As of June 2023, there were approximately 8.33 million residents in the New South Wales region in Australia. In comparison, there were around 252 thousand residents in the Northern Territory region.

As of December 2023, the proportion of the Australian population that lived in New South Wales amounted to 31.3 percent. The Northern Territory had the least number of residents in the country, with less than one percent of the population residing there.

Population: Resident: Estimated: Male: State: Australian Capital Territory data was reported at 234,087.000 Person in Sep 2024. This records an increase from the previous number of 233,445.000 Person for Jun 2024. Population: Resident: Estimated: Male: State: Australian Capital Territory data is updated quarterly, averaging 161,103.500 Person from Jun 1981 (Median) to Sep 2024, with 174 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 234,087.000 Person in Sep 2024 and a record low of 113,605.000 Person in Jun 1981. Population: Resident: Estimated: Male: State: Australian Capital Territory 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.

Quarterly estimates of total resident population for states, territories and Australia. Includes estimates of the population by sex in five-year age groups; numbers (and some rates) of births, deaths, infant deaths, interstate and overseas movements; quarterly and/or annual time series spreadsheets; projected resident population for states, territories and Australia; and projected number of households for capital cities, states territories and Australia.

Australia Population: Resident: Estimated: Male: State: Victoria data was reported at 3,466,834.000 Person in Sep 2024. This records an increase from the previous number of 3,450,134.000 Person for Jun 2024. Australia Population: Resident: Estimated: Male: State: Victoria data is updated quarterly, averaging 2,393,558.000 Person from Jun 1981 (Median) to Sep 2024, with 174 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 3,466,834.000 Person in Sep 2024 and a record low of 1,958,717.000 Person in Jun 1981. Australia Population: Resident: Estimated: Male: State: 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.G002: Estimated Resident Population.

This data set contains the Australian Bureau of Statistics population data for Australian states and territories. Population data was collected as part of national census’ in 1991, 1996, 2001, 2006 …Show full descriptionThis data set contains the Australian Bureau of Statistics population data for Australian states and territories. Population data was collected as part of national census’ in 1991, 1996, 2001, 2006 and 2011. Data presented is the total population for all collection districts by place of enumeration. District Boundaries differed for each census and therefore were re-projected onto the 2011 population mesh blocks to standardise the spatial extent of the reporting areas. Given the focus of this project, population data was clipped by a 50km coastal buffer. Note: population data for census’ 1991 – 1996 - 2001 was purchased by NESP and is made publically available through by NESP Note: population data for 2006 and 2011 was downloaded through the ABS webportal. http://www.abs.gov.au/websitedbs/censushome.nsf/home/tablebuilder?opendocument&navpos=240 Note. 2006 Census district boundaries were downloaded from the ABS website http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/Lookup/2919.0.55.001Main+Features1Aug 2006?OpenDocument and 2011 population mesh blocks http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/mf/1270.0.55.001 This data contains geographical information in shape files that represent the population density in Australia, from 1991 to 2011. The data contains the summary polygon, state_code, cd_code19, 91_pop_dat (population count), area and density (in persons per km^2). For other data sets the count will be 96_pop_dat, 2001_pop_dat, 2006_pop_dat and 2011_pop_dat.

Estimated resident population (ERPs) is the official measure of the Australian population, published quarterly by the ABS. This dataset contains quarterly ERP by age, at state/territory and Australia level.

australia - Population Growth for Australia was 2.44747 % Chg. at Annual Rate in January of 2023, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, australia - Population Growth for Australia reached a record high of 2.44747 in January of 2023 and a record low of 0.14090 in January of 2021. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for australia - Population Growth for Australia - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on July of 2025.

Population: Resident: Estimated: Female: State: Australian Capital Territory data was reported at 241,557.000 Person in Sep 2024. This records an increase from the previous number of 240,410.000 Person for Jun 2024. Population: Resident: Estimated: Female: State: Australian Capital Territory data is updated quarterly, averaging 165,413.000 Person from Jun 1981 (Median) to Sep 2024, with 174 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 241,557.000 Person in Sep 2024 and a record low of 113,976.000 Person in Jun 1981. Population: Resident: Estimated: Female: State: Australian Capital Territory 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: Resident: Estimated: Female: State: New South Wales data was reported at 4,277,370.000 Person in Sep 2024. This records an increase from the previous number of 4,261,453.000 Person for Jun 2024. Australia Population: Resident: Estimated: Female: State: New South Wales data is updated quarterly, averaging 3,329,874.500 Person from Jun 1981 (Median) to Sep 2024, with 174 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 4,277,370.000 Person in Sep 2024 and a record low of 2,626,538.000 Person in Jun 1981. Australia Population: Resident: Estimated: Female: State: New South Wales 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.

The estimated resident population (ERP) is the official measure of the Australian population. This dataset contains annual ERP by country of birth, age and sex at the Australia level. At the …Show full descriptionThe estimated resident population (ERP) is the official measure of the Australian population. This dataset contains annual ERP by country of birth, age and sex at the Australia level. At the state/territory level it is available for Census years only.

Australia Population: Resident: Estimated: Male: State: Northern Territory data was reported at 129,604.000 Person in Sep 2024. This records an increase from the previous number of 129,254.000 Person for Jun 2024. Australia Population: Resident: Estimated: Male: State: Northern Territory data is updated quarterly, averaging 105,553.000 Person from Jun 1981 (Median) to Sep 2024, with 174 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 129,604.000 Person in Sep 2024 and a record low of 65,393.000 Person in Jun 1981. Australia Population: Resident: Estimated: Male: State: Northern Territory 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.

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.

Section of State (SOS)

Section of State (SOS) groups Urban Centres and Localities (UCLs) into classes of urban areas based on population size, and the remainder is rural.

There are four SOS identifiers which include:

• Major Urban - represents a combination of all Urban Centres with a population of 100,000 or more
• Other Urban - represents a combination of Urban Centres with a population between 1,000 and 99,999
• Bounded Localities - a population cluster of between 200 and 999 people. Classified as rural.
• Rural Balance - represents the remainder State/Territory

Using SOS with Census data

Use SOS if you are wanting to compare urban and rural areas. The ABS defines ‘Urban Australia’ as Major Urban + Other Urban and ‘Rural Australia’ as Bounded Localities + Rural Balance.

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Australian Bureau of Statistics (Jul2021-Jun2026), Data services and APIs, ABS Website, accessed 25 July 2023.

https://www.abs.gov.au/website-privacy-copyright-and-disclaimer#copyright-and-creative-commons

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.

Estimated resident population (ERPs) is the official measure of the Australian population, published quarterly by the ABS. This dataset contains quarterly ERP by age, at state/territory and …Show full descriptionEstimated resident population (ERPs) is the official measure of the Australian population, published quarterly by the ABS. This dataset contains quarterly ERP by age, at state/territory and Australia level.

Humans have been living on the continent of Australia (name derived from "Terra Australis"; Latin for "the southern land") for approximately 65,000 years, however population growth was relatively slow until the nineteenth century. Europeans had made some contact with Australia as early as 1606, however there was no significant attempt at settlement until the late eighteenth century. By 1800, the population of Australia was approximately 350,000 people, and the majority of these were Indigenous Australians. As colonization progressed the number of ethnic Europeans increased while the Australian Aboriginal population was decimated through conflict, smallpox and other diseases, with some communities being exterminated completely, such as Aboriginal Tasmanians. Mass migration from Britain and China After the loss of its American colonies in the 1780s, the British Empire looked to other parts of the globe to expand its sphere of influence. In Australia, the first colonies were established in Sydney, Tasmania and Western Australia. Many of these were penal colonies which became home to approximately 164,000 British and Irish convicts who were transported to Australia between 1788 and 1868. As the decades progressed, expansion into the interior intensified, and the entire country was claimed by Britain in 1826. Inland colonization led to further conflict between European settlers and indigenous Australians, which cost the lives of thousands of natives. Inward expansion also saw the discovery of many natural resources, and most notably led to the gold rushes of the 1850s, which attracted substantial numbers of Chinese migrants to Australia. This mass migration from non-European countries eventually led to some restrictive policies being introduced, culminating with the White Australia Policy of 1901, which cemented ethnic-European dominance in Australian politics and society. These policies were not retracted until the second half of the 1900s. Independent Australia Australia changed its status to a British dominion in 1901, and eventually became independent in 1931. Despite this, Australia has remained a part of the British Commonwealth, and Australian forces (ANZAC) fought with the British and their Allies in both World Wars, and were instrumental in campaigns such as Gallipoli in WWI, and the South West Pacific Theater in WWII. The aftermath of both wars had a significant impact on the Australian population, with approximately 90 thousand deaths in both world wars combined, as well as 15 thousand deaths as a result of the Spanish flu pandemic following WWI, although Australia experienced a significant baby boom following the Second World War. In the past fifty years, Australia has promoted immigration from all over the world, and now has one of the strongest economies and highest living standards in the world, with a population that has grown to over 25 million people in 2020.

Australia Population: Resident: Estimated: Male: State: Queensland data was reported at 2,777,470.000 Person in Sep 2024. This records an increase from the previous number of 2,765,211.000 Person for Jun 2024. Australia Population: Resident: Estimated: Male: State: Queensland data is updated quarterly, averaging 1,849,866.000 Person from Jun 1981 (Median) to Sep 2024, with 174 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 2,777,470.000 Person in Sep 2024 and a record low of 1,178,447.000 Person in Jun 1981. Australia Population: Resident: Estimated: Male: State: 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: Resident: Estimated: Male: State: Tasmania data was reported at 284,994.000 Person in Sep 2024. This records an increase from the previous number of 284,921.000 Person for Jun 2024. Australia Population: Resident: Estimated: Male: State: Tasmania data is updated quarterly, averaging 235,239.000 Person from Jun 1981 (Median) to Sep 2024, with 174 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 284,994.000 Person in Sep 2024 and a record low of 212,565.000 Person in Jun 1981. Australia Population: Resident: Estimated: Male: State: Tasmania 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.

These population projections were prepared by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) for Geoscience Australia. The projections are not official ABS data and are owned by Geoscience Australia. These projections are for Statistical Areas Level 2 (SA2s) and Local Government Areas (LGAs), and are projected out from a base population as at 30 June 2022, by age and sex. Projections are for 30 June 2023 to 2032, with results disaggregated by age and sex.

Method The cohort-component method was used for these projections. In this method, the base population is projected forward annually by calculating the effect of births, deaths and migration (the components) within each age-sex cohort according to the specified fertility, mortality and overseas and internal migration assumptions. The projected usual resident population by single year of age and sex was produced in four successive stages – national, state/territory, capital city/rest of state, and finally SA2s. Assumptions were made for each level and the resulting projected components and population are constrained to the geographic level above for each year.
These projections were derived from a combination of assumptions published in Population Projections, Australia, 2022 (base) to 2071 on 23 November 2023, and historical patterns observed within each state/territory.

Projections – capital city/rest of state regions The base population is 30 June 2022 Estimated Resident Population (ERP) as published in National, state and territory population, June 2022. For fertility, the total fertility rate (at the national level) is based on the medium assumption used in Population Projections, Australia, 2022 (base) to 2071, of 1.6 babies per woman being phased in from 2022 levels over five years to 2027, before remaining steady for the remainder of the projection span. Observed state/territory, and greater capital city level fertility differentials were applied to the national data so that established trends in the state and capital city/rest of state relativities were preserved. Mortality rates are based on the medium assumption used in Population Projections, Australia, 2022 (base) to 2071, and assume that mortality rates will continue to decline across Australia with state/territory differentials persisting. State/territory and capital city/rest of state differentials were used to ensure projected deaths are consistent with the historical trend. Annual net overseas migration (NOM) is based on the medium assumption used in Population Projections, Australia, 2022 (base) to 2071, with an assumed gain (at the national level) of 400,000 in 2022-23, increasing to 315,000 in 2023-24, then declining to 225,000 in 2026-27, after which NOM is assumed to remain constant. State and capital city/rest of state shares are based on a weighted average of NOM data from 2010 to 2019 at the state and territory level to account for the impact of COVID-19. For internal migration, net gains and losses from states and territories and capital city/rest of state regions are based on the medium assumption used in Population Projections, Australia, 2022 (base) to 2071, and assume that net interstate migration will trend towards long-term historic average flows.

Projections – Statistical Areas Level 2 The base population for each SA2 is the estimated resident population in each area by single year of age and sex, at 30 June 2022, as published in Regional population by age and sex, 2022 on 28 September 2023. The SA2-level fertility and mortality assumptions were derived by combining the medium scenario state/territory assumptions from Population Projections, Australia, 2022 (base) to 2071, with recent fertility and mortality trends in each SA2 based on annual births (by sex) and deaths (by age and sex) published in Regional Population, 2021-22 and Regional Population by Age and Sex, 2022. Assumed overseas and internal migration for each SA2 is based on SA2-specific annual overseas and internal arrivals and departures estimates published in Regional Population, 2021-22 and Regional Population by Age and Sex, 2022. The internal migration data was strengthened with SA2-specific data from the 2021 Census, based on the usual residence one year before Census night question. Assumptions were applied by SA2, age and sex. Assumptions were adjusted for some SA2s, to provide more plausible future population levels, and age and sex distribution changes, including areas where populations may not age over time, for example due to significant resident student and defence force populations. Most assumption adjustments were made via the internal migration component. For some SA2s with zero or a very small population base, but where significant population growth is expected, replacement migration age/sex profiles were applied. All SA2-level components and projected projections are constrained to the medium series of capital city/rest of state data in Population Projections, Australia, 2022 (base) to 2071.

Projections – Local Government Areas The base population for each LGA is the estimated resident population in each area by single year of age and sex, at 30 June 2022, as published in Regional population by age and sex, 2022 on 28 September 2023. Projections for 30 June 2023 to 2032 were created by converting from the SA2-level population projections to LGAs by age and sex. This was done using an age-specific population correspondence, where the data for each year of the projection span were converted based on 2021 population shares across SA2s. The LGA and SA2 projections are congruous in aggregation as well as in isolation. Unlike the projections prepared at SA2 level, no LGA-specific projection assumptions were used.

Nature of projections and considerations for usage The nature of the projection method and inherent fluctuations in population dynamics mean that care should be taken when using and interpreting the projection results. The projections are not forecasts, but rather illustrate future changes which would occur if the stated assumptions were to apply over the projection period. These projections do not attempt to allow for non-demographic factors such as major government policy decisions, economic factors, catastrophes, wars and pandemics, which may affect future demographic behaviour. To illustrate a range of possible outcomes, alternative projection series for national, state/territory and capital city/rest of state areas, using different combinations of fertility, mortality, overseas and internal migration assumptions, are prepared. Alternative series are published in Population Projections, Australia, 2022 (base) to 2071. Only one series of SA2-level projections was prepared for this product. Population projections can take account of planning and other decisions by governments known at the time the projections were derived, including sub-state projections published by each state and territory government. The ABS generally does not have access to the policies or decisions of commonwealth, state and local governments and businesses that assist in accurately forecasting small area populations. Migration, especially internal migration, accounts for the majority of projected population change for most SA2s. Volatile and unpredictable small area migration trends, especially in the short-term, can have a significant effect on longer-term projection results. Care therefore should be taken with SA2s with small total populations and very small age-sex cells, especially at older ages. While these projections are calculated at the single year of age level, small numbers, and fluctuations across individual ages in the base population and projection assumptions limit the reliability of SA2-level projections at single year of age level. These fluctuations reduce and reliability improves when the projection results are aggregated to broader age groups such as the five-year age bands in this product. For areas with small elderly populations, results aggregated to 65 and over are more reliable than for the individual age groups above 65. With the exception of areas with high planned population growth, SA2s with a base total population of less than 500 have generally been held constant for the projection period in this product as their populations are too small to be reliably projected at all, however their (small) age/sex distributions may change slightly. These SA2s are listed in the appendix. The base (2022) SA2 population estimates and post-2022 projections by age and sex include small artificial cells, including 1s and 2s. These are the result of a confidentialisation process and forced additivity, to control SA2 and capital city/rest of state age/sex totals, being applied to their original values. SA2s and LGAs in this product are based on the Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS) boundaries as at the 2021 Census (ASGS Edition 3). For further information, see Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS) Edition 3.

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.

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Data and geography references Source data publication: Population Projections, Australia, 2022 (base)