INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S MONTH 2026
Women have always shaped the economy. But the numbers are finally catching up with what many have known for a long time: women are a powerful, growing force in property and personal finance.
As we mark International Women’s Month, this article looks at the real data behind women’s financial position in Australia today. It is not a story of catching up. It is a story of momentum.
Spending Power That Already Shapes the World
$31.9 trillion in global consumer spending power held by women (2024)
Source: NielsenIQ, 2024
Women already drive the majority of day-to-day purchasing decisions across consumer markets globally. Projections suggest this influence will extend to around 75% of discretionary spending in the coming years.
This is not a future projection. It is happening right now, across supermarkets, service industries, and increasingly, in property markets.
Record Workforce Participation Is Changing the Lending Equation
63.0% female labour force participation in Australia (December 2024)
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics
Australia’s female workforce participation rate climbed from 61.2% to 63.0% between 2019 and 2024, reaching a record high.
More women earning means more borrowing capacity, more long-term financial planning, and more women entering the property market on their own terms.
This is not a marginal shift. It is a structural change in who is buying.
Home Ownership Is Approaching Parity
According to CoreLogic’s Women & Property Report 2025, property ownership in Australia is remarkably close across gender lines:
62.7% of women own at least one dwelling, compared with 64.4% of men.
That is a gap of less than two percentage points. For a country that spent decades treating property as primarily a male financial milestone, this is a significant shift.
The overall adult ownership rate sits at 63.0%, meaning women are now participating in property at near-identical rates to the national average.
Single Women Are Entering the Market in Greater Numbers
54% of single Home Guarantee Scheme applicants were women
Source: Housing Australia / NHFIC + CBA
Women made up 54.2% of single applicants through the Home Guarantee Scheme, compared with 46.6% of single first home buyers in the broader lender portfolio.
This tells us something meaningful: single women are not waiting. They are navigating the market independently, seeking out the right support, and making confident buying decisions without a co-borrower.
Single women are accessing low-deposit schemes at a higher rate than their share of the broader first home buyer market would suggest. That is a signal that the intent is there, and the right advice and access can make a real difference.
The Age of the First Home Buyer Is Rising
Mid to late 30s average age Australians now buy their first home
Compare this to the mid-twenties being the norm in the 1970s, and the scale of change becomes clear. The average first home buyer is now around 34 to 36 years old, with men typically buying approximately 1.5 years earlier than women.
For many women, property ownership is becoming a mid-life milestone rather than an early adulthood step, with genuine consequences for long-term wealth building, retirement planning, and financial independence.
This is not a reason for pessimism. It is a reason to plan early, understand borrowing capacity clearly, and get advice that accounts for the longer runway ahead.
Strong Values Around Home Ownership Are Converting to Investment
44% vs 33.5% women vs men who rate home ownership as ‘extremely important’
Source: CoreLogic Women & Property Report 2025
Women place higher importance on home ownership than men, with 44.0% rating it 10 out of 10 in importance against 33.5% of men.
What is particularly interesting is the conversion from primary ownership to investment. As more women secure their first property, that same sense of conviction is increasingly being directed toward building a broader investment portfolio.
The property ladder, for many women, is becoming a genuine long-term wealth strategy.
Affordability Is the Barrier, Not Ambition
53% of Gen Z and Millennial women cite rising prices as their key barrier
Source: CoreLogic Women & Property Report 2025
More than half of Gen Z and Millennial women identified rising property prices as the primary reason they have not yet entered the market.
This matters. The story is not that younger women are disengaged or indifferent. The story is that the ambition is strong and the system is making it harder.
Understanding borrowing capacity, available government schemes, deposit strategies, and lender options can help bridge that gap, even in a difficult market.
The Pay Gap Still Has Real Lending Consequences
88 cents what women earn for every dollar earned by men (average full-time earnings)
Source: WGEA and ABS Gender Pay Gap Data
Australia’s gender pay gap sits at approximately 11 to 12%, meaning women still need to save for longer and stretch harder to build deposits and service loans on the same terms as men.
The gap is narrowing. But until it closes entirely, it remains a structural disadvantage that shapes the lending journey for many women in very practical ways.
Good lending advice takes this into account. It is not just about what a lender will approve today. It is about structuring the right approach for where someone is right now.
Moving Forward Together
This International Women’s Month, we are reminded that financial power is not just about the numbers on a page. It is about access to clear information, the right advice at the right time, and confidence in making important decisions.
Women are buying property, building wealth, and navigating complex financial decisions every single day. The data supports what we see in practice: the appetite is strong, the intent is real, and the momentum is building.
Every woman making a move toward property, whether that is researching for the first time, preparing a deposit, refinancing an existing loan, or building an investment strategy, deserves advice that is clear, practical, and genuinely in her corner.
Resources
Looking to build your financial knowledge and confidence? Here are trusted, independent resources focused on women and finance.
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- ASIC MoneySmart Women’s Money Toolkit — Australian government financial guides and tools
- NSW Women’s Financial Toolkit — State government resources covering everyday money, superannuation, and investing
- Women & Money: Building Financial Futures — Community education programme and workshops
- OECD Financial Literacy and Inclusion Toolkit — Global guidance on women’s financial capability
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Financial knowledge is one of the most powerful tools for independence.
Want to understand your borrowing position and what is possible for you?
Speak with the team at Azura Financial. We work with borrowers at every stage of their property journey and take the time to understand your situation before making any recommendations. Whether you are planning your first purchase, refinancing, or thinking about what is next, we are here to help you move forward with clarity.
