Household wealth disparity widens
The net wealth of Australian households has increased by more than 30 per cent over the past decade but the gains have been concentrated in high and middle wealth households.According to new Australian Bureau of Statistics household income and wealth distribution data, average household net wealth was A$809,000 in the 2013/14 financial year, made up of an average of $954,800 of household assets and $144,900 ins liabilities.Net wealth was up 5.9 per cent from $764,500 in 2011/12. Over the decade from 2003/04 household net wealth has increased 31.8 per cent from an average of $614,500.The ratio of debt to income fell from 0.95 times in 2011/12 to 0.89 times in 2013/13. However, over the long term the ratio has increased from 0.71 times in 2003/04.High wealth households increased their net wealth from an average of $1.8 million in 2003/04 to $2.5 million in 2013/14.Middle wealth households increased their net wealth from $388,700 to $462,500 over the same period.The net wealth of low wealth households barely moved; it was an average of $32,000 in 2003/04 and $35,600 in 2013/14.Owner-occupied dwellings were the most valuable household assets, representing 42 per cent of household assets in 2013/14.One in five households also owned property other than their dwellings, making up 14 per cent of average household assets.Superannuation funds were the second largest asset, accounting for 17 per cent of household assets.