Housing & Property•Series ID: BHFDDIT•1988–2026
Household Debt-to-Disposable-Income Ratio - Historical Data
Measures long-term household leverage across mortgages and personal credit relative to after-tax household income.
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Current Statistics & Historical Records
Latest Reading (2026 Q2)
178.4%
Prev (2026 Q1): 177.2%+1.2 pp
Highest Recorded (2018 Q2)
187.5%
Recorded in 2018 Q2
Lowest Recorded (1988 Q2)
63.4%
Recorded in 1988 Q2
Long-Run Mean (1988–2026)
140.0%
39 annual observations · Quarterly
Household Debt-to-Disposable-Income Ratio - Historical Series (1988–2026)
% of disposable incomeDrag to pan, scroll to zoom, or toggle between full annual history (1988–2026) and recent quarterly releases.
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Source: Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) / Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) (BHFDDIT) Latest: 178.4 % of disposable income (2026 Q2)
Household Debt-to-Disposable-Income Ratio by Decade (1988–2026)
Decade averages, peaks, and troughs across Australian economic cycles
1980s1988–1989
66.5%
High (1989):67.5%
Low (1988):65.6%
1990s1990–1999
85.7%
High (1999):110.5%
Low (1990):67.2%
2000s2000–2009
147.3%
High (2007):164.7%
Low (2000):114.5%
2010s2010–2019
173.7%
High (2018):187.1%
Low (2011):160.7%
2020s2020–2026
180.2%
High (2021):184.5%
Low (2025):176.4%
Household Debt-to-Disposable-Income Ratio - Historical Table (1988–2026)
Unit: % of disposable income · Source: Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) / Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) (BHFDDIT)
| Year | Debt-to-Income Ratio (% of disposable income) | Year Range (Low – High) | Historical Context / Year Snapshot |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 178.4% | 177.2% – 178.4% | The Australian Economy in 2026 → |
| 2025 | 176.4% | 175.7% – 176.9% | Disinflation & monetary policy recalibration |
| 2024 | 178.1% | 178.1% – 180.1% | The Australian Economy in 2024 → |
| 2023 | 180.9% | 180.9% – 183.1% | The Australian Economy in 2023 → |
| 2022 | 183.6% | 183.6% – 184.7% | Post-pandemic inflation surge & rapid RBA tightening cycle |
| 2021 | 184.5% | 179.2% – 184.5% | The Australian Economy in 2021 → |
| 2020 | 179.8% | 179.8% – 185.9% | COVID-19 pandemic shock & 0.10% cash rate floor |
| 2019 | 185.7% | 185.1% – 186.8% | The Australian Economy in 2019 → |
| 2018 | 187.1% | 186.6% – 187.5% | The Australian Economy in 2018 → |
| 2017 | 186.3% | 182.1% – 186.3% | The Australian Economy in 2017 → |
| 2016 | 181.0% | 175.5% – 181.0% | The Australian Economy in 2016 → |
| 2015 | 174.1% | 169.6% – 174.1% | The Australian Economy in 2015 → |
| 2014 | 168.4% | 166.8% – 168.4% | The Australian Economy in 2014 → |
| 2013 | 166.7% | 162.9% – 166.7% | The Australian Economy in 2013 → |
| 2012 | 162.7% | 160.8% – 162.7% | The Australian Economy in 2012 → |
| 2011 | 160.7% | 160.7% – 163.5% | China mining investment & Terms of Trade supercycle peak |
| 2010 | 164.3% | 164.3% – 166.3% | The Australian Economy in 2010 → |
| 2009 | 164.3% | 159.3% – 164.3% | The Australian Economy in 2009 → |
| 2008 | 160.3% | 160.3% – 164.3% | Global Financial Crisis (GFC) & emergency rate cuts |
| 2007 | 164.7% | 163.1% – 166.0% | The Australian Economy in 2007 → |
| 2006 | 164.3% | 158.5% – 164.3% | The Australian Economy in 2006 → |
| 2005 | 157.3% | 151.9% – 157.3% | The Australian Economy in 2005 → |
| 2004 | 151.0% | 146.8% – 151.0% | The Australian Economy in 2004 → |
| 2003 | 144.9% | 137.0% – 144.9% | The Australian Economy in 2003 → |
| 2002 | 133.2% | 119.5% – 133.2% | The Australian Economy in 2002 → |
| 2001 | 118.3% | 114.9% – 118.3% | The Australian Economy in 2001 → |
| 2000 | 114.5% | 110.8% – 114.9% | Introduction of the 10% Goods and Services Tax (GST) |
| 1999 | 110.5% | 106.1% – 110.5% | The Australian Economy in 1999 → |
| 1998 | 105.1% | 98.1% – 105.1% | The Australian Economy in 1998 → |
| 1997 | 96.8% | 89.9% – 96.8% | The Australian Economy in 1997 → |
| 1996 | 89.4% | 87.2% – 89.4% | The Australian Economy in 1996 → |
| 1995 | 86.1% | 82.6% – 86.1% | The Australian Economy in 1995 → |
| 1994 | 82.2% | 77.0% – 82.2% | The Australian Economy in 1994 → |
| 1993 | 76.2% | 71.6% – 76.2% | RBA formalises 2–3% inflation targeting |
| 1992 | 72.1% | 71.2% – 73.0% | The Australian Economy in 1992 → |
| 1991 | 71.2% | 68.1% – 71.2% | Early 1990s recession ("The recession we had to have") |
| 1990 | 67.2% | 66.8% – 69.0% | Monetary tightening peak (17.5% Cash Rate) |
| 1989 | 67.5% | 67.1% – 68.9% | The Australian Economy in 1989 → |
| 1988 | 65.6% | 63.4% – 65.6% | The Australian Economy in 1988 → |
Related Australian Economic Statistics
Housing Loan Interest & Repayments to IncomeHousing & Property · 2009–2026
9.4%2026 Q1
Australian Household Net WorthHousing & Property · 1988–2026
$18.31T2026 Q2
Variable Owner-Occupier Mortgage Interest RateInterest Rates · 2015–2026
6.20%Aug 2026
Compare Debt-to-Income Ratio against another indicator →
Source Information & Methodology
- Primary Institution:
- Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) / Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS)
- Dataset / Publication:
- Household Finances - Total Household Debt to Disposable Income Ratio
- Series / Table ID:
- RBA Statistical Table E2 (BHFDDIT)
- Release Frequency:
- Quarterly
• Primary source: Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) / Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) - Household Finances - Total Household Debt to Disposable Income Ratio (RBA Statistical Table E2).
• Observation frequency: Quarterly. Annual table values represent calendar year-end observations.
• Series coverage spans 1988 to 2026 (39 annual observations).
APA Citation:Reserve Bank of Australia & Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2026). Household Finances - Total Household Debt to Disposable Income Ratio (E2: BHFDDIT). Retrieved October 2026 from https://www.rba.gov.au/statistics/tables/
Frequently Asked Questions: Household Debt-to-Disposable-Income Ratio
- What is the current Household Debt-to-Disposable-Income Ratio?
- As of 2026 Q2, the latest recorded Household Debt-to-Disposable-Income Ratio is 178.4 (% of disposable income), compared with 177.2 in 2026 Q1.
- What is the highest and lowest Household Debt-to-Disposable-Income Ratio ever recorded in Australia?
- Across the historical series (1988–2026), the highest observation was 187.5 (% of disposable income) in 2018 Q2, while the lowest was 63.4 (% of disposable income) in 1988 Q2. The long-run historical average is 140.0.
- Where is the official Household Debt-to-Disposable-Income Ratio data sourced from?
- This series is compiled from Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) / Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) (Household Finances - Total Household Debt to Disposable Income Ratio, Series ID: BHFDDIT) and is updated on a quarterly basis under CC BY 4.0 International / RBA Terms.