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Spending
Australian households owe a combined $3.40 trillion, with total household debt increasing by 65% over the past ten years. Most of that debt is tied to housing, as mortgages remain the largest financial commitment for Australian households.
Housing
Around 3.8 million Australian households have a mortgage. New owner-occupier loans averaged $736,000 nationally in the December 2025 quarter, rising to $873,000 in NSW. After the steepest rate-rise cycle since the early 1990s, average outstanding mortgage rates have eased from above 6% to 5.62%. Total new lending reached a record $385 billion in 2025.
Housing
Australia's homeownership rate sits at 66% according to the 2021 Census, down from around 70% in the 1980s. More households now own with a mortgage than own outright, a shift that first emerged in 2003 and has continued since.
Spending
Household spending can offer an early sign of where the economy is heading. When people keep spending, it can point to confidence. When they pull back, delay purchases or trade down, it can show pressure building in household budgets.
Inflation
Inflation tracks how prices are moving across the economy, from rent and groceries to fuel, bills and services. But the national figure does not always match how rising costs feel in everyday household budgets.
Employment
Employment is one of the main indicators the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) watches before making interest rate decisions. Jobs, wages and hours worked help show whether households are likely to keep spending or start cutting back.