Australia's Life Dissatisfaction Levels Double Amid 'Wellbeing Poverty'

Australia’s life dissatisfaction levels double as ‘wellbeing poverty’ reaches new highs

ABS data show one in 10 people are not satisfied with life – but community cohesion and trust lift happiness scores Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast Nearly 2.2 million Australians 15 years and older are living below the wellbeing poverty line, with the share of people reporting very low life satisfaction doubling over the past decade. In 2025, 9.7%, or about one in 10 Australians, rated their general satisfaction with life at four or below out of 10, according to ...

By Patrick Commins Economics editor