An estimated 1.5 million Australians aged 16–85, or 8% of the population, experienced an affective disorder such as depression in a 12-month period, according to the National Study of Mental Health and Wellbeing. Mental health conditions now account for 15% of Australia’s total burden of disease, second only to cancer.
Depression in Australia 2026 – Introduction
Depression statistics in Australia are drawn primarily from the 2020–2022 National Study of Mental Health and Wellbeing (NSMHW), the most comprehensive assessment of mental illness prevalence ever conducted in the country. Unlike surveys that rely on people self-reporting a diagnosis, the NSMHW used the World Health Organization’s Composite International Diagnostic Interview to assess participants against clinical criteria directly, producing figures that reflect diagnosable conditions rather than awareness of them. That distinction matters enormously when reading any national mental health number.
The headline finding is that 22% of Australians aged 16–85, or 4.3 million people, experienced a mental illness in the previous 12 months, while 43% — 8.5 million people — have experienced one during their lifetime. Depression sits within the “affective disorders” category, which affected 1.5 million people, or 8% of the population, in a 12-month window. But the more striking story in the data is not the national average at all: it is the sharp deterioration among young Australians, particularly young women, over the roughly fifteen years between survey waves.
One caveat applies to everything that follows. Because the NSMHW is a major undertaking conducted only three times since 1997 — in 1997, 2007 and 2020–2022 — the most authoritative Australian prevalence figures available in 2026 still come from fieldwork completed in 2022. The AIHW page collating this evidence was last updated on 13 August 2026, and supplementary sources including the HILDA Survey and the Census fill in more recent movement, but no newer full-scale diagnostic survey has yet replaced the 2020–2022 baseline.
Interesting Facts about Depression in Australia 2026
| Fact | Figure |
|---|---|
| Australians With Affective Disorder (12-month) | 1.5 million (8%) |
| Australians With Any Mental Illness (12-month) | 4.3 million (22%) |
| Australians With Any Mental Illness (lifetime) | 8.5 million (43%) |
| High or Very High Psychological Distress | 17% of people aged 16–85 |
| Young Adults 16–24 With 12-Month Disorder | 39% (up from 26% in 2007) |
| Mental Health Share of Total Disease Burden | 15% — second only to cancer (17%) |
| Annual Health Spending on Mental Health | $11.9 billion (7% of disease spending) |
| Severe Mental Illness Prevalence | 6% of the population |
Source: AIHW Prevalence and impact of mental illness (updated 13 August 2026); ABS National Study of Mental Health and Wellbeing 2020–2022
These interesting facts about depression in Australia place the condition within a wider mental health picture where more than four in ten Australians will meet criteria for some mental illness at some point in life. Affective disorders, the category containing major depressive disorder, affect 1.5 million people in any given year, sitting behind anxiety disorders at 3.4 million (17%) but ahead of substance use disorders at 650,000 (3%).
The 15% share of Australia’s total disease burden attributed to mental health and substance use disorders is the figure that best captures scale. Only cancer, at 17%, accounts for more, and the gap between them is narrow enough that mental health conditions represent one of the two largest drivers of illness and disability in the country.
Severity varies considerably within that total. The ABS classifies the impact as mild for 7% of the population and moderate for 9%, with an estimated 6% experiencing severe mental illness. That severity distribution matters for interpreting the headline 22% figure, since it indicates that roughly a quarter of those affected in any given year are living with conditions at the severe end of the spectrum rather than transient or mild presentations.
Depression and Affective Disorder Prevalence in Australia 2026
| Disorder Group | People Affected (12-month) | Share of Population |
|---|---|---|
| Anxiety Disorders | 3.4 million | 17% |
| Affective Disorders (incl. depression) | 1.5 million | 8% |
| Substance Use Disorders | 650,000 | 3% |
| Any Mental Illness | 4.3 million | 22% |
Source: ABS National Study of Mental Health and Wellbeing 2020–2022, via AIHW
Affective disorders, the diagnostic grouping that includes major depressive disorder, dysthymia and bipolar affective disorder, affected an estimated 1.5 million Australians aged 16–85 in the 12 months before the survey, equivalent to 8% of that population. Anxiety disorders were considerably more common at 17%, and the two frequently co-occur in the same individuals, which is why many Australian datasets report “depression or anxiety” as a combined category rather than separating them.
Different surveys produce different numbers, and the variation is methodological rather than contradictory. The 2022 National Health Survey estimated 26% of Australians aged 15 and over had a mental illness, but only counted conditions lasting or expected to last six months or more. The 2021 Census put the figure at 8.8%, because it captured only those who had been told by a doctor or nurse that they have a condition. The NSMHW figure of 22% sits between these because it assesses against clinical criteria regardless of whether a person has ever sought care.
Depression by Age and Gender in Australia 2026
| Group | 12-Month Mental Disorder (2007) | 12-Month Mental Disorder (2020–22) |
|---|---|---|
| All People 16–85 | 20% | 22% |
| Males (all ages) | 18% | 18% |
| Females (all ages) | 22% | 25% |
| People Aged 16–24 | 26% | 39% |
| Females Aged 16–24 | 30% | 46% |
| Males Aged 16–24 | 23% | 32% |
Source: ABS National Study of Mental Health and Wellbeing, 2007 and 2020–2022 waves, via AIHW
The age and gender breakdown is where Australia’s mental health data tells its most important story. Across the population as a whole, prevalence barely moved between the 2007 and 2020–2022 survey waves, rising from 20% to 22%, with male prevalence completely flat at 18%. Among people aged 25–85, prevalence was broadly similar across both surveys.
Young people are the exception, and dramatically so. Among Australians aged 16–24, the proportion reporting a 12-month mental disorder rose from 26% to 39%. For young women specifically, the figure climbed from 30% to 46% — meaning nearly half of Australian women in this age bracket now meet criteria for a mental disorder in any given year. Young men rose from 23% to 32%. Separately, ABS data from 2021 found the estimated prevalence of depression or anxiety was highest among people aged 15–34 at 22%, compared with 15% for those aged 55 and over, and that since 2017 depression or anxiety has exceeded asthma as the most common serious illness in that younger age group.
The gender divergence appears earlier than adulthood. HILDA data on adolescents aged 15–17 shows 27% of young women reported a serious mental illness in 2021, up from 16% in 2017, while the figure for young men held at 11% with no change over the same period. For depressive disorders specifically, 13% of female adolescents reported one in 2021 compared with 7% in 2017, whereas male adolescents actually recorded a slight decrease from 6% to 4%. AIHW cautions that changes in methodology and diagnostic criteria between the 2007 and 2020–2022 NSMHW waves mean some direct comparisons should be treated carefully.
Psychological Distress in Australia 2026
| Distress Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| High or Very High Distress (16–85) | 17% |
| Females Aged 16–24 | 34% |
| Males Aged 16–24 | 18% |
| Adults With Disability | 33% |
| Adults Without Disability | 12% |
| People With Psychosocial Disability | 76% |
Source: ABS National Study of Mental Health and Wellbeing 2020–2022; National Health Survey 2020–21, via AIHW
Psychological distress, measured using the Kessler 10 scale, captures symptoms including nervousness, agitation and fatigue over the previous 30 days. It is not the same as a diagnosis, but high K10 scores correlate strongly enough with depressive and anxiety disorders that researchers commonly treat them as a proxy. The NSMHW found 17% of Australians aged 16–85 experienced high or very high levels.
The distribution is heavily skewed by age and gender. Among people aged 16–24, females reported high or very high distress at 34%, nearly double the 18% recorded among males the same age. Australia Welfare Statistics tracking financial stress and loneliness provide relevant context here, since AIHW reporting found Australians experiencing the highest levels of financial stress in over a decade alongside 40% reporting weekly loneliness, both factors researchers consistently link to elevated distress scores.
Disability status produces one of the widest gaps in the dataset. The 2020–21 National Health Survey found 33% of adults with disability experienced high or very high psychological distress, compared with just 12% of adults without disability. Within that group, people with psychosocial disability reported the highest rate at 76%, followed by people with intellectual disability at 53%. HILDA’s parallel measure shows people living with disability recording an average mental health score of 62 against 72 for those without, with women with disability scoring lower still at 60.
Declining Mental Health Scores Among Young Australians 2026
| Group | Average MHI-5 Score, 2001 | Average MHI-5 Score, 2021 |
|---|---|---|
| All Australians 15+ | ~74 (stable to 2012) | 70 |
| People Aged 15–34 | 72 | 65 |
| Females Aged 15–34 | 70 | 62 |
| Females Aged 55+ | — | 73 |
Source: Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey 2021, via AIHW
The HILDA Survey tracks mental health using the MHI-5 scale, where higher scores indicate better mental health. The national average held steady at around 74 from 2001 to 2012, then began a sustained decline, reaching 70 by 2021. That national figure conceals a much steeper fall among younger Australians, whose average dropped from 72 to 65 across the same period.
Social Media Age Restriction in Australia Statistics covering the policy response to youth wellbeing concerns offer useful background to this trend, since the decline in young people’s mental health scores was a significant part of the evidence base cited during that debate. The gender gap within the youngest cohort is stark: young women aged 15–34 recorded an average score of 62 in 2021, down from 70 in 2001, while women aged 55 and over scored 73. Among adolescents aged 15–17, 19% were estimated to have been diagnosed with depression, anxiety or another mental illness, up from 6% in 2009.
Depression Persistence and Everyday Impact in Australia 2026
| Outcome (4 years after 2017 diagnosis) | Figure |
|---|---|
| Males Still Reporting the Condition | 61% |
| Females Still Reporting the Condition | 71% |
| People Aged 15–34 Still Reporting | 70% |
| Accessed Treatment, Still Reporting | 74% |
| Difficulties With Employment (under 65) | 59% |
| Students With Education Difficulties | 58% |
| Needing Help or Supervision | 17% |
Source: HILDA Survey 2021, via AIHW
Depression and anxiety frequently persist rather than resolve. Of Australians who reported depression or anxiety in 2017, 61% of males and 71% of females still reported the condition four years later. Persistence was highest among younger people, with 70% of those aged 15–34 still affected, compared with 64% of people aged 55 and over. Notably, 74% of people who had accessed treatment still reported the condition after four years, a figure AIHW cautions reflects that people with more persistent conditions are also more likely to seek care.
The functional impact is substantial. Among people with a long-term mental illness, 59% of those under 65 reported difficulties with employment, including needing to restrict work hours or the type of work they could do, and 58% of students reported difficulties with education. Around 17% reported needing help or supervision because of their condition, and 68% said their condition limited the type or amount of work they could do — with roughly half of that group rating the limitation at 7 or higher on a 10-point scale.
Mental Health Access and Spending in Australia 2026
| Spending Metric | Figure (2022–23) |
|---|---|
| Total Mental Health and Substance Use Spending | $11.9 billion (7% of disease spending) |
| Public Hospital Share | 52% ($6.1 billion) |
| Public Hospital Admitted Patient Spending | $4.8 billion |
| Same Figure in 2013–14 (real terms) | $2.7 billion |
| Mental Health Share of Disease Burden (2024) | 15% |
Source: AIHW Health system spending on disease and injury in Australia 2022–23; Australian Burden of Disease Study 2024
Australia spent $11.9 billion on mental health conditions and substance use disorders in 2022–23, representing almost 7% of total health spending by broad disease group. More than half of that, $6.1 billion or 52%, went to public hospitals — a distribution that reflects how much of the system’s cost concentrates at the acute end rather than in community or preventive care.
Therapy for Burnout Statistics examining workplace mental health support offer a useful comparison point on the prevention side of this equation. The trend in hospital spending is steep: public hospital admitted patient costs rose from $2.7 billion in 2013–14 to $4.8 billion in 2022–23 in real terms, nearly doubling in a decade. Meanwhile, mental health and substance use disorders accounted for 15% of Australia’s total burden of disease in 2024, a share that sits well above the 7% of health spending directed toward them — a gap that features prominently in Australian policy debate about system funding.
Depression Across Australian Population Groups in 2026
| Population Group | Key Figure |
|---|---|
| First Nations People — Mental Illness | 29% (276,500 people) |
| First Nations — High/Very High Distress | 30% |
| LGBTQ+ — Diagnosed With Depression | 61% |
| LGBTQ+ — Diagnosed With Anxiety | 47% |
| Children and Adolescents 4–17 (any illness) | 14% |
| Children 4–17 — Major Depressive Disorder | 3% |
| Highest State Rate (Tasmania) | 11% |
| Lowest State Rate (Northern Territory) | 5% |
Source: ABS National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Survey 2022–23; Private Lives 3 (2019/2020); Young Minds Matter; 2021 Census, via AIHW
Prevalence varies sharply across population groups. An estimated 29% of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people — around 276,500 individuals — reported a mental illness, based on the 2022–23 National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Survey, with 30% reporting high or very high psychological distress. Among LGBTQ+ Australians, the Private Lives 3 survey found 61% had been diagnosed with depression and 47% with an anxiety disorder, though the survey was not probability-based and so cannot be read as fully representative.
Among children and adolescents aged 4–17, an estimated 14% experienced a mental illness in a 12-month period, with major depressive disorder affecting 3%, behind ADHD and anxiety disorders at 7% each. Geographically, 2021 Census data showed Tasmania recording the highest proportion of residents told by a doctor or nurse they have a mental illness at 11%, and the Northern Territory the lowest at 5% — though AIHW notes these figures reflect diagnosis and service access as much as underlying prevalence.
Depression Statistics in Australia 2026 FAQ
How many Australians have depression?
An estimated 1.5 million Australians aged 16–85, or 8%, experienced an affective disorder such as depression in a 12-month period, according to the 2020–2022 National Study of Mental Health and Wellbeing.
What percentage of Australians experience mental illness each year?
22% of Australians aged 16–85 — 4.3 million people — experienced a mental illness in the previous 12 months, and 43% (8.5 million) have experienced one during their lifetime.
Is depression increasing in Australia?
Overall prevalence rose only slightly, from 20% in 2007 to 22% in 2020–2022. But among people aged 16–24 it jumped from 26% to 39%, and among young women from 30% to 46%.
Are women more affected by depression than men in Australia?
Yes. Female 12-month prevalence of any mental disorder rose from 22% to 25% between survey waves, while male prevalence stayed flat at 18%. The gap is widest among young adults.
How much does Australia spend on mental health?
Australia spent $11.9 billion on mental health conditions and substance use disorders in 2022–23, around 7% of total health spending by disease group, with 52% going to public hospitals.
What share of Australia’s disease burden is mental illness?
Mental health conditions and substance use disorders accounted for 15% of Australia’s total burden of disease in 2024, second only to cancer at 17%.
How many children in Australia experience depression?
Around 3% of children and adolescents aged 4–17 experienced major depressive disorder, within an overall 14% who experienced any mental illness in a 12-month period.
Does depression persist over time in Australia?
Frequently. Of those reporting depression or anxiety in 2017, 61% of males and 71% of females still reported the condition four years later.
Which Australian state has the highest reported mental illness rate?
Tasmania recorded the highest proportion at 11% of residents in the 2021 Census, while the Northern Territory recorded the lowest at 5%.
How does depression affect work and study in Australia?
Among people with long-term mental illness, 59% of those under 65 reported employment difficulties and 58% of students reported education difficulties.
What proportion of Australians have severe mental illness?
An estimated 6% of the population experiences severe mental illness, with a further 9% experiencing moderate impact and 7% mild impact.
How do rates compare for Australians with disability?
33% of adults with disability experienced high or very high psychological distress, compared with 12% of adults without disability. The rate reaches 76% among people with psychosocial disability.
Disclaimer: The data research report we present here is based on information found from various sources. We are not liable for any financial loss, errors, or damages of any kind that may result from the use of the information herein. We acknowledge that though we try to report accurately, we cannot verify the absolute facts of everything that has been represented.
