The average super balance for Australians aged 60 to 64 is $371,379, and the median is $203,326, based on the ATO’s latest taxation statistics. Split by gender, the averages are $413,700 for men and $327,440 for women, with medians of roughly $236,000 and $175,000. A couple where both partners hold the average would have around $740,000 combined.
Before anyone measures themselves against the averages, the medians are the more honest pair: half of all Australians in this age bracket hold less than $203,326.
Sixty is the age where these numbers stop being trivia and start being decisions, because it is also the age super becomes accessible. This guide covers the current averages and medians, why different websites quote such different numbers, the gender gap that widens exactly when it hurts most, and what sitting above or below the line actually means for someone deciding what happens next.
The averages, and the medians that matter more
The most current figures come from the ATO’s Taxation Statistics for 2023-24, released in June 2026:
| Age group | Average balance (all) | Median balance (all) |
|---|---|---|
| 55 to 59 | $301,151 | $185,120 |
| 60 to 64 | $371,379 | $203,326 |
| 65 to 69 | $437,422 | $218,631 |
Source: ATO Taxation Statistics 2023-24, released June 2026. Current as at October 2026.
Please note: All figures and scenarios in this article are approximate and for illustrative purposes only. Individual outcomes will vary based on personal circumstances, investment returns and current government policy. This is general information, not personal advice.
The reason the average and median sit so far apart is the same reason it does for house prices: a small number of very large balances drag the mean upward. One member with $4 million offsets a lot of members with $150,000. If the question is “what does a typical 60-year-old have”, the median is the answer. If your balance is above the median, you hold more super than most Australians your age, whatever the average says.
Why every website quotes a different number
Search this question and you will find figures anywhere from about $270,000 to over $400,000 for the same age group. The spread comes from the source, not the maths. Some articles quote a single super fund’s member data, which reflects who happens to belong to that fund. Others use APRA’s fund-level averages, which count accounts rather than people and miss anyone with multiple accounts or an SMSF. The figures in this article are the ATO’s taxation statistics, drawn from the tax records of effectively everyone in the system, which is why we treat them as the benchmark. When a headline number looks very different from these, check whose members it is counting before comparing yourself to it.
The gender gap peaks at the worst possible time
At 60 to 64, women hold roughly 21% less super than men on average, and about 26% less at the median. The causes are well documented: career breaks for caring, part-time years and the pay gap, all compounding over four decades of contributions.
What makes the gap sharper at this age is that it collides with two other facts. Scott and Phil covered both on the podcast episode about women and retirement: women retire nearly three years earlier than men on average (62.7 versus 64.9), and they live longer (life expectancy of 85 versus 81 for men). Less money, needed sooner, lasting longer. For couples, this is a planning input, not just a statistic, because super held in the lower-balance partner’s name can also carry structural advantages around contribution eligibility and the Age Pension assessment while one partner is under pension age.
How the average compares to what’s actually needed
ASFA’s benchmark for a comfortable retirement at 67 is $630,000 in super for a single homeowner and $730,000 for a couple, funding annual spending of $56,166 and $78,998 respectively (June quarter 2026 figures). Source: ASFA Retirement Standard. Current as at October 2026.
Put the tables together and the conclusion is plain: the average Australian at 60 is below the comfortable benchmark, and the median Australian is a long way below it. Scott and Phil put numbers on this on the podcast episode about the early retirement trap: the average couple retires with around $540,000 combined against the couple benchmark, a gap of roughly $150,000 that most people never close. Around 156,000 Australians retired last year at an average age of 63.8, and the majority did it below the benchmark.
Here is the part the scary comparisons leave out: the system is built for exactly this outcome. The Age Pension pays up to $32,180 a year for singles and $48,516 for couples (as at 20 September 2026, set by the Australian Government and typically updated each March and September), and it flows to the majority of retirees, with around 56% of Australians over 65 receiving a full or part pension, down from 70% in 2012. ASFA’s own modest-lifestyle lump sums are just $110,000 for a single and $120,000 for a couple, precisely because the pension does most of the work at that level. Sources: Services Australia; ASFA, Update on Superannuation Account Balances: 2026 Edition. Being below the comfortable benchmark at 60 narrows options. It does not remove them.
What your number means at 60
Sixty is when the benchmark question turns practical, because preservation age has arrived and super can be accessed once a condition of release is met.
Around or below the median ($175,000 to $236,000): the Age Pension will do the heavy lifting from 67, and the planning centres on the seven-year gap, spending level and whether some part-time work bridges it. Structuring assets well around the means tests matters most at this level, which is the focus of our pension and Centrelink advice.
Around the average ($330,000 to $410,000): this is part-pension territory at 67 with genuine choices before then. The years from 60 to 67 are also the last window for catch-up: anyone whose total super balance was under $500,000 at 30 June 2026 can use unused concessional cap amounts from the past five years on top of the $32,500 annual cap for 2026-27, which is how balances in this range make their biggest late-career jumps.
Above the average ($500,000-plus): the question shifts from “enough?” to timing and structure: when to stop, how to invest through drawdown and how the balance interacts with the means tests at 67. We ran a full scenario in Can I retire at 60 with $500K in Australia?, and the same logic scales up and down.
One pattern from practice worth naming: we generally find people compare themselves to the average and stop there, when the number that actually decides their retirement is their spending. A $300,000 balance with low fixed costs and a paid-off home routinely beats a $600,000 balance carrying a mortgage and expensive habits. The benchmark that matters is yours.
Want to see what your balance supports rather than how it ranks? Run it through the free Wealthlab super calculator, and for the full breakdown at every age, see the average super balance by age in Australia.
Frequently asked questions
What is the average super balance at 60 in Australia? For the 60 to 64 age group, the average is $371,379 and the median is $203,326 across all Australians (ATO data for 2023-24, released June 2026). Split by gender, the averages are $413,700 for men and $327,440 for women, with medians of roughly $236,000 and $175,000.
What is a good super balance at 60? Above $203,326 puts you ahead of the median Australian in the age group, and above $371,379 puts you ahead of the average. Against lifestyle benchmarks, ASFA’s comfortable standard works back to around $630,000 for a single homeowner at 67, so “good” depends on whether the comparison is other people or the retirement you want.
Why do different websites show different average super balances? Because they use different sources. Single-fund member data and APRA account-level averages produce different numbers from the ATO’s whole-population taxation statistics used here. The ATO figures are the broadest measure, which is why they tend to sit between the extremes quoted elsewhere.
Is $500,000 in super good at 60? It sits well above both the average and the median for the age group. Whether it funds the retirement you want depends on spending, home ownership and timing, which we model in detail in our guide to retiring at 60 with $500K.
What super balance does a couple need at 60? ASFA’s comfortable benchmark is $730,000 combined at 67 for homeowners, alongside a part Age Pension. A couple where both partners hold the age-group average would have around $740,000. The average retiring couple actually holds closer to $540,000 combined, and many build a workable retirement around it with the pension’s help.
Can I still grow my super meaningfully at 60? Often, yes. The concessional cap is $32,500 for 2026-27, and anyone with a total super balance under $500,000 at 30 June 2026 may also use unused cap amounts from the previous five years. Combined with continued work and compounding, the early 60s are frequently the strongest growth years of a working life.
Does a below-average balance mean I can’t retire? No. The Age Pension pays up to $32,180 a year for singles and $48,516 for couples (as at September 2026), and most Australians over 65 receive some pension. A below-average balance narrows the lifestyle range and raises the value of planning, but the system is designed around exactly these balances.
Your next step
Where you sit against the average is a starting point, not a verdict. We help Australians work out how long their super may last, how superannuation and the Age Pension fit together, and what a realistic spending plan looks like, whether the balance is below, at or above the line.
Book a free retirement strategy session and find out what your super balance really means for your retirement future.Or take a quiz
