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 79,000 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 those aged 45-54
  • Northern Territory has the highest happiness rate at 82% while Tasmania has the lowest at 74%
  • Households with an income of $250K report the highest happiness rate at 88%, while 90% of individuals with a $200K personal income are happy
  • Retirees report the highest happiness levels at 82%, while the unemployed record the lowest at 58%.
  • Happiness is higher among married or partnered people at 83%, compared to 69% of those who have never married.
  • Happiness is highest among those who are mortgage-free at 85%, followed by 80% of people paying off a mortgage and 69% of renters.
  • Happiness levels are similar between genders, with 78% of Australian men saying they are happy compared to 76% of 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 August 2025, 47% of Aussies believed Australia would go into recession in the next 12 months.
  • Gen Y are the most pessimistic, with 62% believing Australia will enter a recession in the next 12 months, compared to 57% of baby boomers.
  • Women are slightly more likely than men to expect a recession, with 61% of Australian women believing it will happen in the next 12 months compared to 58% of men.
  • 39% 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
  • In the ACT and Western Australia, 43% of people believe it’s a good time to buy property, followed by 42% in Victoria. Tasmania ranks lowest, with only 34% sharing that view.
  • 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 August 2025, 47% 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 August 2025, 39% 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 August 2025, the overall average personal income was $62,659 while the overall average household income was $123,161
  • ACT has the highest average household income at $152,325, followed by New South Wales at $140,067 and the Northern Territory at $137,620. In contrast, Tasmania records the lowest at $88,469.
  • The average cash savings was $34,199.
  • Baby boomers have the highest average cash savings at $49,928, compared to just $15,527 for Gen Z.
  • Australian men hold an average of $44,589 in cash savings, significantly higher than women at $24,049.
  • As of August 2025, Australians says they could only be able to live off their saving for 19 weeks if they lost their jobs
  • When asked how long they could live off their savings if they lost their jobs, Australian men estimated 20 weeks, while women said just 15 weeks.
  • 28% of Aussies say they cannot manage their budget or finances without a credit card.
  • 29% of women say they can't manage their finances without a credit card, compared to 28% of men.
  • 33% of Gen Z say they can't manage their finances without a credit card, compared to 22% of baby boomers.
  • In August 2025, 46% of people struggled with paying rent, compared to 33% who faced difficulties with home loan payments.
  • 75% of individuals are stressed about their current financial situation.
  • 80% of Australian women report feeling stressed about their financial situation, while 70% 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 cope if you suddenly lost your job? These charts reveal how many weeks, on average, Australians say they could live off their savings. The peak was in August 2022 at 19 weeks, before falling to 14.2 weeks by July 2023. As of August 2025, the average has climbed back to 19 weeks. Here's 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 August 2025, that number is back up to 28%. 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 August 2025, that number had eased slightly to 75%. 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

  • 67% 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.
  • 52% 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 August 2025, 67% 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 August 2025, that number had dropped to 52%. 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 7.5 years.
  • When asked about their outlook, Australians expressed confidence across several areas: 49% felt secure about having enough money to live, 48% were optimistic about ongoing employment and pay rises, 47% were confident in managing household debt and income while 43% were positive about home 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 Q3 2025, people estimate it will take about 7.5 years to own their home.

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

How optimistic are Australians about their finances and job security? This chart shows the share of people who feel positive about their salary, job, home affordability and more. As of August 2025, 49% were optimistic about their cost of living, 48% felt confident about their job security and salary, 47% felt good about managing household debt and 43% were 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

  • 64% 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 $263 per week on online shopping
  • The average weekly grocery spend for households is $209.

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 August 2025, that number dropped to 64%. 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 August 2025, that number dropped to $263. 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 August 2025, that dropped to $209. 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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