The fertility rate of a country is the average number of children that women from that country will have throughout their reproductive years. In 1800, Australian women of childbearing age would go on to have approximately 6.5 children on average over the course of their lifetime, and this number decreased gradually to just below five in the early 1850s. Over the next ten years the fertility rate increased to 5.7 children per woman, as an influx of migrants arrived on the continent during the Australian gold rushes, however the fertility rate dropped from 1860 until 1935, when it was then just 2.2 children per woman, although there was a small baby boom after the First World War. Australia's fertility rate did rise during the global 'Baby Boom' after the Second World War, reaching 3.4 in the 1960s, but it then dropped to two children per woman in 1980, and it has plateaued just under this number until today.

In 2022, Australia's fertility rate reached its lowest ever figure, at fewer than 1.63 children born per women of childbearing age. In general, Australia’s fertility rate has been fairly consistent throughout the past four decades, fluctuating between 1.7 and two births per woman, however the recent drop in fertility may be a result of the Covid-19 pandemic - it remains to be seen what the full extent of the pandemic will be on demographic trends. Population aging in Australia Like most other developed nations, Australia has been experiencing population ageing, driven by declining fertility rate and increased longevity, with an average life expectancy at birth of 83 years in 2020. Amid the pandemic, Australia also witnessed a noticeable decrease in the number of births to approximately 294.4 thousand, the lowest value since 2011. “No kids attached” Childfree couples could become the norm in Australia, as couples living without children are expected to become Australia’s most common family type in a few years’ time. While many families may suffer from involuntary childlessness, other couples would opt for a childfree life for various reasons. Especially in times of COVID-19, couples might not want to risk having children with increasing job insecurity.

In the Australian state of Victoria, about 1.52 children were born per average woman in the period of 2022-2023. This figure represents a slight decrease compared to the previous year.

Chart and table of the Australia birth rate from 1950 to 2025. United Nations projections are also included through the year 2100.

In the Australian state of Queensland, about 1.64 children were born per woman in the period of 2022-2023. This figure represents a slight increase compared to the previous year.

This line chart displays fertility rate (births per woman) by date using the aggregation average, weighted by population female and is filtered where the country is Australia. The data is about countries per year.

In Tasmania, about 1.49 children were born per woman in the period of 2022-2023. This figure represents a significant decrease compared to the previous years.

This dataset contains statistics about births and fertility rates for Australia, states and territories, and sub-state regions. It includes all births that occurred and were registered in Australia, including births to mothers whose place of usual residence was overseas.

Estimated resident populations (ERPs) are used as denominators to calculate fertility rates and are based on the results of the 2016 Census. This dataset uses the ABS Statistical Area Level 2 (SA2) boundaries of the Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS) 2016.

For more information such as the scope, coverage and exclusions used in this dataset please visit the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) methodology documentation.

AURIN has spatially enabled the original data from the ABS with the 2016 SA2 boundaries.

In the Northern Territory in Australia, about 1.66 children were born per woman in the period of 2022-2023. This figure represents a slight increase compared to the previous year.

1,570 (births per woman) in 2023.

This scatter chart displays fertility rate (births per woman) against net migration (people) and is filtered where the region is Australia and New Zealand and the date is 2021. The data is about countries per year.

Fertility rate of women aged 15 to 49 years is compiled from births data, 2005 to 2007 (ABS unpublished) and ABS Estimated Resident Population, 2005 to 2007 average, by SD, 2005 to 2007. Copyright …Show full descriptionFertility rate of women aged 15 to 49 years is compiled from births data, 2005 to 2007 (ABS unpublished) and ABS Estimated Resident Population, 2005 to 2007 average, by SD, 2005 to 2007. Copyright attribution: Torrens University Australia - Public Health Information Development Unit, (2014): ; accessed from AURIN on 12/3/2020. Licence type: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Australia (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 AU)

Chart and table of the New Zealand fertility rate from 1950 to 2025. United Nations projections are also included through the year 2100.

Australia Sex Ratio at Birth: Male Births per Female Births data was reported at 1.056 Ratio in 2022. This records a decrease from the previous number of 1.057 Ratio for 2021. Australia Sex Ratio at Birth: Male Births per Female Births data is updated yearly, averaging 1.056 Ratio from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2022, with 63 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 1.060 Ratio in 2017 and a record low of 1.048 Ratio in 1971. Australia Sex Ratio at Birth: Male Births per Female Births data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Australia – Table AU.World Bank.WDI: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Sex ratio at birth refers to male births per female births.;United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects: 2022 Revision.;Weighted average;

This dataset is about countries in Australia and New Zealand per year, featuring 4 columns: birth rate, country, date, and median age. The preview is ordered by date (descending).

In financial year 2023, there were just under 296 thousand babies born in Australia. This is one of the lowest birth rate years over the past decade, with most years the country seeing over 300 thousand new births.

Fertility rate in Australia Around 1.68 children were born per woman of childbearing age in Australia in 2022, which is one of the lowest fertility rate years ever recorded. Australia's fertility rate has been relatively stable over the past four decades, fluctuating between 1.7 and 2.0 births per woman. Moreover, Australia, like the majority of other developed nations, has been experiencing population ageing due to a declining fertility rate and increased longevity.

Life expectancy at birth In 2021, the life expectancy at birth in Australia remained virtually unchanged at approximately 83.3 years. Nonetheless, 2021 represents the peak of Australia's life expectancy. In Australia, females born in 2019 have a life expectancy of 85 years, while males born in 2019 have a life expectancy of 80.9 years. Male life expectancy at birth has increased by over four years in Australia since the year 2000, while female life expectancy has increased by three years.

This scatter chart displays median age (year) against birth rate (per 1,000 people) and is filtered where the country is Australia. The data is about countries per year.

Chart and table of the AUS birth rate from 1950 to 2025. United Nations projections are also included through the year 2100.

This dataset, released June 2020, contains the total fertility rate, 2015 to 2017. The data is by Population Health Area (PHA) 2016 geographic boundaries based on the 2016 Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS). Population Health Areas, developed by PHIDU, are comprised of a combination of whole SA2s and multiple (aggregates of) SA2s, where the SA2 is an area in the ABS structure. For more information please see the data source notes on the data. Source: Compiled by PHIDU based on the ABS data in Table 2: Births, Australia 2017: Births, Australia, 2011 to 2017 (ABS Cat no. 3301.0). AURIN has spatially enabled the original data. Data that was not shown/not applicable/not published/not available for the specific area ('#', '..', '^', 'np, 'n.a.', 'n.y.a.' in original PHIDU data) was removed.It has been replaced by by Blank cells. For other keys and abbreviations refer to PHIDU Keys.

Australia Completeness of Birth Registration data was reported at 100.000 % in 2022. This stayed constant from the previous number of 100.000 % for 2017. Australia Completeness of Birth Registration data is updated yearly, averaging 100.000 % from Dec 2012 (Median) to 2022, with 4 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 100.000 % in 2022 and a record low of 100.000 % in 2022. Australia Completeness of Birth Registration data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Australia – Table AU.World Bank.WDI: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Completeness of birth registration is the percentage of children under age 5 whose births were registered at the time of the survey. The numerator of completeness of birth registration includes children whose birth certificate was seen by the interviewer or whose mother or caretaker says the birth has been registered.;Household surveys such as Demographic and Health Surveys and Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys. Largely compiled by UNICEF.;Weighted average;This is the Sustainable Development Goal indicator 16.9.1 [https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/metadata/].