Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Annual Statistical Report 2026 Summary
What HILDA 2026 Means for School Planning
Peter Buckingham BSc, GradDip (Market Modelling), CMC, CFE, FFCA, MEdPlus, WFA, ACAVic is a Demographer and the Co-Founder and Managing Director of Spectrum Analysis Australia Pty Ltd, a leading demographic analysis and mapping company. Peter is contactable by email at: peterb@spectrumanalysis.com.au or visit spectrumanalysis.com.au.
For more than two decades, Spectrum Analysis has helped independent, Catholic and faith-based schools understand their communities.
That work includes student mapping, catchment and enrolment analysis, demographic reports, fee sensitivity modelling, and strategic planning with boards and leadership teams.
The 2026 HILDA Statistical Report from the Melbourne Institute has several findings that school leaders should be watching.
Families are better educated and more likely to be dual income
More than half of women aged 25 to 44 now hold a university degree, and employment among women is at a record high. Highly educated, dual-income parents tend to value choice in schooling and are often willing to travel for it. Our student mapping shows schools exactly where their families come from. It also shows where similar families live who are not yet enrolling.
Housing stress is reshaping affordability
Almost a quarter of private renters were in housing stress in 2024. Mortgage stress is at its highest level since 2017. In the mainland capitals, more than a third of renters spend over 30% of their disposable income on housing. For schools, this means some families who could once comfortably afford fees are now under real pressure, and that pressure varies from suburb to suburb. Our fee sensitivity work helps schools understand how their catchments are likely to respond to fee changes before those decisions are made.
Student wellbeing is under strain
Psychological distress has risen markedly among young people, particularly girls and young women aged 15 to 24. For schools, especially girls’ schools and secondary campuses, this reinforces the importance of wellbeing programs as part of the offer that parents are weighing.
Turning trends into local insight
National surveys tell us what is changing across Australia. Spectrum Analysis’s role is to show what that means for a particular school:
- which suburbs are growing
- where the next generation of families is settling
- how affordability is shifting and
- where the school’s future enrolments will come from.
We combine ABS Census data, enrolment records and our own demographic modelling to give boards and principals the evidence they need for strategic and campus planning.
If you would like us to model your enrolment strategy, fees, catchment or outlook, we would be glad to help.
Read more about our Education Analysis Services here and Early Years Education Analysis Services here.
HILDA Report Background
The Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey and Annual Statistical Report reveals how the lives of Australians have changed since 2001 across areas including income, employment, family life and wellbeing. It is the largest longitudinal study of its kind in Australia. The HILDA survey interviews more than 17,000 people across 9,000 households year-on-year and grows as families expand, building a unique picture of how life in Australia is changing over time.
This report was authored by:
- Dr Inga Lass, Senior Research Fellow, Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research and Deputy Director (Research) of the HILDA Survey Project
- Dr Ferdi Botha, Principal Research Fellow, Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research
- Dr Kyle Peyton, Senior Research Fellow, Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research
- Professor Roger Wilkins, Professorial Fellow, Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research and Co-Director of the HILDA Survey Project
You can read their 2026 HILDA Statistical Report Media Release here.
The full 21st HILDA Statistical Report 2026 here.
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