The statistic shows the ten largest cities in Australia in 2021. In 2021, around 5.26 million people lived in Sydney and the surrounding area, making it the most populous city in Australia.

Australia Population in Largest City: as % of Urban Population data was reported at 22.768 % in 2024. This records an increase from the previous number of 22.673 % for 2023. Australia Population in Largest City: as % of Urban Population data is updated yearly, averaging 24.964 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2024, with 65 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 27.701 % in 1971 and a record low of 22.181 % in 2013. Australia Population in Largest City: as % of Urban Population 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. Population in largest city is the percentage of a country's urban population living in that country's largest metropolitan area.;United Nations, World Urbanization Prospects.;Weighted average;

These files provide more detailed outputs from BITRE's 'Freight vehicle congestion in Australia’s five major cities - 2019' publication (see: https://www.bitre.gov.au/publications/2021/freight-vehicle-congestion-australias-five-major-cities-2019), which reported freight vehicle telematics based measures of traffic congestion for freight vehicles on 53 selected routes across Australia’s five mainland state capital cities—Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth. The selected routes comprise the major motorways, highways and arterial roads within each city that service both passenger and freight vehicles.

Disclaimers: https://www.infrastructure.gov.au/disclaimers.

Population in largest city in Australia was reported at 5315600 in 2024, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Australia - Population in largest city - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on June of 2025.

Australia Population in Largest City data was reported at 5,315,600.000 Person in 2024. This records an increase from the previous number of 5,235,407.000 Person for 2023. Australia Population in Largest City data is updated yearly, averaging 3,709,165.000 Person from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2024, with 65 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 5,315,600.000 Person in 2024 and a record low of 2,134,673.000 Person in 1960. Australia Population in Largest City 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. Population in largest city is the urban population living in the country's largest metropolitan area.;United Nations, World Urbanization Prospects.;;

Contains projections (based on different assumptions of future fertility, mortality and migration) of the resident population of Australia, the states and territories, capital cities and balance of states, by age and sex for the base year to 2101 (for Australia) and for the base year to 2061 (for the states and territories, capital cities and balances of states). Also includes summary measures such as percentages of population in selected age groups and median ages as well as detailed notes on the assumptions used.

The Government Towns layer is a data set that reflects the official boundaries of Government Towns in South Australia as defined by the Crown Land Management Act, 2009 or preceding Acts. The polygons are based on the existing cadastral data that defines the boundaries.

In the fourth quarter of 2024, the annual average transport cost per household in Sydney, Australia, was around ***** thousand Australian dollars. Comparatively, average transport costs in Hobart were around ***** thousand Australian dollars.

Population in the largest city (% of urban population) in Australia was reported at 22.77 % in 2024, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Australia - Population in the largest city - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on July of 2025.

Australia Consumer Price Index (CPI): Weighted Average of Eight Capital Cities data was reported at 180.400 1989-1990=100 in Jun 2012. This records an increase from the previous number of 179.500 1989-1990=100 for Mar 2012. Australia Consumer Price Index (CPI): Weighted Average of Eight Capital Cities data is updated quarterly, averaging 47.400 1989-1990=100 from Sep 1948 (Median) to Jun 2012, with 256 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 180.400 1989-1990=100 in Jun 2012 and a record low of 3.700 1989-1990=100 in Sep 1948. Australia Consumer Price Index (CPI): Weighted Average of Eight Capital Cities 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.I009: Consumer Price Index: 1989-90=100: Eight Capital Cities. Rebased from 1989-90=100 to 2011-12=100. Replacement series ID: 350585501

Disclaimer: The material contained in this publication is made available on the understanding that the Commonwealth is not providing professional advice, and that users exercise their own skill and care with respect to its use, and seek independent advice if necessary. The Commonwealth makes no representations or warranties as to the contents or accuracy of the information contained in this publication. To the extent permitted by law, the Commonwealth disclaims liability to any person or organisation in respect of anything done, or omitted to be done, in reliance upon information contained in this publication.

The Progress in Australian Regions and Cities dataset presents the underlying data from the Progress in Australian Regions Dashboard – which was released as an online interactive dashboard for the first time in 2020. The Dashboard is a statistical resource that shows how regions are progressing against a range of key indicators from the following themes: labour market, infrastructure, housing, economic activity, environment, demography and well-being. Users can access the data by indicator theme, drilling down to their region and indicator of interest. The Dashboard can be accessed at the Bureau of Communications, Arts and Regional Research (BCARR) website.

This Dashboard supersedes the paper-based Progress in Australian Regions Yearbook publication. Datasets from previous editions of the Progress in Australian Regions Yearbook are also provided here for continuity.

Note that data for areas with very small populations should be used with caution, as small numbers can be significantly impacted by random adjustment.

Supplementary Information Files for Socio-economic groups moving apart: An analysis of recent trends in residential segregation in Australia's main capital citiesWe study changes in the spatial distribution and segregation of socio-economic groups in Australia using a new data set with harmonised census data for 1991 and 2011. We find a general increase in residential segregation by education and occupation groups across the major capital cities in Australia. Importantly, these trends cannot be explained in general by changes in the demographic structure of groups and areas but rather by the rise in the over and underrepresentation of groups across areas. In particular, our analysis reveals clear diverging trends in the spatial configuration of high and low socio-economic groups as measured by their occupation and education. Whereas high-skilled groups became more concentrated in the inner parts of cities, the low-educated and those working in low-status occupations became increasingly overrepresented in outer areas. This pattern is observed in all five major capital cities, but it is especially marked in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.

The monthly Building Approvals (BAPS) collection collects data relating to residential and non-residential building work above certain value limits that have been approved within the reference month. Data from this collection provides timely estimates of future building activity and is an important leading economic indicator. It also provides the sampling framework for the quarterly Building Activity Survey, which is a major contributor to the quarterly National Accounts estimates.

In December 2023, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) in Adelaide, Australia was 137.1, recording a change of 6.3 percent. The CPI in Adelaide indicated an increase higher than any other capital city in the country. With a CPI of 137.7, Brisbane, the capital of the country's north-eastern state of Queensland, recorded the highest CPI overall in the quarter. The CPI measures household inflation.

Average Annualised Wage Increases: Federal Agreement: Current: Australia Capital Cities data was reported at 3.600 % in Dec 2024. This stayed constant from the previous number of 3.600 % for Sep 2024. Average Annualised Wage Increases: Federal Agreement: Current: Australia Capital Cities data is updated quarterly, averaging 3.300 % from Mar 2005 (Median) to Dec 2024, with 80 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 5.100 % in Dec 2005 and a record low of 2.300 % in Mar 2019. Average Annualised Wage Increases: Federal Agreement: Current: Australia Capital Cities data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Department of Employment and Workplace Relations. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Australia – Table AU.G107: Average Annualized Wage Increases: Federal Agreement: by State.

Average Annualised Wage Increases: Federal Agreement: Processed in the Quarter: Australia Capital Cities data was reported at 3.700 % in Dec 2024. This records an increase from the previous number of 3.500 % for Sep 2024. Average Annualised Wage Increases: Federal Agreement: Processed in the Quarter: Australia Capital Cities data is updated quarterly, averaging 3.500 % from Mar 2005 (Median) to Dec 2024, with 80 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 6.800 % in Jun 2005 and a record low of 1.900 % in Jun 2018. Average Annualised Wage Increases: Federal Agreement: Processed in the Quarter: Australia Capital Cities data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Department of Employment and Workplace Relations. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Australia – Table AU.G107: Average Annualized Wage Increases: Federal Agreement: by State.

This horizontal bar chart displays median age (year) by capital city using the aggregation average, weighted by population in Australia and New Zealand. The data is filtered where the date is 2021. The data is about countries per year.

Graph and download economic data for Geographical Outreach: Number of Branches in 3 Largest Cities, Excluding Headquarters, for Credit Unions and Financial Cooperatives for Australia (AUSFCBODULNUM) from 2004 to 2015 about branches, credit unions, Australia, financial, and depository institutions.

Land surface temperature (LST) maps, and urban heat island (UHI) maps, for Australian capital cities, calculated over summer 2018-19. The metadata and files (if any) are available to the public. Land surface temperature (LST) maps, and urban heat island (UHI) maps, for Australian capital cities, calculated over summer 2018-19. The metadata and files (if any) are available to the public.

A dataset indicating which days from 2004 to 2022 are public holidays in the eight Australian capital cities (Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra, Darwin, Hobart, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney). The dataset is attached in both .xlsx format and .rda format.

Each observation represent a date. Variables are included for the date, year, month, day, day of the week, name of the public holiday(s), binary markers for whether a public holiday occurs in the relevant city (1 if it does, missing otherwise), the number of capital cities where a public holiday occurs for a given day, and a binary TRUE/FALSE marker indicating if all cities have a public holiday.

Part-time holidays that only occur after 5pm, in particular New Year's Eve in some cities, are excluded. No public holidays are listed as occuring on a Sunday in Adelaide. Under the Holidays Act 1910, all Sundays are nominally public holidays in South Australia. In Hobart, public holidays were included for the Royal Hobart Regatta and Royal Hobart Show but not for Easter Tuesday; Easter Tuesday is only observed by the state public sector.

The data for each city was manually collected and combined from the state and territory government webpages included in the references. For any queries regarding this dataset, please do not hesitate to contact the author: matthew.borg@adelaide.edu.au.