Employment's share of household income hits 10-year low

Paychecks account for 79.6% of income as investment and CPF payouts increase in Singapore.

Employment income remained the largest source of household market income in 2025, accounting for 79.6% of average monthly household market income per household member, down from 85.1% in 2015 and 81.1% in 2024, according to the Department of Statistics Singapore.

In absolute terms, average monthly employment income per household member rose to $4,439 in 2025, compared with $4,233 in 2024 and $3,277 in 2015, based on the same dataset.

Non-employment income components increased over the same period.

Investment income reached $751 per household member in 2025, up from $632 in 2024 and $394 in 2015.

Interest earned from balances in the Central Provident Fund (CPF) totalled $470 in 2025, compared with $446 in 2024 and $237 in 2015.

Rental income rose to $223 per household member in 2025, up from $212 in 2024 and $146 in 2015 whilst other income sources, including pensions, annuities, insurance payouts, and regular transfers, increased to $167 in 2025 from $142 in 2024 and $35 in 2015.

Payouts from CPF retirement schemes, including CPF LIFE and the Retirement Sum Scheme, amounted to $130 per household member in 2025, up from $110 in 2024 and $19 in 2015.

The Department of Statistics Singapore also reported that the proportion of resident households comprising solely non-employed persons aged 65 and above increased from 5.3% in 2015 to 9.2% in 2025.

Amongst employed households, the share of income from non-employment sources rose from 14.0% in 2015 to 18.0% in 2025.