In June 2022, it was estimated that around 7.3 percent of Australians were aged between 25 and 29, and the same applied to people aged between 30 and 34. All in all, about 55 percent of Australia’s population was aged 35 years or older as of June 2022. At the same time, the age distribution of the country also shows that the share of children under 14 years old was still higher than that of people over 65 years old. A breakdown of Australia’s population growth Australia is the sixth-largest country in the world, yet with a population of around 26 million inhabitants, it is only sparsely populated. Since the 1970s, the population growth of Australia has remained fairly constant. While there was a slight rise in the Australian death rate in 2022, the birth rate of the country decreased after a slight rise in the previous year. The fact that the birth rate is almost double the size of its death rate gives the country one of the highest natural population growth rates of any high-income country.
National distribution of the population Australia’s population is expected to surpass 28 million people by 2028. The majority of its inhabitants live in the major cities. The most populated states are New South Wales, Victoria, and Queensland. Together, they account for over 75 percent of the population in Australia.

Key information about Australia population

• The Australia population reached 27.0 million people in Dec 2023, compared with the previously reported figure of 26.3 million people in Dec 2022
• The data reached an all-time high of 27.0 million people in Dec 2023 and a record low of 8.2 million people in Dec 1950

• In the latest reports, Australia Unemployment Rate dropped to 3.9 % in Nov 2024
• Monthly earnings of the Australia population was 3,744.1 USD in Nov 2023
• Australia Labour Force Participation Rate increased to 67.1 % in Nov 2024

Rural population (% of total population) in Australia was reported at 13.38 % in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Australia - Rural population - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on May of 2025.

The Australian population grid 2024 was created using 2024 Estimated Resident Population (ERP) by Statistical Area Level 1 2021 (SA1) data. This data was modelled to 1 kilometre square grid cells to represent the population density of Australia (people per square kilometre). This is modelled data and should be used and interpreted with caution.SA1s are defined by the Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS) Edition 3 2021. The grid was constructed using the National Nested Grid Standard.Processing steps:A subset of the ABS Address Register (AR) was created to represent residential addresses as closely as possible. Indigenous Community Points (ICP) were included where no AR point existed. SA1 centroid points were included where no AR or ICP point existed within an SA1. All these layers were combined into a single point layer (Allpoints).The Allpoints layer was overlaid with the SA1 boundaries to give every point an SA1 code. Points without an SA1 code (outside all SA1 regions) were dropped.ERP by SA1 was averaged across all points within each SA1. Points were converted to raster using the National Nested Grid as template. Point population values which fell within each raster cell were summed.Data and geography referencesMain source data publication: Regional population, 2023–24 financial yearGeographic boundary information: Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS) Edition 3Further information: Regional population methodologySource: Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS)Contact the Australian Bureau of StatisticsEmail geography@abs.gov.au if you have any questions or feedback about this web service.Subscribe to get updates on ABS web services and geospatial products.Privacy at the Australian Bureau of StatisticsRead how the ABS manages personal information - ABS privacy policy.

The statistic shows the total population of Australia from 1980 to 2023, with projections up until 2030. In 2023, Australia had a total population of about 26.95 million people. Population of Australia Australia is among the ten largest countries in the world, in terms of area size, although its total population is low in relation to this. Much of Australia’s interior remains uninhabited, as the majority of Australians live in coastal metropolises and cities. Most of the population is of European descent (predominantly British), although there is a growing share of the population with Asian heritage; only a small percentage belongs to the indigenous Aboriginal population. Australia's year-on-year population growth is fairly high compared to most other economically and demographically advanced nations, due to comparatively high rates of natural increase and immigration. Living standards Standard of living is fairly high in Australia, which can be seen when looking at the Human Development Index, which ranks countries by their level of human development and living standards, such as their unemployment rate, literacy rate, or life expectancy at birth. Life expectancy of Australia’s population is quite high in international comparison, for example, Australia is also among the leading countries when it comes to this key factor. Economically speaking, Australia is also among the leading nations, with a steadily rising employment rate, an increasing gross domestic product (GDP) with a steady growth rate, and a relatively stable share in the global GDP.

Population, total in Australia was reported at 26658948 in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Australia - Population, total - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on June of 2025.

Urban population (% of total population) in Australia was reported at 86.62 % in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Australia - Urban population (% of total) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on June of 2025.

Population ages 15-64, male (% of male population) in Australia was reported at 64.97 % in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Australia - Population ages 15-64, male (% of total) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on May of 2025.

Australia Population: Resident: Estimated: Queensland data was reported at 5,608,666.000 Person in Sep 2024. This records an increase from the previous number of 5,583,833.000 Person for Jun 2024. Australia Population: Resident: Estimated: Queensland data is updated quarterly, averaging 3,712,015.000 Person from Jun 1981 (Median) to Sep 2024, with 174 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 5,608,666.000 Person in Sep 2024 and a record low of 2,345,208.000 Person in Jun 1981. Australia Population: Resident: Estimated: Queensland data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Australian Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Australia – Table AU.G002: Estimated Resident Population.

Australia Population Change: Natural Increase: Victoria data was reported at 9,689.000 Person in Sep 2024. This records an increase from the previous number of 6,789.000 Person for Jun 2024. Australia Population Change: Natural Increase: Victoria data is updated quarterly, averaging 7,997.500 Person from Jun 1981 (Median) to Sep 2024, with 174 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 12,302.000 Person in Mar 2024 and a record low of 4,646.000 Person in Dec 2023. Australia Population Change: Natural Increase: Victoria data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Australian Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Australia – Table AU.G003: Population Change.

As of June 2024, about 13.69 million females and 13.5 million males lived in Australia. The population of both sexes has been increasing consistently with slightly more females than males.

Chart and table of population level and growth rate for the Melbourne, Australia metro area from 1950 to 2025.

Australia population growth rate for 2023 was 2.37%, a 1.1% increase from 2022.

<ul style='margin-top:20px;'>

<li>Australia population growth rate for 2022 was <strong>1.27%</strong>, a <strong>1.13% increase</strong> from 2021.</li>
<li>Australia population growth rate for 2021 was <strong>0.14%</strong>, a <strong>1.09% decline</strong> from 2020.</li>
<li>Australia population growth rate for 2020 was <strong>1.23%</strong>, a <strong>0.24% decline</strong> from 2019.</li>
</ul>Annual population growth rate for year t is the exponential rate of growth of midyear population from year t-1 to t, expressed as a percentage . Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship.

Population: Resident: Estimated: Western Australia data was reported at 2,981,752.000 Person in Sep 2024. This records an increase from the previous number of 2,965,078.000 Person for Jun 2024. Population: Resident: Estimated: Western Australia data is updated quarterly, averaging 1,942,720.500 Person from Jun 1981 (Median) to Sep 2024, with 174 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 2,981,752.000 Person in Sep 2024 and a record low of 1,300,056.000 Person in Jun 1981. Population: Resident: Estimated: Western Australia data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Australian Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Australia – Table AU.G002: Estimated Resident Population.

Population, male in Australia was reported at 13226767 Persons in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Australia - Population, male - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on May of 2025.

Population Change: Net Overseas Migration: Western Australia data was reported at 11,564.000 Person in Sep 2024. This records an increase from the previous number of 7,957.000 Person for Jun 2024. Population Change: Net Overseas Migration: Western Australia data is updated quarterly, averaging 3,972.000 Person from Jun 1981 (Median) to Sep 2024, with 174 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 20,995.000 Person in Mar 2023 and a record low of -2,317.000 Person in Sep 2020. Population Change: Net Overseas Migration: Western Australia data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Australian Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Australia – Table AU.G003: Population Change.

In January 2024, there were approximately 165 thousand international students enrolled at universities in Victoria, in Australia. Universities in New South Wales had the highest number of international student enrollments in this period, with around 222 thousand students.

Population Change: Natural Increase: South Australia data was reported at 128.000 Person in Sep 2024. This records a decrease from the previous number of 958.000 Person for Jun 2024. Population Change: Natural Increase: South Australia data is updated quarterly, averaging 1,756.500 Person from Jun 1981 (Median) to Sep 2024, with 174 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 2,801.000 Person in Mar 1984 and a record low of 128.000 Person in Sep 2024. Population Change: Natural Increase: South Australia data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Australian Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Australia – Table AU.G003: Population Change.

In the year ending December 2024, 93 percent of Australians consumed news in the general news category. A further 65 percent of the population consumed property news, and 54 percent consumed sports news.

Chart and table of population level and growth rate for the Perth, Australia metro area from 1950 to 2025.