NK MehtaAustralians are feeling the pinch. Rents keep climbing, groceries cost more, and conflicts overseas fill the news every night. Even so, the Scanlon Social Cohesion report 2026 found something many people did not expect. After surveying 10,000 Australians, researchers found that local communities are holding firm. In fact, the national cohesion index stayed at 78, the same level as the previous three years.
What the Scanlon Social Cohesion Report 2026 Measured
The annual report is produced by the Scanlon Foundation Research Institute. This year, it drew on responses from 10,000 people across many backgrounds and political views. Questions covered the cost of living, immigration, multiculturalism and attitudes towards different faiths. Together, these answers form a single index that tracks how connected the country feels.
The report was authored by Dr James O’Donnell from the School of Demography at the Australian National University. Meanwhile, the institute’s head, Anthea Hancocks, described a nation split between deep pessimism and real hope. According to her, people still trust their neighbours and find help close to home. That local trust, she said, is what keeps cohesion steady.
Cost of Living Pressure Is Driving Pessimism
Money is the biggest worry by far. Just under half of respondents named the cost of living, inflation or housing as the top issue facing the country. As a result, confidence in the future has slipped.
Here are the key numbers:
- Almost half of adults now feel pessimistic about Australia’s future.
- That figure was 43% in 2025 and only 31% in 2018.
- One in three adults expect their life to get worse over the next few years, up from 29% last year.
- At least one in five people sometimes go without health or medical care.
- Around 10% say they are struggling, skipping meals or unable to pay rent or a mortgage.
Clearly, financial stress is no longer a fringe experience. Instead, it now shapes how millions of households see the years ahead.
Shifting Attitudes Towards Faith and Immigration
The report also tracked how Australians view people of different faiths. O’Donnell linked recent changes to global conflicts and the growing politicisation of religion. For example, attitudes towards Muslims had been improving until 2023. Since then, they have worsened. In 2026, 43% of respondents held negative views of Muslims, including 18% who felt very negative. Similarly, negative views of Jewish people rose to 18%, up from 13% in 2024. Views of Hindus, Sikhs and Buddhists also declined, while support for Christians grew.
Immigration has become more divisive too. This year, 59% said migration levels are too high. That compares with 52% in 2025 and an average of 39% through the 2010s. Notably, this rise came mainly from One Nation and Coalition supporters. Labor and Greens voters, on the other hand, held views similar to last year.
| Indicator | Earlier Result | 2026 Result |
|---|---|---|
| Social cohesion index | 78 (previous three years) | 78 |
| Pessimistic about Australia’s future | 31% (2018), 43% (2025) | Almost half |
| Expect life to get worse | 29% (2025) | One in three |
| Say immigration is too high | 39% (2010s average), 52% (2025) | 59% |
| Negative views of Jewish people | 13% (2024) | 18% |
| Negative views of Muslims | Improving until 2023 | 43% |
Why Multiculturalism Still Has Strong Support
Here is where the story turns. Although more people want lower migration, most still back a multicultural Australia. More than three in four respondents agreed that multiculturalism has been good for the country. Likewise, a similar share said migrants are just as likely to be good citizens as people born in Australia.
In other words, concerns about the pace of migration do not equal rejection of diversity. Many Australians appear to separate questions of numbers from questions of identity and belonging.
Local Belonging Is the Surprising Bright Spot
Over two decades of Scanlon surveys, cohesion has dipped in the long run. However, it has not fallen further in recent years. The main reason seems to be how people feel about their own streets and suburbs.
- 81% agree that people in their area are willing to help their neighbours.
- 79% say people from different backgrounds get on well locally.
- 64% feel their neighbourhood has a real sense of community.
So while many people feel let down by society as a whole, the basic signs of a strong society are still there.
How Hard Times Can Bring Communities Together
Why would cohesion hold when stress is rising? Dr Michael Noetel, a clinical psychologist at the University of Queensland, offers one explanation. When life is comfortable, he says, people have room to focus on less urgent matters. Once security is threatened, though, they turn their attention to family and the people next door.
He pointed to the COVID-19 pandemic as an example. During that period, some communities grew closer and found solidarity through shared hardship. Consequently, the same pressures that fuel national pessimism may also be strengthening local bonds today.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Scanlon Social Cohesion report?
It is an annual national survey by the Scanlon Foundation Research Institute. It measures how connected and united Australians feel.
How many people took part in the 2026 survey?
The 2026 report surveyed 10,000 Australians from diverse backgrounds and political leanings.
What is the biggest concern for Australians in 2026?
Just under half named the cost of living, inflation or housing as the most important issue facing the country.
Is social cohesion in Australia falling?
Not in recent years. The index has held at 78 for four straight years, largely thanks to strong local community ties.
