There has been a continued upward trend in the population share of active social media users in Australia. As of February 2022, approximately **** percent of the Australian population were active users compared to just ** percent in 2015. Preferred social media brands and most popular activities Facebook was the most popular social media brand in Australia in 2019, with ** percent saying they used the platform the most often. Elsewhere, ** percent said they used Instagram and six percent used Snapchat. Social media is used by Australians for a variety of activities. The most popular use is as a means of communication, with over **** of users regularly sending private messages and ** percent commenting on posts. Active users also post pictures and videos, with ** percent of users saying they have posted visual content. When do Australians use social media? In 2018, most social media use took place during Australians free time; ** percent said they used social media platforms in the evening, ** percent were first thing in the morning users, and ** percent said they logged on during breaks. Interestingly, when it comes to users being banned from social media, just over **** said in 2019 that they somewhat agree that bans are ineffective.

Females and males aged 25 to 34 constituted the largest share of active Facebook users in Australia as of October 2024. Both females and males in that age bracket made up approximately **** percent. Facebook: the world’s favorite online hangout Facebook continues to rank as the world’s most popular social network. With just over ***** billion users in a worldwide population of around eight billion people, Facebook has left its mark on the modern world - and its wallet. In 2021, Facebook’s owner Meta, formerly Facebook Inc, generated over *** billion dollars in revenue, a figure which has continued to soar since Facebook’s inception in 2004. Advertising and Meta’s family of apps, which among others includes Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, have made up the majority of the company’s revenue in recent years. The internet as a source of hope  ‘Screen time’, or time spent using a device such as a phone, computer, television, or video game console, often gets a bad name. The average Australian spends close to ***** hours daily surfing the internet on a mobile phone, which puts Australians above the world average for minutes spent on the internet on a mobile daily. With young people making up a significant portion of the internet-using population, it is reassuring to know that close to ** percent of young Australians also use the internet to seek help or information on issues important to them, like the environment, equity and discrimination, and mental health.

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.

As of June 2023, around 31.3 percent of the Australian population lived in New South Wales. In comparison, approximately one percent of the population lived in the Northern Territory.

In 2024, around ***** percent of Instagram users in Australia were females and aged between 25 and 34. Similarly, around ** percent of Instagram users in Australia were males and aged between 25 and 34.

Civilian Population: 15 Years & Over: 40-44 Years data was reported at 1,894.543 Person th in Mar 2025. This records an increase from the previous number of 1,888.899 Person th for Feb 2025. Civilian Population: 15 Years & Over: 40-44 Years data is updated monthly, averaging 1,472.048 Person th from Feb 1978 (Median) to Mar 2025, with 566 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 1,894.543 Person th in Mar 2025 and a record low of 766.994 Person th in Feb 1978. Civilian Population: 15 Years & Over: 40-44 Years 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.G001: Civilian Population: by Age, Sex and Status.

Civilian Population: Not Married: 15 Years & Over: 20-24 Years data was reported at 1,550.393 Person th in Mar 2025. This records an increase from the previous number of 1,539.390 Person th for Feb 2025. Civilian Population: Not Married: 15 Years & Over: 20-24 Years data is updated monthly, averaging 1,090.479 Person th from Feb 1978 (Median) to Mar 2025, with 566 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 1,555.382 Person th in Nov 2024 and a record low of 719.159 Person th in Feb 1978. Civilian Population: Not Married: 15 Years & Over: 20-24 Years 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.G001: Civilian Population: by Age, Sex and Status.

There were 14 949 900 Instagram users in Australia in July 2025, which accounted for 54.4% of its entire population. The majority of them were women - 55%. People aged 25 to 34 were the largest user group (4 600 000). The highest difference between men and women occurs within people aged 45 to 54, where women lead by 798 000.

Urban population (% of total population) in Australia was reported at 86.75 % in 2024, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Australia - Urban population (% of total) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on September of 2025.

The DSS Payment Demographic data set is made up of:

Selected DSS payment data by

• Geography: state/territory, electorate, postcode, LGA and SA2 (for 2015 onwards)

• Demographic: age, sex and Indigenous/non-Indigenous

• Duration on Payment (Working Age & Pensions)

• Duration on Income Support (Working Age, Carer payment & Disability Support Pension)

• Rate (Working Age & Pensions)

• Earnings (Working Age & Pensions)

• Age Pension assets data

• JobSeeker Payment and Youth Allowance (other) Principal Carers

• Activity Tested Recipients by Partial Capacity to Work (NSA,PPS & YAO)

• Exits within 3, 6 and 12 months (Newstart Allowance/JobSeeker Payment, Parenting Payment, Sickness Allowance & Youth Allowance)

• Disability Support Pension by medical condition

• Care Receiver by medical conditions

• Commonwealth Rent Assistance by Payment type and Income Unit type have been added from March 2017. For further information about Commonwealth Rent Assistance and Income Units see the Data Descriptions and Glossary included in the dataset.

From December 2022, the "DSS Expanded Benefit and Payment Recipient Demographics – quarterly data" publication has introduced expanded reporting populations for income support recipients. As a result, the reporting population for Jobseeker Payment and Special Benefit has changed to include recipients who are current but on zero rate of payment and those who are suspended from payment. The reporting population for ABSTUDY, Austudy, Parenting Payment and Youth Allowance has changed to include those who are suspended from payment. The expanded report will replace the standard report after June 2023.

Additional data for DSS Expanded Benefit and Payment Recipient Demographics – quarterly data includes:

• A new contents page to assist users locate the information within the spreadsheet

• Additional data for the ‘Suspended’ population in the ‘Payment by Rate’ tab to enable users to calculate the old reporting rules.

• Additional information on the Employment Earning by ‘Income Free Area’ tab.

From December 2022, Services Australia have implemented a change in the Centrelink payment system to recognise gender other than the sex assigned at birth or during infancy, or as a gender which is not exclusively male or female. To protect the privacy of individuals and comply with confidentialisation policy, persons identifying as ‘non-binary’ will initially be grouped with ‘females’ in the period immediately following implementation of this change. The Department will monitor the implications of this change and will publish the ‘non-binary’ gender category as soon as privacy and confidentialisation considerations allow.

Local Government Area has been updated to reflect the Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS) 2022 boundaries from June 2023.

Commonwealth Electorate Division has been updated to reflect the Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS) 2021 boundaries from June 2023.

SA2 has been updated to reflect the Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS) 2021 boundaries from June 2023.

From December 2021, the following are included in the report:

• selected payments by work capacity, by various demographic breakdowns

• rental type and homeownership

• Family Tax Benefit recipients and children by payment type

• Commonwealth Rent Assistance by proportion eligible for the maximum rate

• an age breakdown for Age Pension recipients

For further information, please see the Glossary.

From June 2021, data on the Paid Parental Leave Scheme is included yearly in June releases. This includes both Parental Leave Pay and Dad and Partner Pay, across multiple breakdowns. Please see Glossary for further information.

From March 2017 the DSS demographic dataset will include top 25 countries of birth. For further information see the glossary.

From March 2016 machine readable files containing the three geographic breakdowns have also been published for use in National Map, links to these datasets are below:

• Statistical Area 2 - SA2

• Commonwealth Electoral Division - CED

• Local Government Area - LGA

Pre June 2014 Quarter Data contains:

Selected DSS payment data by

• Geography: state/territory; electorate; postcode and LGA

• Demographic: age, sex and Indigenous/non-Indigenous

Note: JobSeeker Payment replaced Newstart Allowance and other working age payments from 20 March 2020, for further details see: https://www.dss.gov.au/benefits-payments/jobseeker-payment

For data on DSS payment demographics as at June 2013 or earlier, the department has published data which was produced annually. Data is provided by payment type containing timeseries’, state, gender, age range, and various other demographics. Links to these publications are below:

• Statistical Paper series

Concession card data in the March and June 2020 quarters have been re-stated to address an over-count in reported cardholder numbers.

28/06/2024 – The March 2024 and December 2023 reports were republished with updated data in the ‘Carer Receivers by Med Condition’ section, updates are exclusive to the ‘Care Receivers of Carer Payment recipients’ table, under ‘Intellectual / Learning’ and ‘Circulatory System’ conditions only.

There were 22 800 000 Facebook users in Australia in June 2025, which accounted for 82.9% of its entire population. The majority of them were women - 52.6%. People aged 25 to 34 were the largest user group (6 100 000). The highest difference between men and women occurs within people aged 65 and above, where women lead by 1 100 000.

As of June 2023, in the state of Western Australia in Australia, about 7.7 percent of the population was between 35 and 39 years old. In comparison, just 1.9 percent of the population was over the age of 85.

Civilian Population: Not Married: 15 Years & Over data was reported at 9,727.998 Person th in Feb 2025. This records a decrease from the previous number of 9,764.996 Person th for Jan 2025. Civilian Population: Not Married: 15 Years & Over data is updated monthly, averaging 6,284.264 Person th from Feb 1978 (Median) to Feb 2025, with 565 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 9,764.996 Person th in Jan 2025 and a record low of 3,839.425 Person th in Feb 1978. Civilian Population: Not Married: 15 Years & Over 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.G001: Civilian Population: by Age, Sex and Status.

Rural population (% of total population) in Australia was reported at 13.25 % in 2024, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Australia - Rural population - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on September of 2025.

Population density (people per sq. km of land area) in Australia was reported at 3.382 sq. Km in 2022, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Australia - Population density (people per sq. km) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on September of 2025.

Population ages 0-14, male (% of male population) in Australia was reported at 18.48 % in 2024, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Australia - Population ages 0-14, male (% of total) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on September of 2025.

Australia: Percent of world population: The latest value from 2023 is 0.33 percent, unchanged from 0.33 percent in 2022. In comparison, the world average is 0.51 percent, based on data from 196 countries. Historically, the average for Australia from 1960 to 2023 is 0.33 percent. The minimum value, 0.31 percent, was reached in 1997 while the maximum of 0.35 percent was recorded in 1962.

Estimated Resident Population (ERP) is the official measure of the Australian population. ERP for sub-state regions (including SA2s and LGAs) is published annually, with a reference date of 30 June. ERP is the official measure of the Australian population, based on the concept of usual residence. It refers to all people, regardless of nationality, citizenship or legal status, who usually live in Australia, with the exception of foreign diplomatic personnel and their families. Note, years 2012-2016 describe preliminary rebased (PR) data. For more information about PR refer to the dataset's Explanatory Notes. This dataset has been compiled using Census data, mathematical models and a range of indicator data. Current indicators include building approvals, Medicare enrolments (provided by the Department of Human Services) and electoral enrolments (provided by the Australian Electoral Commission). Data is sourced from: ABS.Stat and further information is available at http://stat.data.abs.gov.au/Index.aspx?DataSetCode=ABS_ERP_LGA2016. For additional information about this dataset and other related statistics, contact the National Information and Referral Service on 1300 135 070.

Population, total in Australia was reported at 27204809 in 2024, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Australia - Population, total - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on September of 2025.

The ABS Australian population grid 2023 was created using 2023 Estimated Residential Population (ERP) data at the SA1 level. The SA1 level ERP data was then modelled down to a 1km x 1km grid across geographic Australia using various point layers that represent population. The value of each grid cell represents the population density (number of people per square kilometre) in that 1km x 1km cell. This is modelled data and caution must be used in its interpretation, as the population has NOT been measured at the 1km cell level. SA1s are defined by the Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS) Edition 3 (2021) and the grid used is based on the National Nested Grid Standard.Data and geography notes:Source data publication: Regional population, 2022-23Geographic boundary information: Statistical Areas Level 1 (SA1)(2021) - Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS) Edition 3, National Nested Grid StandardAdditional data inputs: ABS Address Register, Indigenous Community Points (ICP)Further information: Regional population methodologySource: Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) www.abs.gov.auProcessing steps:A subset of the Address Register was created to represent residential addresses as closely as possible. Indigenous Community Points were included where no AR point existed. SA1 centroid points were included where no AR or ICP point existed within an SA1. All these layers were combined into a single point layer (Allpoints).The Allpoints layer was overlaid with the ASGS 2021 SA1 boundaries to give every point an SA1 code. Points without an SA1 code (outside all SA1 regions) were dropped.Estimated Resident Population by SA1 (ERP) was averaged across all points within each SA1.Points were converted to raster using the National Nested grid as template. Point population values falling within each raster cell were summed.