Average house deposit in Australia 2026

Updated 8 July 2026

: $353k; Estimated national deposit gap, December quarter 2025
: $150k; 20% deposit on the 2025 national house price benchmark
: +96.7%; Increase in the estimated national deposit gap since 2015
: $33k; Typical implied First Home Guarantee couple deposit, 2024–25

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Section 01 · The average deposit

How much is the average house deposit in Australia?

The estimated average deposit gap in Australia was about $352,500 at the end of 2025, equal to roughly 32.4% of the average property price. That figure has risen by about 96.7% since 2015.

Benchmark deposits on the 2025 national house price benchmark are lower: $150,375 at 20%, $75,188 at 10% and $37,594 at 5%. First-home buyers using a government guarantee had an implied deposit of around $31,000 to $33,000, based on 2024–25 scheme-user data.

Average property price: $1.09M; Mean dwelling price, 2025
Average new home loan: $736k; Owner-occupier loan size, December quarter 2025
Average deposit gap: $353k; Mean dwelling price minus average new home loan: 32.4% of price
vs 2015: +96.7%; Estimated national deposit gap nearly doubled in a decade

Stacked column chart of the average Australian property price each year from 2011 to 2025, split into the average home loan and the estimated deposit gap — Each bar is the average property price for the year. The green portion is the average home loan and the dark navy on top is the estimated deposit gap. The deposit-gap share has stayed between 28% and 36% even as prices doubled.

Two patterns stand out. The average property price has more than doubled since 2011, from about $486,900 to $1.09 million by December 2025. At the same time, the estimated deposit gap as a share of price has held in a fairly narrow band of 28% to 36%.

In simple terms, the deposit gap looks much larger today because the average property price underneath it has grown. As a share of the property price, the gap has been more stable.

How does the deposit change at 5%, 10% and 20%?

Using the 2025 national house price estimate of $751,875, the cash amount varies by tens of thousands of dollars depending on the deposit percentage. Fixed-percentage deposits show the cash required at 5%, 10% and 20%, while the estimated average deposit gap shows the difference between mean dwelling prices and average new loan sizes across the market.

Deposit required: $37,594
Lenders mortgage insurance: LMI may apply; 5% of the $751,875 national house price estimate. LMI is more likely at this level unless a government guarantee applies.

10%

Deposit required: $75,188
Lenders mortgage insurance: LMI may apply; 10% of the $751,875 national house price estimate. LMI may still apply, although premiums are usually lower than at 5%.

20%

Deposit required: $150,375
Lenders mortgage insurance: LMI typically not required; 20% of the $751,875 national house price estimate. This is the common benchmark at which LMI is usually not required.

The gap between 5% and 20% on the same house is more than $112,000. For a unit at the 2025 median of $603,500, those benchmarks drop to $30,175 at 5% and $120,700 at 20%.

Dwelling type and deposit percentage together make a larger difference to the cash benchmark than any single national average.

About the data

The estimated average deposit gap is the average property price minus the average home loan. It approximates what buyers may contribute as cash or equity across the whole market, rather than a direct survey of individual deposits. Benchmark deposits at 5%, 10% and 20% apply a fixed percentage to the median sale price, showing standard deposit scenarios rather than what buyers actually pay.

The national house and unit benchmark prices used in this article, $751,875 and $603,500, are modelled calculations built from ABS capital-city and rest-of-state median transfer prices. ABS does not publish a single national median transfer price directly in Table 2. Capital-city figures are shown as published.

First-home-buyer figures from the RBA and Housing Australia track specific buyer groups rather than the whole market and are covered in Section 07. No single government dataset records deposits for every property purchase in Australia, so the figures here combine the best available sources from multiple angles.

Section 02 · By state

Which states need the largest house deposits?

In December 2025, the estimated average deposit gap was about $446,700 in New South Wales and $63,600 in the Northern Territory, a gap of about $383,100 between the highest and lowest jurisdictions. Geography is one of the largest drivers of the estimated deposit gap.

Average deposit estimate (2025)$446,748
Share of average dwelling price33.9%
Decade change (2015 to 2025)80.3%
National rank by deposit size1 of 8
Mean dwelling price, 2025$1.32M
Average new owner-occupier loan, 2025 annual$830,900

Where has the estimated deposit gap grown fastest?

Queensland's estimated average deposit gap rose about 191.9% from 2015 to 2025, the biggest increase of any state. Tasmania followed at +185.2% and South Australia at +171.1%. All three started from a relatively low base in 2015 and have closed much of the gap to NSW. Victoria recorded the smallest mainland increase at +54.2%, and the Northern Territory was the only state where the estimated deposit gap fell, down about 50.9%.

Horizontal grouped bar chart comparing the estimated average house deposit in each Australian state in 2015 and 2025 — Sorted by 2025 deposit size. The national average rose about 96.7% from $179,200 to $352,500 over the same period.

Section 03 · Over time

How have Australia’s house deposits changed over time?

The national deposit estimate rose from $136,800 at the end of 2011 to $352,500 at the end of 2025, an increase of about 157.7% over 14 years.

The estimate was little changed from 2023 to 2024, edging up from about $335,300 to $336,800, before rising to $352,500 in December 2025 as prices grew faster than loan sizes over the year.

Area chart of the national estimated deposit gap rising from about $137,000 in 2011 to about $352,500 in 2025 — Each point shows the national deposit estimate at year-end. The largest single-year rise was in 2021, during the pandemic property cycle. The estimate was nearly flat from 2023 to 2024, then rose again in 2025 as prices outpaced loan growth.

How have rising loan sizes changed the deposit gap?

The national deposit estimate rose about 4.7% across 2025, as property prices grew slightly faster than average loan sizes. Average loan sizes grew from about $638,600 across 2024 to $694,400 across 2025 on a calendar-year average basis.

When average loan sizes rise closer to dwelling prices, the calculated deposit gap can stay flatter even as prices increase.

Area chart of the average new owner-occupier home loan per quarter rising from about $432,000 in Q4 2015 to $736,000 in Q4 2025 — As average loan sizes move closer to property prices, the deposit gap stays flat. The Q4 2025 figure of $736,000 was the highest shown in this Q4 2015 to Q4 2025 series. When average loan sizes rise at a similar pace to prices, the calculated deposit gap can remain flat even as property prices increase.

Section 04 · 2026 update

How much is the average house deposit in 2026?

Nationally, the mean dwelling price rose from $1,088,800 to $1,111,100 between December 2025 and March 2026, while the average new owner-occupier loan size was little changed, easing slightly from $736,257 to $734,881. Because loan sizes did not keep pace with mean dwelling prices, the estimated deposit gap widened faster in this one quarter than it did across all of 2025.

Quarter-on-quarter change in the estimated deposit gap, sorted by March 2026 size.
Estimated deposit gap by state, December 2025 vs March 2026
State	Dec 2025 gap	Mar 2026 gap	Quarter change
New South Wales	$446,700	$464,400	+4.0%
Western Australia	$341,800	$400,800	+17.3%
Queensland	$338,300	$382,600	+13.1%
Australian Capital Territory	$345,700	$352,800	+2.0%
South Australia	$280,700	$309,100	+10.1%
Victoria	$272,800	$272,500	−0.1%
Tasmania	$217,700	$229,300	+5.3%
Northern Territory	$63,600	$61,100	−3.9%
Australia	$352,500	$376,200	+6.7%

Source · Calculation from ABS Total Value of Dwellings, Table 1, and ABS Lending Indicators, Table 4. March Quarter 2026 compared with the December Quarter 2025 figures used elsewhere in this article.

State patterns varied widely in the first quarter of 2026. Western Australia recorded the largest increase, with its estimated deposit gap rising 17.3% in the quarter to about $400,800. That moved Western Australia ahead of Queensland and the ACT to become the second-largest estimated gap in the country.

Queensland rose 13.1%, and South Australia rose 10.1%. The Northern Territory was the only jurisdiction where the gap fell, down 3.9%, while Victoria was little changed, down 0.1%.

Section 05 · Houses

How much is a 20% house deposit by capital city?

A 20% deposit on the 2025 Sydney median house price of $1.51 million is $302,525, the highest of any Australian capital. Canberra is second at $203,675.

At the other end, Darwin's 20% benchmark is $130,110, less than half of Sydney's.

2025 median house prices with the deposit required at 5%, 10% and 20%. Figures use 2025 quarterly median house prices. The Australia row is a calculation from ABS Table 2 capital-city and rest-of-state median transfer prices, not a directly published ABS national median.
How much deposit do you need for a house in each Australian capital city?
Capital city	Median price	5% deposit	10% deposit	20% deposit
Sydney	$1,512,625	$75,631	$151,262	$302,525
Canberra	$1,018,375	$50,919	$101,838	$203,675
Brisbane	$1,012,250	$50,612	$101,225	$202,450
Adelaide	$894,125	$44,706	$89,412	$178,825
Perth	$875,625	$43,781	$87,562	$175,125
Melbourne	$853,075	$42,654	$85,308	$170,615
Hobart	$725,000	$36,250	$72,500	$145,000
Darwin	$650,550	$32,528	$65,055	$130,110
Australia	$751,875	$37,594	$75,188	$150,375

Source · ABS Total Value of Dwellings, Table 2, for capital-city median transfer prices.

How much has a 20% house deposit increased in Australia?

A 20% deposit on the national house benchmark was $84,150 in 2015 and $150,375 in 2025, an increase of $66,225, or 78.7%, in a decade. The national house benchmark price rose from $420,750 in 2015 to $751,875 in 2025.

Area chart of the 20 per cent benchmark deposit on the national house benchmark price each quarter from 2005 to 2026 — Each point shows the 20% benchmark deposit on national house benchmark for that quarter. At 5% or 10%, the cash requirement is one-quarter or one-half of the values shown. Lenders mortgage insurance may apply at lower deposit levels unless a government guarantee applies.

Regional vs capital city house deposits

A 20% deposit in the rest of South Australia is $105,475, about $73,000 less than the Adelaide equivalent of $178,825.

The 2025 medians outside the capitals are $527,375 for the rest of South Australia, $750,625 for the rest of Queensland and $780,500 for the rest of NSW.

Regional median prices can therefore produce lower 20% benchmark deposits than capital-city medians, although the size of the gap varies by state.

Section 06 · Units

How much is a 20% unit deposit in Australia?

The largest dollar difference is in Sydney: a 20% deposit on the unit median of $840,575 is $168,115, which is $134,410 less than the Sydney house deposit.

Perth sits between Darwin and Melbourne, with a $49,975 gap between its house and unit 20% deposit figures. Units cost less than houses in every capital, so the 20% deposit is also lower.

Capital city	Median price	5% deposit	10% deposit	20% deposit
Sydney	$1,512,625	$75,631	$151,263	$302,525
Canberra	$1,018,375	$50,919	$101,838	$203,675
Brisbane	$1,012,250	$50,613	$101,225	$202,450
Adelaide	$894,125	$44,706	$89,413	$178,825
Perth	$875,625	$43,781	$87,563	$175,125
Melbourne	$853,075	$42,654	$85,308	$170,615
Hobart	$725,000	$36,250	$72,500	$145,000
Darwin	$650,550	$32,528	$65,055	$130,110
Australia	$751,875	$37,594	$75,188	$150,375

How has the deposit gap between houses and units changed?

The deposit gap between houses and units has grown from $10,370 in 2005 to $29,675 in 2025, nearly tripling over two decades.

In 2005, a 20% benchmark deposit on the median house was about $55,750, compared with $45,380 for a unit. House prices have risen faster than unit prices, particularly since 2020.

Line chart comparing the 20 per cent benchmark deposit on the national house benchmark and the national unit benchmark each quarter from 2005 to 2026 — The gap between the two lines shows the difference between the 20% deposit on the national house price estimate and the national unit price estimate. In 2005, the difference was about $10,370. By 2025, it had grown to $29,675 as house prices increased faster than unit prices.

Section 07 · First-home buyers

What is the average first-home buyer deposit in Australia?

Couples using the First Home Guarantee had an implied deposit of about $33,000 in 2024–25, based on a median purchase price of $660,000 and a 95% loan-to-value ratio.

Single borrowers had an implied deposit of about $31,000, based on a median purchase price of $521,000 and a 94% loan-to-value ratio.

First Home Guarantee · couples: $33k; Implied deposit in 2024–25, buying at $660,000
First Home Guarantee · singles: $31k; Implied deposit in 2024–25, buying at $521,000
All first-home buyers: $68k; Median deposit across all first-home buyers, in 2022–23 dollars; Not just scheme users. RBA estimate.

First-home-buyer deposits vs the broader market

The median first-home-buyer deposit across the broader market was about $68,200 in the three years to 2019–20, measured in 2022–23 prices.

Among non-scheme first-home buyers from January 2020 to May 2022, the average deposit was $122,000, compared with about $34,000 for scheme participants.

The gap reflects that scheme borrowers typically purchased at lower price points and used higher loan-to-value ratios.

How much are first-home buyers borrowing?

The national average new first-home-buyer loan rose from $360,500 in 2015 to $607,600 in 2025, up 68.5% in a decade.

South Australia, Queensland and Tasmania recorded the biggest decade increases. A higher loan does not always mean a higher deposit, because many first-home buyers use a 5% to 10% deposit and borrow the rest.

Repayments on a loan of this size vary by interest rate, loan term, repayment type, lender and borrower profile.

Horizontal grouped bar chart of the average new first-home-buyer loan in each Australian state in 2015 and 2025 — A larger loan relative to the property price can reduce the deposit gap. Many first-home buyers use a 5% to 10% deposit and borrow the rest, so rising loan sizes may reflect higher prices, higher borrowing capacity, or changes in buyer composition.

Section 08 · Calculator

House deposit calculator

Using the article’s 2025 national house price estimate of $751,875, a 20% deposit is $150,375.

The worked example also includes a simplified upfront-cost allowance of $22,556, based on 3% of the property price. The example uses the national house price estimate; deposit and upfront-cost estimates change with the property price, state and buyer status.

House deposit calculator

Work out the deposit, the loan and the cash you need upfront for a house or unit at your city’s median price — or any price you enter.

Dwelling typeCityProperty price$Deposit%

Deposit you’ll need$150,375

Loan amount$601,500

Loan-to-value ratio80.0%The share of the price you’re borrowing.

Lenders mortgage insuranceNot required

Other upfront costs$22,556Rough 3% allowance for stamp duty, conveyancing and inspections. Not actual stamp duty.

Total cash needed upfront$172,931Deposit plus other costs. The loan is not included.

Lenders don’t usually charge LMI once your deposit reaches 20%.

Deposit and loan add up to the $751,875 price.

Estimates only, not financial advice — your circumstances aren’t considered. Don’t rely on this calculator to decide on a financial product; consider advice from a licensed financial adviser.

Calculations

D = P × d% ··· L = P − D ··· LVR = L ÷ P ··· other = P × a% ··· cash = D + other

P — property price (rounded to the dollar)
d% / a% — deposit share / other-costs allowance
D / L — deposit (rounded once) / loan, the exact remainder
LVR — loan-to-value ratio; LMI is flagged as likely below a 20% deposit

Assumptions

Deposit and loan are a straight split of the price; the loan term, interest rate and repayments are not modelled.
Prices: ABS Total Value of Dwellings, Table 2, 2025 median transfer prices by capital city; the National figure is modelled from capital-city and rest-of-state medians rather than a published national median.
Lenders mortgage insurance is flagged as likely below a 20% deposit (market convention, not a rule) and its premium is not estimated; the other-costs allowance is a flat modelling assumption, not actual stamp duty.
Dwelling type default: With the city, loads the median price for that dwelling type; edit the price afterwards.
City default: With the dwelling type, loads that city’s 2025 median transfer price (ABS).
Property price default: The national median house price (ABS 2025); a city or dwelling pick reloads it.
Deposit default: A 20% deposit is the usual point where lenders stop charging mortgage insurance.

Other upfront costs%A rough allowance for stamp duty, conveyancing and inspections — not actual stamp duty, which varies by state and price.

References

ABS Total Value of Dwellings, March quarter 2026 · Australian Bureau of Statistics
Lending Indicators, June Quarter 2026, Table 24, cat. 5601.0 · Australian Bureau of Statistics
Reserve Bank of Australia: Super for Housing, 2025 · Reserve Bank of Australia
Housing Australia, Home Guarantee Scheme Trends and Insights Report 2024–25 · housingaustralia.gov.au
Housing Australia / NHFIC: First home buyer insights, 2022 · housingaustralia.gov.au