Swimming pool sales and services up 13 per cent, CBA data shows

Household spending on swimming pool sales and services rose 13 per cent over the year to December, Commonwealth Bank Australia (CBA) research shows.

CBA confirmed with SPLASH! comments from senior economist Belinda Allen to Domain that the rise in swimming pool spend is stronger than the rise in both total spending and spending on household services.

Allen said consumers are deliberately choosing what they spend their money on.

“Consumers who own their home outright and those with a mortgage have generally lifted spending more than renters, and while older cohorts have increased their spending, younger consumers are reducing theirs,” she said.

“It would be safe to estimate that those who are lifting money on swimming pools would not be those that are feeling the most pinch with cost-of-living pressures,” Allen said.

Domain also noted that “Pool” was the most-searched keyword by home hunters on their listings website in 2024, beating other property features such as “waterfront” and “study”.