M3 money supply, and credit growth.
- RBA Cash Rate Target & Overnight Cash Rate 1976–2026 · Monthly4.36% Sep 2026
- 10-Year Australian Government Bond Yield 1949–2026 · Monthly5.28% Sep 2026
- 2-Year Australian Government Bond Yield 2013–2026 · Monthly4.92% Sep 2026
- Variable Owner-Occupier Mortgage Interest Rate 2015–2026 · Monthly6.20% Aug 2026
- Small Business Variable Lending Rate 1993–2019 · Monthly5.20% Sep 2019
- M3 Money Supply Growth 1977–2026 · Monthly6.8% Aug 2026
- Total Private Sector Credit Growth 1977–2026 · Monthly8.6% Aug 2026
- Reserve Bank of Australia Total Assets 2013–2026 · Monthly$346.9b Oct 2026
Population & Demographics
Estimated Resident Population (ERP) since 1901, Net Overseas Migration (NOM), natural increase, fertility rates, median age, and mortality trends.
- Australian Population (Estimated Resident Population) 1901–2026 · Quarterly27.92M 2026 Q1
- Annual Population Growth Rate 1902–2026 · Quarterly1.43% 2026 Q1
- Net Overseas Migration (NOM) 1981–2026 · Quarterly101.0k 2026 Q1
- Natural Population Increase (Births Minus Deaths) 1981–2026 · Quarterly29.9k 2026 Q1
- Australian Total Fertility Rate 1975–2024 · Annual1.48 2024
- Median Age of the Australian Population 1971–2025 · Annual38.4 2025
- Standardised Death Rate 1971–2025 · Annual6.82 2025
Housing, Property & Household Wealth
Mean residential dwelling prices, total value of housing stock, building approvals, housing starts, mortgage repayments to income, superannuation, and net worth.
- Australian Mean Residential Dwelling Price 2011–2026 · Quarterly$1,100.4k 2026 Q2
- Total Value of Australian Residential Dwellings 1988–2026 · Quarterly$12.18T 2026 Q2
- Private Dwelling Building Approvals 1965–2026 · Monthly16.6k Aug 2026
- Dwelling Commencements (Housing Starts) 1969–2026 · Quarterly52,006 2026 Q2
- New Housing Loan Commitments 2002–2026 · Quarterly$97,648m 2026 Q2
- Household Debt-to-Disposable-Income Ratio 1988–2026 · Quarterly178.4% 2026 Q2
- Housing Loan Interest & Repayments to Income 2009–2026 · Quarterly9.4% 2026 Q1
- Australian Household Net Worth 1988–2026 · Quarterly$18.31T 2026 Q2
- Household Superannuation & Pension Reserves 1988–2026 · Quarterly$4.43T 2026 Q2
- Rental Price Inflation (CPI Rents) 1973–2026 · Quarterly3.6% 2026 Q2
Trade, Commodities & Industry
Trade balance, current account, Terms of Trade, RBA Index of Commodity Prices, resource exports, AUD/USD exchange rate, TWI, and mining output.
- Australian Trade Balance (% of GDP) 1959–2026 · Quarterly-0.7% 2026 Q2
- Current Account Balance (% of GDP) 1959–2026 · Quarterly-3.7% 2026 Q2
- Australian Terms of Trade Index 1959–2026 · Quarterly94.8 2026 Q2
- RBA Index of Commodity Prices (AUD) 1982–2026 · Monthly106.6 Sep 2026
- Exports of Goods & Services (Chain Volume) 1959–2026 · Quarterly$173.5b 2026 Q2
- Australian Resource & Mineral Exports (Chain Volume) 1985–2026 · Quarterly$107.0b 2026 Q2
- Australian Dollar (AUD/USD) Exchange Rate 1960–2026 · MonthlyUS$0.6965 Oct 2026
- Australian Dollar Real Trade-Weighted Index (TWI) 1970–2026 · Quarterly157.3 2026 Q2
- Mining Industry Gross Value Added (Real Output) 1974–2026 · Quarterly$74,244m 2026 Q2
Government & Public Finance
Public final demand share of GDP, taxation revenue to GDP, personal and corporate income tax receipts, social assistance benefits, and net foreign debt.
- Public Final Demand Share of GDP 1959–2026 · Quarterly28.8% 2026 Q2
- Real Public Final Demand Growth 1991–2026 · Quarterly2.1% 2026 Q2
- Total Taxation Revenue (% of GDP) 1959–2026 · Quarterly28.9% 2026 Q2
- Household Income Tax Payable 1959–2026 · Quarterly$99,056m 2026 Q2
- Corporate Income Tax Revenue 1959–2026 · Quarterly$36,364m 2026 Q2
- Social Assistance Benefits to Households 1959–2026 · Quarterly$44,916m 2026 Q2
- Australia’s Net Foreign Debt & Liabilities 1988–2026 · Quarterly$1,486.0b 2026 Q2
- Official Foreign Exchange & Gold Reserves 1969–2026 · Monthly$109.7b Sep 2026
Regional Economies
Compare all 8 states & territories →
State & Territory Economic Profiles
NSW Capital: Sydney
New South Wales
- Population:
- 8.67M (31.1%)
- Unemployment:
- 4.7%
- Mean Dwelling:
- $1305k
- Avg Weekly Earnings:
- $2,109
VIC Capital: Melbourne
Victoria
- Population:
- 7.15M (25.6%)
- Unemployment:
- 5.1%
- Mean Dwelling:
- $918k
- Avg Weekly Earnings:
- $2,041
QLD Capital: Brisbane
Queensland
- Population:
- 5.74M (20.6%)
- Unemployment:
- 4.5%
- Mean Dwelling:
- $1131k
- Avg Weekly Earnings:
- $2,040
WA Capital: Perth
Western Australia
- Population:
- 3.10M (11.1%)
- Unemployment:
- 4.2%
- Mean Dwelling:
- $1124k
- Avg Weekly Earnings:
- $2,227
SA Capital: Adelaide
South Australia
- Population:
- 1.92M (6.9%)
- Unemployment:
- 4.2%
- Mean Dwelling:
- $980k
- Avg Weekly Earnings:
- $1,970
TAS Capital: Hobart
Tasmania
- Population:
- 0.58M (2.1%)
- Unemployment:
- 5.0%
- Mean Dwelling:
- $733k
- Avg Weekly Earnings:
- $1,846
ACT Capital: Canberra
Australian Capital Territory
- Population:
- 0.49M (1.8%)
- Unemployment:
- 0.0%
- Mean Dwelling:
- $982k
- Avg Weekly Earnings:
- $2,290
NT Capital: Darwin
Northern Territory
- Population:
- 0.27M (1%)
- Unemployment:
- 0.0%
- Mean Dwelling:
- $614k
- Avg Weekly Earnings:
- $1,984
77 Annual Snapshots
All 77 years → The Australian Economy by Year (1950–2026)
Explore what the Australian economy looked like in any calendar year from 1950 to 2026-complete with inflation, unemployment, GDP growth, RBA interest rates, population, exchange rates, and 10-year context charts.
1951 Korean War wool price boom & inflation spike 1974 1974 wage explosion & stagflation peak 1983 Float of the Australian Dollar & Prices and Incomes Accord 1990 Monetary tightening peak (17.5% Cash Rate) 1991 Early 1990s recession ("The recession we had to have") 2000 Introduction of the 10% Goods and Services Tax (GST) 2008 Global Financial Crisis (GFC) & emergency rate cuts 2011 China mining investment & Terms of Trade supercycle peak 2020 COVID-19 pandemic shock & 0.10% cash rate floor 2022 Post-pandemic inflation surge & rapid RBA tightening cycle 2025 Disinflation & monetary policy recalibration 2026 Australian Economy in 2026
Interactive Calculators
Economic Reference Tools
1. Australian Inflation Calculator (1922–2026) →
Calculate what $100 from 1950, 1980, or 2000 is worth in today’s Australian dollars using the official ABS/RBA Consumer Price Index.
2. Wage Growth vs Inflation Tool →
Compare Australian wage growth (WPI and Average Weekly Earnings) against cumulative CPI inflation over any custom period.
3. Two-Indicator Economic Comparison Tool →
Plot any two Australian economic series on a common timeline-such as the RBA Cash Rate vs Inflation or Migration vs Dwelling Approvals.