The latest General Social Survey shows shifting wellbeing, evolving community ties and changes in how we support one another. Here are 7 standout insights.
Overall life satisfaction in 2025 was 7.1 out of 10, similar to 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic (7.2), but lower than 2019 (7.5) and 2014 (7.6). On average, women reported a higher overall life satisfaction than men (7.3 compared to 7.1).
More households experienced financial stress in 2025, with increases in dissaving, cashflow problems and financial exclusion compared with 2020 and 2019. A quarter of households experienced a cashflow problem in 2025, an increase from 21 per cent in 2020 and 22 per cent in 2019.
In 2025, nearly 23 per cent of the population volunteered through an organisation. This was similar to 2020 (25 per cent) but down from 2019 (30 per cent). Australians contributed an estimated 618 million hours of voluntary work in 2025.
Just over 34 per cent of Australians often felt rushed for time, similar to 33 per cent in 2020, but down from 40 per cent in 2019. On average, women continue to feel the strain more than men, with 38 per cent reporting they felt rushed for time compared with 30 per cent of men.
In 2025, 75 per cent of Australians agreed it's good for society to have many cultures, down from 85 per cent in 2020 and 81 per cent in 2019. On average, support is higher among women (79 per cent) and people who live in major cities (78 per cent).
Only 53 per cent of Australians had weekly in-person contact with family or friends living outside their household in 2025. This was higher than the 42 per cent in 2020 during COVID-19 but lower than the 68 per cent in 2019.
Only 50 per cent of Australians agreed that most people can be trusted, down from 61 per cent in 2020 and 55 per cent in 2019. Trust in the healthcare system, police and justice system also declined.
Find more interesting insights from this release of the General Social Survey.
