National, state and territory population

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Statistics about the population and components of change (births, deaths, migration) for Australia and its states and territories

Reference period
March 2023
Released
14/09/2023

Key statistics

Statistics in this release are commonly known as Estimated Resident Population (ERP).

  • Australia’s population was 26,473,055 people at 31 March 2023.
  • The quarterly growth was 181,600 people (0.7%).
  • The annual growth was 563,200 people (2.2%).
  • Annual natural increase was 108,800 and net overseas migration was 454,400.

National

Annual population change

In the year ending 31 March 2023, Australia's population grew by 563,200 people (2.2%).

  1. Annual growth calculated at the end of each quarter.
  2. All data after 30 June 2021 is subject to revision.

Australia's population growth is comprised of natural increase (births minus deaths) and net overseas migration (migration arrivals minus migration departures).

Components of quarterly population change

In the March 2023 quarter, natural increase:

  • was 29,400 people
  • increased by 260 people since the previous quarter
     

In the March 2023 quarter, net overseas migration:

  • was 152,200 people
  • increased by 43,300 people since the previous quarter

Components of annual population change

In the year ending 31 March 2023, natural increase:

  • was 108,800 people
  • decreased by 24,700 people (18.5%) since the previous year

 

In the year ending 31 March 2023, net overseas migration:

  • was 454,400 people
  • increased by 362,500 people since the previous year
  1. Annual components calculated at the end of each quarter.

Births and deaths

Overseas migration arrivals and departures

States and territories

Annual population change

  • All states and territories had positive population growth over the year ending 31 March 2023.
  • Western Australia had the fastest growth rate (2.8%).
  • Tasmania had the slowest rate (0.4%).
 Population at 31 March 2023 ('000)Change over previous year ('000)Change over previous year (%)
New South Wales8294.0156.31.9
Victoria6766.6161.72.4
Queensland5418.5124.22.3
South Australia1844.629.21.6
Western Australia2855.678.32.8
Tasmania572.72.40.4
Northern Territory251.72.10.9
Australian Capital Territory464.68.92.0
Australia (a)26473.1563.22.2

a. Includes Other Territories comprising Jervis Bay Territory, Christmas Island, the Cocos (Keeling) Islands and Norfolk Island.

State and territory population change is comprised of natural increase, net overseas migration, and net interstate migration (interstate arrivals minus interstate departures).

Components of annual population change

For the year ending 31 March 2023:

  • net overseas migration was the major contributor to change in all states.

Natural increase by state and territory - annual

Net overseas migration by state and territory - annual

Net interstate migration by state and territory - annual

Quarterly internal migration, capital city - rest of state

Notes

COVID-19

Statistics in this release are impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. With border restrictions in place NOM fell to low levels including negative net migration. The removal of most border restrictions from February 2022 enabled overseas travel again and saw a recovery in NOM levels from 2022 onwards.

To ensure the ongoing production of fit-for-purpose official population estimates through the COVID-19 pandemic, the ABS has been assessing the likely impact of changed traveller behaviour on preliminary overseas migration estimates, a component of ERP. The ABS has introduced more frequent revisions to overseas migration to ensure the suite of demographic statistics continue to be of high quality and reflect the most timely data available. Preliminary overseas migration estimates will be revised every quarter over four quarters, instead of once after four quarters, until it becomes final. These more frequent revisions will ensure the most timely and accurate data flows through to ERP.

For further information see the Improvements to estimation of net overseas migration.

Data downloads - time series spreadsheets

I-note

Population and components of change - national

Quarterly population and components of change, national, from June 1981 onwards

Components of population change - states and territories

Quarterly components of change, by state and territory, from June 1981 onwards

Population - states and territories

Quarterly population by sex, by state and territory, from June 1981 onwards

Interstate migration arrivals

Quarterly interstate migration arrivals, from June 1981 onwards

Interstate migration departures

Quarterly interstate migration departures, from June 1981 onwards

Population - New South Wales

Population at 30 June, by sex and single year of age, NSW, from 1971 onwards

Population - Victoria

Population at 30 June, by sex and single year of age, Vic., from 1971 onwards

Population - Queensland

Population at 30 June, by sex and single year of age, Qld, from 1971 onwards

Population - South Australia

Population at 30 June, by sex and single year of age, SA, from 1971 onwards

Population - Western Australia

Population at 30 June, by sex and single year of age, WA, from 1971 onwards

Population - Tasmania

Population at 30 June, by sex and single year of age, Tas., from 1971 onwards

Population - Northern Territory

Population at 30 June, by sex and single year of age, NT, from 1971 onwards

Population - Australian Capital Territory

Population at 30 June, by sex and single year of age, ACT, from 1971 onwards

Population - Australia

Population at 30 June, by sex and single year of age, Aust., from 1971 onwards

All time series spreadsheets

Data downloads - data cubes

National, state and territory population tables

Various tables of population, components of change and rates, by state and territory. 

Population by age and sex - national

Summary statistics of Australia's population by age and sex

Standard population

Standard population used in age-standardised rates

Regional internal migration estimates, provisional

All data cubes

Previous catalogue number

This release previously used catalogue number 3101.0

Rebasing of Australia's population estimates using the 2021 Census

2021 Census update of the Net Interstate Migration model

Post-release changes

15th September 2023 - Scaling updated for 'Components of annual population growth' graph.

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