Consumer Sentiment Tracker

Live insights on the wealth, happiness and economic outlook of everyday Australians.

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Graham Cooke

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Finder's Consumer Sentiment Tracker is a live, nationally representative study of the Australian public. Developed by Finder and conducted by Qualtrics, a SAP company, it continuously monitors consumer sentiment in Australia. The survey, which has so far polled over 75,000 Australians, expands monthly by 1,000 participants. Selection criteria include age, location, gender, and income, ensuring a demographic cross-section that mirrors Australia's population. Topics covered are happiness, financial sentiment, economic sentiment, employment confidence, and more.

These data represents a brief overview of notable insights but is just a fraction of the survey's comprehensive scope. Journalists and researchers interested in more detailed information can contact us using the details provided at the end of this page.

Jump to: Happiness | Economic confidence | Current Financial Situation | Employment Confidence | Future Expectations | Spending Intentions

Happiness

One of the simplest questions in our survey, "Would you say you are happy right now?" produced some of the most interesting insights. According to the Finder survey, 77% of Australians say they are happy, while 23% say otherwise. We break down happiness by age, state, employment status, relationship status, residence, and income.

Happiness highlights

  • 77% of Australian are happy, while 23% are saying otherwise
  • Among different age groups, 83% of people aged 65+ are saying they are happy, compared to only 72% of 45-54 feel the same.
  • Northern Territory has the highest happiness rate at 81% while Tasmania has the lowest at 74%
  • Households with an income of $250K report the highest happiness rate at 88%, while 91% of individuals with a $200K personal income are happy
  • Retirees report the highest happiness rate at 82%, while unemployed individuals have the lowest at 59%.
  • 83% of married or partnered individuals report being happy, compared to 69% of those who have never married.
  • 85% of mortgage-free individuals report being happy, followed by 80% of those paying off a mortgage and 69% of renters.
  • 78% of Australian men say they are happy, compared to 76% of Australian women.

Would you say you are happy right now?

Economic Confidence

This section dives into public sentiment about the economy. We look at how people perceive the likelihood of a recession in Australia, whether now is a good time to buy property, and how they expect property values in their local area to change over the next year.

Economic Confidence highlights

  • In April 2025, 61% of Aussies believed Australia will go into recession in the next 12 months.
  • 63% of Gen Y believe Australia will enter a recession in the next 12 months, compared to 57% of baby boomers.
  • 62% of Australian women believe Australia will enter a recession in the next 12 months, compared to 60% of men.
  • 34% believe now is a good time to buy a property.
  • 42% of both Gen Y and Baby Boomers believe now is a good time to buy a property, compared to 40% of Gen X and 35% of Gen Z
  • 44% percent of people in Western Australia believe it's a good time to buy property, followed by 43% in the Australian Capital Territory. In contrast, only 34% of Tasmanians think now is a good time to buy.
  • 7% of people believe property values in their local area will decrease over the next 12 months.

Do you think Australia will experience a recession in the next 12 month?

How likely do Aussies think a recession is on the horizon? This set of charts tracks how confidence – or concern – has shifted over time. Back in July 2020, a massive 88% of people thought a recession was likely. By June 2021, that figure had almost halved. As of April 2025, 61% of Aussies believed Australia would enter a recession within the next 12 months.

Do you believe now is a good time to buy property?

Is now a good time to buy property? Aussies have been split on the answer over the years. Sentiment peaked at 67% in December 2020, then dropped to a record low of 25% in May 2023. As of April 2025, 34% say it’s a good time to buy. Take a look at how opinions have shifted.

Current Financial Situation

In this section, we examine individuals' current financial health. This includes average personal and household incomes, cash savings, and how long people could rely on their savings if they lost their job. We also explore their ability to manage without a credit card, struggles with home loan or rent payments, and stress related to their financial situation.

Current Financial Situation highlights

  • In April 2025, the overall average personal income was $61,812 while the overall average household income was $121,573
  • The average household income in the Australian Capital Territory is $152,777, followed by the Northern Territory at $138,581 and New South Wales at $137,858. In comparison, Tasmania has the lowest average household income at $86,489.
  • The average cash savings was $33,345.
  • The average cash savings of baby boomers is $48,374, compared to $13,218 for Gen Z.
  • Australian men have an average of $42,495 in cash savings, which is significantly higher than women, who have an average of $23,084
  • As of April 2025, Australians could only be able to live off their saving for 17 weeks if they lost their jobs
  • When asked how long they could rely on their savings if they lost their jobs, Australian men estimated they could manage for 18.7 weeks, while women expected they could last just 15.2 weeks.
  • 29% of Aussies say they cannot manage their budget or finances without a credit card.
  • 33% of women say they cannot manage their budget of finances without a credit card, compared to 25% of men.
  • 31% of Gen Z say they cannot manage their budget or finances without a credit card, compared to only 24% of Baby Boomers.
  • In April 2025, 36% of people struggled with paying rent, compared to 36% who faced difficulties with home loan payments.
  • 77% of individuals are stressed about their current financial situation.
  • 81% of Australian women report feeling stressed about their financial situation, while 69% of men feel the same.

Personal and total household income

How much do you have in cash savings?

If you lost your job tomorrow, how long could you live off your savings for?

How long could you manage if you suddenly lost your job? These charts show how many weeks, on average, Australians say they could live off their savings. The highest point was in October 2020 at 18 weeks, but by July 2023, that dropped to 14 weeks. As of April 2025, the average had climbed back up to 17 weeks. Take a look at how financial cushions have shifted over time.

Could you manage your budget/finances without a credit card?

How much do Aussies depend on their credit cards? These charts reveal the percentage of people who say they couldn’t manage their finances without one. It’s changed over the years — peaking at 31% in May 2019, dipping to 20% in May 2021. By April 2025, that number is back up to 29%. See how credit card reliance has shifted.

How stressed are you with your current financial situation?

Money stress is hitting hard. These charts show how many Aussies say they're feeling the pressure about their current finances. In July 2023, a huge 83% reported being stressed — the highest since the survey began. By April 2025, that number had eased slightly to 77%. Check out how financial stress has changed over time.

Employment Confidence

In this section, we assess job security and expectations for salary increases. We gauge how secure people feel in their current jobs and their outlook on receiving a pay rise in the next year.

Employment Confidence highlights

  • 68% of people feel secure in their current job.
  • Almost equally, 65% of women feel secure in their current job, while 66% of men feel the same.
  • 48% believe they will receive a pay raise in the next 12 months.

Do you feel secure in your current job?

How secure do Aussies feel in their jobs? These charts track the percentage of people who say they feel safe at work. Job confidence peaked in November 2022, with 74% feeling secure — the highest since 2019. By February 2025, 68% of people feel secure in their current job. See how feelings of job security have changed.

Do you think you will get a pay rise in the next 12 months?

Feeling optimistic about a pay rise? In April 2021, 56% of Australians expected a raise in the next 12 months — the highest level of optimism since the survey started. By April 2025, that number had dropped to 48%. See how confidence in pay bumps has changed over time.

Future Expectations

This part of the survey looks at people’s long-term outlook. We explore when individuals expect to own their own home and their feelings about various aspects of their near future.

Future Expectations highlights

  • On average, people estimate they will own their home in about 7.8 years.
  • When asked about their outlook across several areas, 48% of Aussies said they feel optimistic about continued employment, 45% feel financially secure in meeting day-to-day living costs, 42% are confident in managing household debt and income, and 39% are positive about housing affordability.

When do you think you’ll own your own home?

For many Aussies, homeownership still feels like a waiting game. When asked when they think they’ll finally get the keys to their own place, the average timeline has changed over time. As of Q2 2025, people estimate it will take about 7.8 years to own their home.

When thinking about the near future, how do you feel about the following?

How optimistic are Aussies about their finances and job security? This chart tracks the percentage of people who feel good about things like their salary, job, home affordability, and more. As of April 2025, 48% feel positive about job security, 45% are optimistic about their cost of living, 42% feel good about their household debt, 42% are positive about their salary, and 39% are hopeful about home affordability.

Spending Intentions

We investigate planned spending behaviors by asking about upcoming holidays and average weekly grocery expenses. This section provides insights into how people plan to allocate their finances in the coming year.

Spending Intentions highlights

  • 59% of people are planning to take a holiday in the next 12 months.
  • 41% of Australians plan to buy at least one of the following items: a car, phone, or laptop. Meanwhile, 59% have no plans to purchase any of these items.
  • Most people spend about $295 per week on online shopping
  • The average weekly grocery spend for households is $293.

Are you planning a holiday in the next 12 months?

Aussies are eager to travel. In February 2025, 66% said they planned a holiday in the next 12 months — the highest level of travel intent since 2019. By April 2025, that number dropped to 59%. See how holiday plans have changed over time.

How much do you spend per week on online shopping (excluding groceries)?

Online shopping habits are adding up. Finder asked Aussies how much they spend each week online (excluding groceries), and in October 2024, the average reached $452 — the highest since the survey started. By April 2025, that number dropped to $295. See how weekly spending has changed over time.

How much do you spend on groceries per week for your household?

Grocery bills are climbing. In December 2024, Aussies were spending an average of $301 a week on groceries — the highest since 2019. By April 2025, that dropped to $293. This chart shows how weekly household grocery spending has changed over time.

 

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Written by

Head of Consumer Research

Graham Cooke is Finder’s Head of Consumer Research, overseeing data analysis on consumer spending and saving habits. He is a passionate advocate for financial literacy and consumer rights, regularly appearing on major TV networks like ABC News and 7 News, and contributing to top outlets like Yahoo Finance and Money Magazine. Graham holds a Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Physics, as well as Tier 1 and Tier 2 certifications (RG 146) that comply with ASIC standards. See full bio

Graham's expertise
Graham has written 59 Finder guides across topics including:
  • Home loans and the housing market
  • Credit cards & personal finance
  • Finder Awards
  • Retail economics & FMCG
  • Travel
  • Finder's RBA Cash Rate Survey, Consumer Sentiment Tracker, Cost of Living Pressure Gauge and Property Investment Index
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