HILDA: The Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey is a nationally representative longitudinal study of Australian households which commenced in 2001. Funded by the Australian Government Department of Social Services (DSS), the Survey is managed by the Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research at the University of Melbourne.
The HILDA Survey is a household-based panel study of Australian households and, as such, it interviews all household working age members (over 15 years) of the selected households and then re-interviews the same people in subsequent years.
The HILDA Survey provides longitudinal data on the lives of Australian residents. Its primary objective is to support research questions falling within three broad and inter-related areas of income, labour market and family dynamics.
The HILDA Survey has the following key features:
- By the nature of its design, the study can be extended to continue indefinitely, following not only the initial sample members for the remainder of their lives, but also the lives of descendants.
- Special questionnaire modules are included as part of each wave, focusing on particular topics in detail. Modules are included in the survey on a rotating basis.
- The Wave 1 panel consisted of 19,914 individuals in 7,682 households, a reference population for Australia. In Wave 11 this was topped up with an additional 5,462 individuals in 2,153 households.
Fieldwork for each wave is conducted from July each year.
Each wave of HILDA includes at least one major topic of focus, which is repeated every four years. These topics include: household wealth, family formation and fertility, retirement from the workforce, health, and education, skills and abilities.
In addition, there are a number of shorter sets of questions included on a rotating basis, including: wealth (waves 2, 6, 10 and 14); health (waves 9, 13 and 17); retirement (waves 3, 7, 11 and 15); fertility and partnering (waves 5, 8, 11 and 15); history and status of parents (waves 8, 12 and 15); siblings (waves 8 and 12); intentions and plans (waves 5, 8 and 11); human capital, and literary and numeracy (waves 12 and 16).
The HILDA Survey does not include diplomatic personnel of overseas governments, overseas residents in Australia, people living in remote areas, or members of non-Australian defence forces.
More information on the survey is available at
the NCLD website.