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.

Urban population growth (annual %) in Australia was reported at 2.2035 % in 2024, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Australia - Urban population growth (annual %) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on July of 2025.

The total population in Australia was estimated at 27.4 million people in 2024, according to the latest census figures and projections from Trading Economics. This dataset provides - Australia Population - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

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.

Population growth (annual %) in Australia was reported at 2.05 % in 2024, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Australia - Population growth (annual %) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on July of 2025.

Australia Population Change: Natural Increase: Victoria data was reported at 9,689.000 Person in Sep 2024. This records an increase from the previous number of 6,789.000 Person for Jun 2024. Australia Population Change: Natural Increase: Victoria data is updated quarterly, averaging 7,997.500 Person from Jun 1981 (Median) to Sep 2024, with 174 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 12,302.000 Person in Mar 2024 and a record low of 4,646.000 Person in Dec 2023. Australia Population Change: Natural Increase: 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.G003: Population Change.

Since the mid-1970s, Australia's population growth rate has remained fairly constant, fluctuating between one and two percent annual change in most years. Australia's crude birth rate has consistently been higher than its death rate during this time, which means that the population grows naturally and is not dependent on migration - however, Australia has historically been one of the most popular destinations for migrants, who are also responsible for a large share of this change.

Population Change: Natural Increase: South Australia data was reported at 128.000 Person in Sep 2024. This records a decrease from the previous number of 958.000 Person for Jun 2024. Population Change: Natural Increase: South Australia data is updated quarterly, averaging 1,756.500 Person from Jun 1981 (Median) to Sep 2024, with 174 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 2,801.000 Person in Mar 1984 and a record low of 128.000 Person in Sep 2024. Population Change: Natural Increase: South Australia 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.G003: Population Change.

Key information about Australia population

• The Australia population reached 27.0 million people in Dec 2023, compared with the previously reported figure of 26.3 million people in Dec 2022
• The data reached an all-time high of 27.0 million people in Dec 2023 and a record low of 8.2 million people in Dec 1950

• In the latest reports, Australia Unemployment Rate dropped to 3.9 % in Nov 2024
• Monthly earnings of the Australia population was 3,744.1 USD in Nov 2023
• Australia Labour Force Participation Rate increased to 67.1 % in Nov 2024

Australia Population Change: Change Over Previous Quarter data was reported at 115,027.000 Person in Sep 2024. This records an increase from the previous number of 85,555.000 Person for Jun 2024. Australia Population Change: Change Over Previous Quarter data is updated quarterly, averaging 65,272.000 Person from Sep 1981 (Median) to Sep 2024, with 173 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 194,017.000 Person in Mar 2023 and a record low of -15,907.000 Person in Sep 2020. Australia Population Change: Change Over Previous Quarter 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.G003: Population Change.

Population Change: Net Overseas Migration: Western Australia data was reported at 11,564.000 Person in Sep 2024. This records an increase from the previous number of 7,957.000 Person for Jun 2024. Population Change: Net Overseas Migration: Western Australia data is updated quarterly, averaging 3,972.000 Person from Jun 1981 (Median) to Sep 2024, with 174 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 20,995.000 Person in Mar 2023 and a record low of -2,317.000 Person in Sep 2020. Population Change: Net Overseas Migration: Western Australia 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.G003: Population Change.

Australia Population Change: Natural Increase: Queensland data was reported at 4,469.000 Person in Sep 2024. This records a decrease from the previous number of 5,533.000 Person for Jun 2024. Australia Population Change: Natural Increase: Queensland data is updated quarterly, averaging 6,616.000 Person from Jun 1981 (Median) to Sep 2024, with 174 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 10,084.000 Person in Mar 2012 and a record low of 4,405.000 Person in Dec 2023. Australia Population Change: Natural Increase: 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.G003: Population Change.

Australia Population: Resident: Estimated: Female: State: Victoria data was reported at 3,546,128.000 Person in Sep 2024. This records an increase from the previous number of 3,528,585.000 Person for Jun 2024. Australia Population: Resident: Estimated: Female: State: Victoria data is updated quarterly, averaging 2,461,061.000 Person from Jun 1981 (Median) to Sep 2024, with 174 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 3,546,128.000 Person in Sep 2024 and a record low of 1,988,200.000 Person in Jun 1981. Australia Population: Resident: Estimated: Female: 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.

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 July of 2025.

As of June 2024, about 13.69 million females and 13.5 million males lived in Australia. The population of both sexes has been increasing consistently with slightly more females than males.

Graph and download economic data for Population Growth for Australia (SPPOPGROWAUS) from 1961 to 2024 about Australia, population, and rate.

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.

Civilian Population: Married: 15 Years & Over: 40-44 Years data was reported at 1,442.398 Person th in Feb 2025. This records an increase from the previous number of 1,426.951 Person th for Jan 2025. Civilian Population: Married: 15 Years & Over: 40-44 Years data is updated monthly, averaging 1,104.938 Person th from Feb 1978 (Median) to Feb 2025, with 565 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 1,442.914 Person th in Dec 2024 and a record low of 659.470 Person th in Jun 1978. Civilian Population: Married: 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.

Rural population (% of total population) in Australia was reported at 13.38 % in 2023, 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 July of 2025.

Transport for NSW provides projections of population and dwellings at the small area (Travel Zone or TZ) level for NSW. The latest version is Travel Zone Projections 2024 (TZP24), released in January 2025.\r \r TZP24 replaces the previously published TZP22.\r \r The projections are developed to support a strategic view of NSW and are aligned with the NSW Government Common Planning Assumptions .\r \r The TZP24 Population & Dwellings Projections dataset covers the following variables:\r \r * Estimated Resident Population\r \r * Structural Private Dwellings (Regional NSW only)\r \r * Population in Occupied Private Dwellings, by 5-year Age categories & by Sex\r \r * Population in Non-Private Dwellings\r \r The projections in this release, TZP24, are presented annually from 2021 to 2031 and 5-yearly from 2031 to 2066, and are in TZ21 geography.\r \r Please note, TZP24 is based on best available data as at early 2024, and the projections incorporate results of the National Census conducted by the ABS in August 2021.\r \r Key Data Inputs used in TZP24:\r \r * 2024 NSW Population Projections – NSW Department of Planning, Housing & Infrastructure\r \r * 2021 Census data - Australian Bureau of Statistics (including dwellings by occupancy, total dwellings by Mesh Block, household sizes, private dwellings by occupancy, population age and gender, persons by place of usual residence)\r \r For a summary of the TZP24 projection method please refer to the TZP24 Factsheet .\r \r For more detail on the projection process please refer to the TZP24 Technical Guide . \r \r Additional land use information for workforce and employment as well as Travel Zone 2021 boundaries for NSW (TZ21) and concordance files are also available for download on the Open Data Hub.\r \r Visualisations of the population projections are available on the Transport for NSW Website under Data and research/Reference Information .\r \r Cautions\r \r The TZP24 dataset represents one view of the future aligned with the NSW Government Common Planning Assumptions and population and employment projections.\r \r The projections are not based on specific assumptions about future new transport infrastructure but do take into account known land-use developments underway or planned, and strategic plans.\r \r *\tTZP24 is a strategic state-wide dataset and caution should be exercised when considering results at detailed breakdowns.\r \r *\tThe TZP24 outputs represent a point in time set of projections (as at early 2024).\r \r *\tThe projections are not government targets.\r \r *\tTravel Zone (TZ) level outputs are projections only and should be used as a guide. As with all small area data, aggregating of travel zone projections to higher geographies leads to more robust results.\r \r *\tAs a general rule, TZ-level projections are illustrative of a possible future only.\r \r *\tMore specific advice about data reliability for the specific variables projected is provided in the “Read Me” page of the Excel format summary spreadsheets on the TfNSW Open Data Hub.\r \r *\tCaution is advised when comparing TZP24 with the previous set of projections (TZP22) due to addition of new data sources for the most recent years, and adjustments to methodology.\r \r Further cautions and notes can be found in the TZP24 Technical Guide\r \r Important note: \r \r The Department of Planning, Housing & Infrastructure (DPHI) published the 2024 NSW Population Projections in November 2024. As per DPHI’s published projections, the following variables are excluded from the published TZP24 Population and Dwellings Projections:\r \r *\tStructural Private Dwellings for Travel Zones in 43 councils across Greater Sydney, Illawarra-Shoalhaven, Central Coast, Lower Hunter and Greater Newcastle\r \r *\tOccupied Private Dwellings for Travel Zones in NSW.\r \r Furthermore, in TZP24, the Structural Private Dwellings variable aligns with the 2024 Implied Dwelling projections while the Occupied Private Dwellings variable aligns with the 2024 Households projections at SA2 level prepared by DPHI.\r \r The above variables are available upon request by contacting model.selection@transport.nsw.gov.au - Attention Place Forecasting.