《TAIPEI TIMES》 Average annual personal income rises to record level

People cross a street near Taipei 101 in an undated photograph. Photo: Ritchie B. Tongo, EPA

/ Staff writer, with CNA

Taiwan’s average annual personal income last year rose to a record NT$763,000 （US$23,810）, with earnings increasing across all age groups on the back of strong economic growth, the Directorate General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics （DGBAS） said over the weekend.

People younger than 30 earned an average NT$587,000, up 5 percent from NT$559,000 in 2024, the DGBAS’ survey of household income showed.

Average annual income was NT$770,000 for those aged 30 to 34, NT$860,000 for ages 35 to 39, NT$959,000 for ages 40 to 44, and NT$886,000 for ages 55 to 64.

Those aged 45 to 54 earned an average NT$982,000, the highest among all age groups, up 4.03 percent from a year ago, while people aged 65 or older saw the lowest income at NT$502,000, up 2.03 percent year-on-year, the survey showed.

DGBAS Counselor Lee Chia-hang （李佳航） said continued economic growth, a stable labor market, lower unemployment and increases in the minimum wage helped lift incomes across all groups, although income growth remained stronger among the highest-income households than the lowest-income group.

The DGBAS’ survey also found that average household disposable income rose 3.9 percent to a record NT$1.21 million last year from a year earlier, while the median increased 3.4 percent to NT$1.018 million.

After adjusting for household size, average per capita disposable income increased 7.4 percent to NT$450,000, while the median rose 3.2 percent to NT$367,000.

By region, Hsinchu City retained the nation’s highest average household disposable income at NT$1.604 million, up 6.7 percent from a year earlier, while neighboring Hsinchu County climbed to second place with NT$1.569 million, overtaking Taipei, where the figure stood at NT $1.554 million.

The DGBAS attributed the Hsinchu area’s strong performance to its concentration of high-tech industries centered around the Hsinchu Science Park, which has benefited in the past few years from growing business opportunities related to artificial intelligence.

Among Taiwan’s six special municipalities, Taipei, New Taipei City, Taoyuan and Taichung all recorded average household disposable incomes above the national average, while Tainan and Kaohsiung fell below the average at NT $1.044 million and NT$1.206 million, respectively.

The survey also showed average household consumption expenditure increased 3.6 percent year-on-year to NT $920,000, while average household savings rose 4.9 percent to NT$290,000.