Employment-to-population ratio at near record high
Analysis of the Australian employment situation.
The employment-to-population ratio measures the proportion of the population aged 15 and over who are currently employed.
More people working means more goods and services are being produced. This drives GDP growth and supports higher living standards. It reflects an economy making good use of its available human capital. It is also a key driver of tax revenue and largely responsible for generating two budget surpluses in the 2022 and 2023 financial years.
The two charts below illustrate the current situation. The latest number as of March 2025 reveals that 64.05% of the adult working age population are in some form of paid work, only marginally down from the record high of 64.45% recorded in January this year.
The second chart puts the ratio into a political context, detailing averages under each prime minister since 1978. As can be seen, Anthony Albanese has enjoyed the highest rates of all federal leaders.
