This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies. Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: On average, Australians seem quite happy in their relationships. According to the latest annual Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey, Australian couples rate their relationship quality at a high 4.3, where 1 means deeply unhappy and 5 means completely content.
If we just look at love, the picture is a happy one. When asked about their relationship, 72.6% of men and 67.5% of women say they love their partner "very, very much." Nearly as many have no regrets: 71.8% of men and 67.3% of women say they never wish they hadn't married or partnered up. Look further, though, and things get more textured.
On the more practical measures—whether a partner truly meets your needs or how closely the relationship matches how you pictured it in the beginning—the perfect scores thin out: Only around 40% of men and a third of women rated these areas a perfect 5. This differentiated picture suggests that people are quite clear about what works in their relationship and what doesn't. They see some problems but, overall, they're still happy with their partner.
The HILDA Survey follows the lives of more than 17,000 Australians each year over the course of their lifetimes and collects information on many aspects of life in Australia, including household and family relationships, income and employment, health and education. The latest survey is based on data collected in 2024. Perhaps not surprisingly, the survey also shows that relationship quality and stability are closely related.
For people who gave their relationship the lowest rating of 1, close to 39% had split with their partner three to four years later. Among those who scored their relationship a 2, almost 26% had later broken up. Still, these proportions mean most of the unhappy couples stay together, at least in the short term.
For couples who do stay together, the course of true love doesn't always run smoothly. After the honeymoon period, the HILDA Survey data show relationship quality sliding into a long decline that hits its lowest point about 24 years after partners move in together. From there, for those who go the distance, it climbs again steadily.
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