Profile of Australia's population

This page was written by the Centre for Population at Treasury for the AIHW.

Key changes in Australia’s population

Australia’s population was 27.6 million as at 30 June 2025, having grown around 1.4% a year, on average, over the past 3 decades, from 18.0 million at 30 June 1995.

Over the 30-year period:

• Net overseas migration was the main driver of population growth, and has increased from a net inflow of 80,000 people in 1994–95 to 305,000 people in 2024–25.
• Natural increase (births minus deaths) fell from 132,000 people in 1994–95 to 115,000 people in 2024–25.
• The number of deaths (which has increased from 126,000 people in 1994–95 to 186,000 in 2024–25) has grown faster than the number of births (from 259,000 babies in 1994–95 to 300,000 in 2024–25), reflecting the declining fertility rate and ageing of the population.
• The total fertility rate has declined from 1.85 babies per woman in 1994–95 to 1.52 babies per woman in 2024–25.
• Life expectancy at birth has increased from 75.0 years for males and 80.9 years for females in 1994, to 81.1 years for males and 85.1 years for females in the period 2022–2024.
• Australia’s population has become older, with the median age increasing from 33.7 years in 1994–95 to 38.4 years in 2024–25. Over this period, the share of population aged 65 and over rose from 12% to 18%.

Australia’s population is concentrated in the Major cities, which are home to almost three-quarters (73%) of the population. One-quarter (25%) live in Inner regional and Outer regional Australia, with the remainder (1.9%) living in Remote and very remote areas (Figure 1).

On 30 June 2021, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (First Nations) population was estimated at 984,000 people, representing 3.8% of the total Australia population (ABS 2023). For more information, see Profile of First Nations people.

Australia is culturally diverse. According to the 2021 Census, almost half (48%) of Australian residents had at least one parent born overseas (ABS 2022). In 2024, 32% of people in Australia were born overseas (Figure 1), a proportion that has increased by 9 percentage points over the past 30 years (ABS 2025b).

Past population growth and trends

Australia’s population growth averaged 1.4% per year from 30 June 1995 to 30 June 2025 (Figure 2). Population growth fell to a historic low of 0.1% in 2020–21, due to international border restrictions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. Following the easing of international border restrictions in late 2021, Australia’s population grew by 2.5% in 2022–23 and 2.0% in 2023–24. In 2024–25, population growth was close to the 30-year average at 1.5%.

Between 1994–95 and 2024–25, natural increase has been relatively steady, while net overseas migration has fluctuated (Figure 2). Natural increase was the main driver of population growth until the early 2000s. However, since 2005–06, net overseas migration has contributed more to annual population growth. When averaged over the past 30 years, net overseas migration contributed 56% population growth, while natural increase contributed 44% of population growth.

Capital cities have been growing faster than regional areas, with the share of Australia’s population living in the 8 capital cities increasing by 3 percentage points over the past 30 years to 68% in 2024–25 (ABS 2025a). This is largely because overseas migrants tend to settle in cities and the younger age structure of cities results in greater natural increase.

Net overseas migration

Since the early 2000s, net overseas migration - the difference between the inflow of immigrants to Australia and the outflow of emigrants - has been the main driver of Australia’s population growth.

The advent of the COVID-19 pandemic saw the first annual net loss of overseas migrants since 1946 and the second lowest level of net overseas migration on record (ABS 2021). Post-pandemic, net overseas migration grew to a record high of 538,000 in 2022–23, before moderating to 429,000 in 2023–24 and 305,000 in 2024–25. As of 2024–25, net overseas migration remains elevated relative to what it was in 2018–19 (ABS 2025e).

Natural increase

Since the late 2000s, natural increase has added an average of around 143,000 people per year to the Australian population. However, it has been declining as a share of population growth over time. Although life expectancy continues to improve, deaths have grown faster than births since the mid-2010s, reflecting Australia’s ageing population and declining fertility.

Births

Australian fertility has remained below the replacement level of 2.1 babies per woman since the mid-1970s (ABS 2025c, 2025e). Over the past 30 years, the total fertility rate has fallen from 1.84 in 1994–95 (ABS 2001) to 1.52 in 2024–25 (ABS 2025e). 300,000 births were recorded in 2024–25, following 290,000 in 2023–24, the lowest number since 2006–07.

The decline in fertility has been driven by lower fertility rates among women aged under 30. This reflects a broader trend of delaying parenthood, with many people choosing to have children later in life. However, this delay is not being fully offset by higher fertility rates at older ages. Many women who start families later have fewer children overall, either by choice or by circumstance.

Deaths

Australia’s life expectancy has risen steadily since the 1960s, supported by advances in medical knowledge and technology, greater access to health care and improvements in living standards. In 2022–2024, life expectancy was 81.1 years for males and 85.1 years for females (ABS 2025d). Australia continues to have among the highest life expectancies globally and one of the smallest gaps between male and female life expectancy, at 4 years.

However, from 2019–2021 to 2022–2024, life expectancy declined due to excess mortality due to COVID-19. COVID-19 deaths were much lower in 2024 than in 2022 and 2023, falling from third to 12th leading cause of death over this period. Despite this decline, COVID-19 still accounted for over twice as many deaths as influenza in 2024–25. Although the impact of COVID-19 has eased, the longer-term implications for mortality remain uncertain.

Net interstate migration

Australia has high rates of interstate migration compared to other countries, although the rate has declined from peaks in the 1980s and 1990s (ABS 2018). This decline reflects an older population that is unlikely to relocate and a higher share of dual‑income households. When both adults in a household are working, relocations are more complex and involve higher associated costs (Centre for International Economics 2023).

The number of interstate moves trended upwards in the several years preceding the COVID-19 pandemic (2014 to 2019), but that trend was significantly reversed during the pandemic. In the quarter ending September 2020, interstate moves fell to a level not seen since the mid-1980s. Interstate moves spiked briefly in mid-2021, before resuming their downward trend. There were 362,000 interstate moves in 2024–25, compared with 421,000 in 2019–20 and, in mid-2025, the number of moves fell to a level last seen in mid-2014 (ABS 2025e).

Australia’s population growth in a global context

Recent population growth in Australia has been similar to New Zealand and Canada. These 3 countries have smaller populations and a higher contribution to growth from net overseas migration, which means they have more volatile growth rates than their larger counterparts, such as the United States. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, higher rates of net overseas migration in Australia, New Zealand, and Canada resulted in their populations growing faster than the United States, the United Kingdom, and the European Union (Figure 3).

In 2020–21, population growth fell in the advanced economies, particularly in Australia, New Zealand and Canada. This was due to pandemic-related international travel restrictions which limited global migration. After international borders reopened in 2021–22, Australia, New Zealand and Canada recorded their highest population growth rates in decades. After peaking, variously, in 2023 and 2024, in each of these countries, growth has now slowed: In Australia, from a peak of 2.5% in the third quarter of 2023 to 1.5% in the second quarter of 2025; in New Zealand, from 2.8% in the fourth quarter of 2023 to 0.6% in the fourth quarter of 2025; and, in Canada, from 3.2% in the second quarter of 2024 to 0.2% in the fourth quarter of 2025.

Although population growth in Australia and many other advanced economies remains positive, some countries have begun experiencing population decline, including China, the Republic of Korea and Japan (National Bureau of Statistics of China n.d., UN 2024).

Australia’s future population

From 2025–26, net overseas migration is expected to continue to decline, and overall population growth is expected to return to its long-term trend (Centre for Population 2026). Figure 4 illustrates the population growth projections from the 2025 Population Statement. The 2025 Population Statement is the sixth edition of the Centre for Population’s flagship annual publication. Each year’s Statement provides insights into how the population has changed and projects future population changes.

Australia’s population growth is projected to be 1.3% in 2025–26, before gradually declining to 1.1% by 2035–36. By this time, Australia’s population is projected to be 31.5 million. Looking further ahead, the population is projected to continue to increase, reaching 41.0 million by 2065–66 (Centre for Population 2026).

Net overseas migration

After declining in 2023–24 and 2024–25, net overseas migration is forecast to decline further in 2025–26 and 2026–27 (Centre for Population 2026). Over the longer-term, net overseas migration is assumed to return to 235,000 per year (Centre for Population 2026).

Natural increase

The total fertility rate is projected to fall to 1.42 babies per woman in 2025–26, before gradually returning to, and stabilising at 1.62 by 2031–32. The fertility rate is projected to return to this long-run rate as the proportion of women without children has not increased significantly in recent years.

As births recover in line with this trend, from 286,000 in 2025–26 to 342,000 in 2031–32, natural increase is projected to stabilise, reaching 130,000 in 2034–35. Beyond this period, natural increase is projected to steadily decline due to the number of deaths growing faster than births as the population ages.

Total deaths are projected to increase from 186,000 in 2025–26 to 235,000 by 2035–36, in line with the increasing size and ageing of the Australian population. (Centre for Population 2026).

Net interstate migration

The level of interstate migration is expected to rise steadily, increasing by 4.2% in 2025–26 to 381,000 moves, before reaching 416,000 in 2026–27. As a proportion of the population, this remains lower than pre-pandemic levels. From 2028–29 onwards, interstate moves are then projected to increase at a slightly slower rate than the growth of the population (Centre for Population 2026).

States and territories

Population growth is forecast to moderate in all states and territories in 2025–26 (Centre for Population 2026):

• Western Australia is forecast to be the fastest growing jurisdiction.
• Tasmania is forecast to have the lowest population growth.

Over the next decade, Western Australia, Victoria and Queensland are projected to be the fastest growing states. Growth in Western Australia and Victoria is expected to be driven by net overseas migration, while Queensland’s growth is expected to be underpinned by net interstate migration.

Capital cities and regional areas

Consistent with historical trends, the combined population of the 8 capital cities is projected to continue to grow nearly twice as fast as regional areas outside of the capital cities over the projection period. From 2024–25 to 2035–36:

• the combined capital city population is projected to grow from 18.4 million to 21.8 million
• the combined population of rest‑of‑state areas is projected to grow from 8.8 million to 9.6 million (Centre for Population 2026).

The population of Australia’s capital cities tends to be younger and age more slowly than regional areas. This is mainly because capital cities have historically attracted a larger share of overseas migrants, who tend to be younger than the overall population. In addition, younger people tend to move to capital cities, from regional areas, for educational and job opportunities. While older people are less likely to relocate, when they do, they often move from the capital cities to regional areas (Centre for Population 2026).

The median age of people living in regional areas is projected to increase from 42.0 years in 2023–24 to 44.6 in 2035–36, almost twice the rate of increase for capital cities (36.9 years in 2023–24 to 38.5 by 2035–36) (Centre for Population 2026).

Where do I go for more information?

For more information, see the Centre for Population 2025 Population Statement.

This page was written by the Australian Government Centre for Population.