According to the 2021 Australian census, 43.9 percent of Australians identified as Christian. By comparison, Islam and Buddhism both represented roughly five percent of the population respectively. Over a third of the population indicated that they had no religion, however this category also included secular and other spiritual beliefs.

When asked about their personal attitude towards various religions in Australia, ** percent of Australians surveyed had a negative attitude towards Muslims. Buddhists appeared to be least likely to elicit negative responses and around ** percent of respondents responded negatively to Christians.

 Islam in Australia

Muslims represent almost a quarter of the religious diversity in the Asia Pacific region and Australia’s neighbor, Indonesia, has the largest Muslim population in the world. In Australia, Islam is the second largest religious group but less than ***** percent of the population are Muslim, compared to over ** percent of the population identifying as Christian. The Australian Muslim community is very diverse, consisting of migrants from Bangladesh, Lebanon, Turkey, as well as Australian-born Muslims of European heritage.

 Australians increasingly less religious

The 2016 Australian census revealed that an ever-increasing number of Australians are selecting “no religion” in the optional census question on religious affiliation. This drop in religious affiliation is a common trend in many economically developed countries, although some of Australia’s minority religions like Islam and Buddhism are still showing some growth. In contrast, Christianity appears to be declining, especially amongst people under the age of **, an age group that also recorded higher numbers of people with no religion.

In 2021, over 11 million people in Australia affiliated with Christianity, making it the leading religious affiliation among the Australian population that year. In the younger age groups, the number of people who affiliated with secular beliefs, other spiritual beliefs, and no religious affiliation was greater than those who affiliated with Christianity.

Statistical Local Area (SLA) based data for Religion, 1986 census. Census counts were based on place of usual residence which; excludes overseas visitors; excludes Australians overseas; and excludes adjustment for under-enumeration. The data is by SLA 1986 boundaries. Periodicity: 5-Yearly. This data is ABS data (original geographic boundary cat. no. 1261.0.30.001 & census dictionary cat. no. 2102.0) used with permission from the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The tabular data was processed and supplied to AURIN by the Australian Data Archives. The cleaned, high resolution 1986 geographic boundaries are available from data.gov.au. For more information please refer to the 1986 Census Dictionary.

The 1981 Census Local Government Area Summary File (LGASF) presents summary characteristics of persons and their dwellings for every Local Government Area (LGA) in Australia for 1981. The census information is made up of 34 tables giving data for both persons and dwellings. This table contains data on religious denomination. Census counts were based on place of enumeration on census night which; includes overseas visitors; excludes Australians overseas; and excludes adjustment for under-enumeration. The data is by Local Government Area 1981 boundaries. Periodicity: 5-Yearly. This data is ABS data (cat. no. 2103.0 & original geographic boundary cat. no. 1261.0.30.001) used with permission from the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The tabular data was processed and supplied to AURIN by the Australian Data Archives. The cleaned, high resolution 1981 geographic boundaries are available from data.gov.au. For more information please refer to "Making Sense of Census 1981". Please note: Some LGAs were broken down into parts in the original LGA Summary File (e.g. CABONNE (S) (PART A), CABONNE (S) (PART B), CABONNE (S) (PART C)). AURIN has aggregated the data values for the LGA parts where this has occurred.

The 1991 Census Basic Community profiles present 57 tables containing summary characteristics of persons and/or dwellings for Census Collection Districts (CD) in Australia. This table contains data relating to religion by sex. Counts are of all persons, based on place of enumeration on census night which; includes overseas visitors; excludes Australians overseas; and excludes adjustment for under-enumeration. The data is by CD 1991 boundaries. Periodicity: 5-Yearly. This data is ABS data (cat. no. 2101.0 & original geographic boundary cat. no. 1261.0.30.001) used with permission from the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The tabular data was extracted from CDATA91 which was supplied to AURIN by the University of Melbourne. The cleaned, high resolution 1991 geographic boundaries are available from data.gov.au For more information please refer to the 1991 Census Dictionary

The 1991 Census Basic Community profiles present 57 tables containing summary characteristics of persons and/or dwellings for Statistical Local Areas (SLA) in Australia. This table contains data relating to religion by sex. Counts are of all persons, based on place of enumeration on census night which; includes overseas visitors; excludes Australians overseas; and excludes adjustment for under-enumeration. The data is by SLA 1991 boundaries. Periodicity: 5-Yearly. This data is ABS data (cat. no. 2101.0 & original geographic boundary cat. no. 1261.0.30.001) used with permission from the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The tabular data was processed and supplied to AURIN by the Australian Data Archives. The cleaned, high resolution 1991 geographic boundaries are available from data.gov.au. For more information please refer to the 1991 Census Dictionary. Please note: (a) Comprises 'Churches of Christ' and 'Churches of Christ Non-denominational'.

In 2021, almost 40 percent of Generation Z, or those aged 10 to 24 years at the time, were affiliated with Christianity in Australia. The largest share of Gen Z were not affiliated with any religion that year.

The 1981 Census Collection District Summary File (CDSF) presents summary characteristics of persons and their dwellings for every Collection District (CD) in Australia for 1981. The census information is made up of 34 tables giving data for both persons and dwellings. This table contains data on religious denomination. Census counts were based on place of enumeration on census night which; includes overseas visitors; excludes Australians overseas; and excludes adjustment for under-enumeration. The data is by Census Collection District 1981 boundaries. Periodicity: 5-Yearly. This data is ABS data (cat. no. 2103.0 & original geographic boundary cat. no. 1261.0.30.001) used with permission from the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The tabular data was processed and supplied to AURIN by the Australian Data Archives. The cleaned, high resolution 1981 geographic boundaries are available from data.gov.au. For more information please refer to "Making Sense of Census 1981".

SA3 based data for Religious Affiliation by Sex, in Place of Enumeration Profile (PEP), 2016 Census. Count of persons. The data is by SA3 2016 boundaries. Periodicity: 5-Yearly. Note: There are small random adjustments made to all cell values to protect the confidentiality of data. These adjustments may cause the sum of rows or columns to differ by small amounts from table totals. For more information visit the data source: http://www.abs.gov.au/census.

In 2021, just under ** percent of people in Australia identified as belonging to a Christian faith. Almost ** percent of people surveyed stated that they identified as having no religion.

SA1 based data for Religious Affiliation by Sex, for 2011 Census. Count of all persons on Census night based on place of usual residence. Data sourced from: http://www.abs.gov.au/census. For further information about these and related statistics, contact the National Information and Referral Services on 1300 135 070. Periodicity: 5-Yearly.

LGA based data for Religious Affiliation by Sex, in General Community Profile (GCP), 2016 Census. Count of persons. The data is by LGA 2016 boundaries. Periodicity: 5-Yearly. Note: There are small random adjustments made to all cell values to protect the confidentiality of data. These adjustments may cause the sum of rows or columns to differ by small amounts from table totals. For more information visit the data source: http://www.abs.gov.au/census.

SA2 based data for Religious Affiliation by Sex, in General Community Profile (GCP), 2016 Census. Count of persons. The data is by SA2 2016 boundaries. Periodicity: 5-Yearly. Note: There are small random adjustments made to all cell values to protect the confidentiality of data. These adjustments may cause the sum of rows or columns to differ by small amounts from table totals. For more information visit the data source: http://www.abs.gov.au/census.

SA1 based data for Religious Affiliation by Sex, in Place of Enumeration Profile (PEP), 2016 Census. Count of persons. The data is by SA1 2016 boundaries. Periodicity: 5-Yearly. Note: There are small random adjustments made to all cell values to protect the confidentiality of data. These adjustments may cause the sum of rows or columns to differ by small amounts from table totals. For more information visit the data source: http://www.abs.gov.au/census.

In 2023, ** percent of those surveyed in Australia held a very positive attitude towards Christians. Only ***** percent had a very positive attitude towards Muslims in the same year.

This dataset presents a range of data items sourced from a wide variety of collections, both Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) and non-ABS. The data is derived from the November 2024 release of Data by region. Individual data items present the latest reference year data available on Data by region. This layer presents data by Local Government Areas (LGA), 2021.

The Population and people theme is based on groupings of data within Data by region. Concepts, sources and methods for each dataset can be found on the Data by region methodology page.

The Population and people theme includes:

  Estimated resident population (including age by sex)
  Births and deaths
  Internal and overseas migration
  Census data

When analysing these statistics:

Time periods, definitions, methodologies, scope, and coverage can differ across collections.
Some data values have been randomly adjusted or suppressed to avoid the release of confidential data, this means

    some small cells have been randomly set to zero
    care should be taken when interpreting cells with small numbers or zeros.

Data and geography references

Source data publication: Data by region Geographic boundary information: Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS) Edition 3 Further information: Data by region methodology, reference period 2011-24 Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS)

Made possible by the Digital Atlas of Australia

The Digital Atlas of Australia is a key Australian Government initiative being led by Geoscience Australia, highlighted in the Data and Digital Government Strategy. It brings together trusted datasets from across government in an interactive, secure, and easy-to-use geospatial platform. The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) is working in partnership with Geoscience Australia to establish a set of web services to make ABS data available in the Digital Atlas of Australia.

Contact the Australian Bureau of Statistics

Email 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 Statistics Read how the ABS manages personal information - ABS privacy policy.

Employment statistics on the Religious Services industry in Australia

This dataset presents a range of data items sourced from a wide variety of collections, both Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) and non-ABS. The data is derived from the November 2024 release of Data by region. Individual data items present the latest reference year data available on Data by region. This layer presents data by Statistical Areas Level 2 (SA2), 2021.

The Population and people theme is based on groupings of data within Data by region. Concepts, sources and methods for each dataset can be found on the Data by region methodology page.

The Population and people theme includes:

  Estimated resident population (including age by sex)
  Births and deaths
  Internal and overseas migration
  Census data

When analysing these statistics:

Time periods, definitions, methodologies, scope, and coverage can differ across collections.
Some data values have been randomly adjusted or suppressed to avoid the release of confidential data, this means

    some small cells have been randomly set to zero
    care should be taken when interpreting cells with small numbers or zeros.

Data and geography references

Source data publication: Data by region Geographic boundary information: Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS) Edition 3 Further information: Data by region methodology, reference period 2011-24 Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS)

Made possible by the Digital Atlas of Australia

The Digital Atlas of Australia is a key Australian Government initiative being led by Geoscience Australia, highlighted in the Data and Digital Government Strategy. It brings together trusted datasets from across government in an interactive, secure, and easy-to-use geospatial platform. The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) is working in partnership with Geoscience Australia to establish a set of web services to make ABS data available in the Digital Atlas of Australia.

Contact the Australian Bureau of Statistics

Email 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 Statistics Read how the ABS manages personal information - ABS privacy policy.

LGA based data for Religion by Sex, in Time Series Profile, 1996 Census. Count of all persons in 1986, 1991 and 1996 census years. T10 is broken up into two sections (T10A-T10B) this section covers ‘Census 1986 - judaism male’ - ‘Census 1996 - total persons’. The data is by LGA 1996 boundaries. Periodicity: 5-Yearly. This data is ABS data (geographic boundary cat. no. 1261.0.30.001 & census dictionary cat. no. 2901.0) used with permission from the Australian Bureau of Statistics. For more information visit the ABS .