Average income levels treading water over past two years

Average incomes have gone sideways over the past two years.

Statistics New Zealand's annual income survey found the average from all sources among people over 15 was $687 a week, $7 more than a year ago and $5 more than two years ago.

The movements fall within the margin of error and are classified as not statistically significant.

So is the median income, $529 a week, down from $538 last year and $536 the year before. However, it is the first time the median income has fallen since the survey began in 1998.

The survey sheds light on how the profile of the "average New Zealander" changes depending on income band.

Someone in the top income quintile (the top 20 per cent of the population over 15 ranked by income) earns $1050 or more a week from all sources and is nearly twice as likely to be male. He is 10 times as likely to be European as Maori.

Some 22 per cent of survey respondents identifying themselves as European are in the top income quintile, compared with 13 per cent of Maori, 13 per cent of Asians and 9 per cent of Pasifika.

He is also more likely to have a bachelor's degree or higher. Graduates make up 17 per cent of the population but 36 per cent of those in the top income quintile. Their incomes are on average 64 per cent higher than the population as a whole.

In the middle quintile - $380 to $680 a week - women outnumber men three to two.

She is five times more likely to be European than Maori and her highest qualification is most likely to be a trade or vocational qualification.

In the bottom quintile, - less than $180 a week - women outnumber men by a ratio of four to three. The second largest ethnic group is Asians and the commonest qualification is none.

Over the past year the number of people receiving income from government transfers (superannuation or benefits) has increased by 54,000 or nearly 5 per cent, most of whom (31,000) were aged between 15 and 24.

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