While money may not buy happiness, it is an important means to achieving higher living standards and thus greater well-being. Higher economic wealth may also improve access to quality education, health care and housing.

Household net adjusted disposable income

Household net adjusted disposable income is the amount of money that a household earns, or gains, each year after taxes and transfers. It represents the money available to a household for spending on goods or services.

Household adjusted disposable income includes income from economic activity (wages and salaries; profits of self-employed business owners), property income (dividends, interests and rents), social benefits in cash (retirement pensions, unemployment benefits, family allowances, basic income support, etc.), and social transfers in kind (goods and services such as health care, education and housing, received either free of charge or at reduced prices). Across the OECD, the average household net adjusted disposable income per capita is USD 30 563 a year.

Household net wealth

Household net wealth considers the total wealth of both financial and non-financial and net of liabilities (e.g. loans) held by households.. Household net wealth takes into account: savings, monetary gold, currency and deposits, stocks, securities and loans, as well as the principle residence, other real estate properties, vehicles, valuables and other non-financial assets (e.g. other consumer durables).