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.

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

The Population Health Area (PHA) data include totals for the Greater Capital City Statistical Areas/ Rest of States/NT, States/ Territories and Australia; and for the Statistical Areas Level 3 and …Show full descriptionThe Population Health Area (PHA) data include totals for the Greater Capital City Statistical Areas/ Rest of States/NT, States/ Territories and Australia; and for the Statistical Areas Level 3 and Level 4. Attribution: Torrens University Australia

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

Population density metrics for 2011 Statistical Area Level 2 (SA2) within 2011 Greater Capital City Statistical Areas (GCCSA), including SA2 Population-weighted density (PWD) for 2011 and 2014, PWD change 2011-2014, and ERP population counts by density classes. Selected Density Classes were based on the Australian Population Density Grid published by the ABS, December 2014 (cat. no. 1270.0.55.007). Corresponding population metrics for 2011 GCCSAs. PWD using standardised 1km grid cells provides a more comparable measure of the density in larger regions. It does this by weighting the density using the proportion of population living at that density. In this way the density measure reflects the density at which people actually live. This removes the effect of large unpopulated areas that may be within the regions being compared. In this way comparisons between regions are more valid.

The map service can be viewed at http://soe.terria.io/#share=s-AgXEN0N0Q95icRW7M9JIC9IYBdE

Downloadable spatial data also available below.

Map prepared by the ABS and presented as Figure BLT3 in Built environment theme of the 2016 State of the Environment Report, available at http://www.soe.environment.gov.au.

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

The Metropolitan Accessibility/Remoteness Index of Australia (Metro ARIA), developed by the Hugo Centre for Migration and Population Research (previously APMRC) and sponsored by the Australian Urban Research Infrastructure Network (AURIN), provides a nationally consistent and comparable dataset that quantifies geographic accessibility within the metropolitan area. SA1 Metro ARIA is for the year 2015. Spatial coverage is the 2011 ABS Urban Centre boundaries for each of the eight Australian Capital Cities.

Figure BLT34 in Built environment. See; https://soe.environment.gov.au/theme/built-environment/topic/2016/livability-transport#built-environment-figure-BLT34

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

This data collection contains de-identified clinical health service utilisation data from Bendigo Health and the General Practitioners Practices associated with the Loddon Mallee Murray Medicare Local. The collection also includes associated population health data from the ABS, AIHW and the Municipal Health Plans. Health researchers have a major interest in how clinical data can be used to monitor population health and health care in rural and regional Australia through analysing a broad range of factors shown to impact the health of different populations. The Population Health data collection provides students, managers, clinicians and researchers the opportunity to use clinical data in the study of population health, including the analysis of health risk factors, disease trends and health care utilisation and outcomes.Temporal range (data time period):2004 to 2014Spatial coverage:Bendigo Latitude -36.758711200000010000, Bendigo Longitude 144.283745899999990000

The Metropolitan Accessibility/Remoteness Index of Australia (Metro ARIA), developed by the Hugo Centre for Migration and Population Research (previously APMRC) and sponsored by the Australian Urban Research Infrastructure Network (AURIN), provides a nationally consistent and comparable dataset that quantifies geographic accessibility within the metropolitan area. SA1 Metro ARIA is for the year 2015. Spatial coverage is the 2011 ABS Urban Centre boundaries for each of the eight Australian Capital Cities. Figure BLT34 in Built environment. See; https://soe.environment.gov.au/theme/built-environment/topic/2016/livability-transport#built-environment-figure-BLT34

This table contains shelter indicators (homelessness of city population) for ACT (SA3) and surrounding NSW Councils (LGA) from ABS estimate of homelessness based on the 2011 Census of Population and …Show full descriptionThis table contains shelter indicators (homelessness of city population) for ACT (SA3) and surrounding NSW Councils (LGA) from ABS estimate of homelessness based on the 2011 Census of Population and Housing. Copyright attribution: University of Canberra - National Centre for Social and Economic Modelling, (2014): ; accessed from AURIN on 12/3/2020. Licence type: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0)

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

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

The rent price index in Australia in the first quarter of 2025 was *****, marking an increase from the same quarter of the previous year. Rent prices had decreased in 2020; in Melbourne and Sydney, this was mainly attributed to the absence of international students during the coronavirus outbreak. The current state of the rental market in Australia The rental market in Australia has been marked by varying conditions across different regions. Among the capital cities, Sydney has long been recognized for having some of the highest average rents. As of March 2025, the average weekly rent for a house in Sydney was *** Australian dollars, which was the highest average rent across all major cities in Australia that year. Furthermore, due to factors like population growth and housing demand, regional areas have also seen noticeable increases in rental prices. For instance, households in the non-metropolitan area of New South Wales’ expenditure on rent was around ** percent of their household income in the year ending June 2024. Housing affordability in Australia Housing affordability remains a significant challenge in Australia, contributing to a trend where many individuals and families rent for prolonged periods. The underlying cause of this issue is the ongoing disparity between household wages and housing costs, especially in large cities. While renting offers several advantages, it is worth noting that the associated costs may not always align with the expectation of affordability. Approximately one-third of participants in a recent survey stated that they pay between ** and ** percent of their monthly income on rent. Recent government initiatives, such as the 2024 Help to Buy scheme, aim to make it easier for people across Australia to get onto the property ladder. Still, the multifaceted nature of Australia’s housing affordability problem requires continued efforts to strike a balance between market dynamics and the need for accessible housing options for Australians.

The statistic depicts Australia's gross domestic product (GDP) from 1987 to 2024, with projections up until 2030. In 2024, GDP in Australia amounted to about 1.8 trillion US dollars. See global GDP for a global comparison. Australia’s economy and population Australia’s gross domestic product has been growing steadily, and all in all, Australia and its economic key factors show a well-set country. Australia is among the countries with the largest gross domestic product / GDP worldwide, and thus one of the largest economies. It was one of the few countries not severely stricken by the 2008 financial crisis; its unemployment rate, inflation rate and trade balance, for example, were hardly affected at all. In fact, the trade balance of Australia – a country’s exports minus its imports – has been higher than ever since 2010, with a slight dip in 2012. Australia mainly exports wine and agricultural products to countries like China, Japan or South Korea. One of Australia’s largest industries is tourism, which contributes a significant share to its gross domestic product. Almost half of approximately 23 million Australian residents are employed nowadays, life expectancy is increasing, and the fertility rate (the number of children born per woman) has been quite stable. A look at the distribution of the world population by continent shows that Australia is ranked last in terms of population and population density. Most of Australia's population lives at the coast in metropolitan areas, since parts of the continent are uninhabitable. Unsurprisingly, Australia is known as a country with very high living standards, four of its biggest cities – Melbourne, Adelaide, Sydney and Perth – are among the most livable cities worldwide.

As of October 2024, around ****** Japanese residents lived in Sydney, marking ***** consecutive years of growth. Australia was one of the countries with the highest number of Japanese residents.

Australia's café and restaurant scene continues to thrive, with New South Wales leading the way with over 19,225 establishments in operation at the end of the 2024 financial year. The second-leading state in terms of the number of cafés and restaurants was Victoria. As Australia's two largest states in terms of population, the concentration of food service establishments in New South Wales and Victoria mirrors Australia's population distribution, reflecting the urban-centric nature of the country's café and restaurant landscape. Gastronomy: a key economic sector In recent years, the number of cafés and restaurants throughout the country has shown relatively consistent growth, exceeding 55,700 in the 2024 financial year, up from approximately 41,570 in 2017. Australia's cafés, restaurants, and takeaway food services turnover experienced steady annual increases for many years up until the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Nevertheless, since 2021, the industry's revenue has been on the recovery, hitting a record of over 65 billion Australian dollars in 2024. Additionally, food services represent a key source of gross value added to the tourism industry. An added boost from coffee Coffee plays an important role in the Australian food service sector, with the beverage topping the list of regularly consumed drinks among Australians in a 2024 survey. Several international chains like McCafé operate alongside popular domestic coffee franchises, including The Coffee Club, in the country. Alongside this, the country's annual domestic coffee consumption remains robust, consistently exceeding two million sixty-kilogram bags in recent years, underscoring the enduring nature of Australia's coffee culture. Nonetheless, recent cost-of-living pressures have led to a shift in consumer behavior, with more Australians opting to brew their coffee at home.