SOUTH AUSTRALIA


Total population

Age and sex distribution

Median age

Children (under 15 years of age)

Working age population (aged 15-64 years)

People aged 65 years and over

Sex ratio


TOTAL POPULATION

At June 2013, the estimated resident population of South Australia (SA) was 1.67 million people, an increase of 82,200 (or 5.2%) since June 2008.

Over 77% of the state's population resided in Greater Adelaide in 2013. Greater Adelaide grew by 72,100 people in the five years to 2013 to reach 1.29 million, while the rest of the state grew by 10,000 people.

Within Greater Adelaide, the SA3 of Adelaide City had the fastest growth in these five years, increasing by 16%. This was followed by Playford (up by 14%), Port Adelaide - East (11%), and Salisbury and Port Adelaide - West (both 7.5%). Tea Tree Gully was the only SA3 in Greater Adelaide to decline in population, down 0.2%.

Outside of Greater Adelaide, the SA3 of Fleurieu - Kangaroo Island had the fastest growth between 2008 and 2013 (up by 9.2%), followed by Barossa (5.8%). Mid North was the only SA3 in the rest of the state to decline in population, down by 1.9%.

AGE AND SEX DISTRIBUTION

The age distribution of the population in Greater Adelaide varies most from the rest of the state in the younger population. Greater Adelaide had a higher proportion of its population aged 18 to 40 years at June 2013 as compared to the rest of the state. This is indicative of young adults moving to the capital city for employment or education purposes.



The difference between the age distribution of Greater Adelaide and the rest of South Australia was most evident for people aged 20 to 24 years. The population of Greater Adelaide was 3.4 times larger than the rest of the state, while for those aged 20 to 24 it was 4.9 times greater. At June 2013, males in this age group comprised 3.8% of the population in Greater Adelaide compared with 2.8% in the rest of the state, while females aged 20 to 24 years comprised 3.6% of the capital city compared with 2.3% in the rest of the state.

MEDIAN AGE

At June 2013, South Australia had a median age (the age at which half the population is older and half is younger) of 39.8 years. This was the second highest of all states and territories, behind Tasmania at 41.2 years. The median age of females (40.8 years) in South Australia was higher than males (38.6 years).

The coastal SA2s of Victor Harbor and Goolwa - Port Elliot, both popular retirement destinations, had the highest median ages in South Australia in 2013, at 57.2 and 56.1 years respectively. This was followed by Yorke Peninsula - South (55.0 years), and Moonta and Yorke Peninsula - North (both 52.2). These SA2s all had median ages among the highest in Australia.

APY Lands in the far north-west of the state had the lowest median age of all SA2s in South Australia at 27.0 years. This was followed by Davoren Park (27.7 years) and neighbouring Munno Para West - Angle Vale (28.1), both on the northern fringe of Greater Adelaide, and inner-city Adelaide (29.8 ).

In the five years to 2013, the SA2 with the largest increase in median age was Naracoorte Region in the state's south-east, which increased by 4.5 years. In contrast, the largest decreases in median age over this period were in The Parks and Windsor Gardens (both down by 2.0 years).

CHILDREN (UNDER 15 YEARS OF AGE)

At June 2013, there were 295,400 children under 15 years of age in South Australia, accounting for 18% of the state's population. The number of children in Greater Adelaide increased by 10,000 in the five years to June 2013, while in the rest of the state, it declined by 1,900.

The SA2s with the largest proportions of children were mostly in Greater Adelaide, including Davoren Park and Munno Para West - Angle Vale (both 27%), and Aldinga and Nairne (both 24%). APY Lands, in the state's far north-west, also had a high proportion (25%).

The proportion of children declined in most of South Australia's SA2s in the five years to 2013, with the largest decrease in Roxby Downs (down from 25% to 20%).

WORKING AGE POPULATION (AGED 15-64 YEARS)

Around two thirds of South Australia's population (or 1.10 million people) were aged between 15 and 64 years in June 2013. Between 2008 and 2013, the working age population increased by 37,700 people in Greater Adelaide and just 30 in the rest of South Australia.

The SA2 with the highest proportion of its population of working age was inner-city Adelaide (86%), followed by Roxby Downs (79%), Outback (77%), Norwood (74%) and North Adelaide (73%). The proportion of people aged 15 to 64 years in the mining town of Roxby Downs increased from 74% to 79% in the five years to 2013, which was the largest increase of all SA2s in South Australia over this period.

PEOPLE AGED 65 YEARS AND OVER

South Australia had 279,600 people aged 65 years or over in June 2013, representing 17% of the state's population. Between 2008 and 2013, the proportion of the population aged 65 years and above in Greater Adelaide increased from 15% to 16%, while in the rest of the state it increased from 17% to 19%.

The SA2s with the highest proportions of their populations aged 65 years or over were all located on the South Australian coast, outside of the capital city. Victor Harbor had the highest proportion with 37%, followed by Goolwa - Port Elliot (35%), Yorke Peninsula - South (31%), Moonta (30%) and Yorke Peninsula - North (29%). These proportions all increased since June 2008.

Within Greater Adelaide, the SA2s with the highest proportion of people aged 65 years or above were Fulham (27%) and West Lakes (25%) in the west, Panorama (24%) and Brighton (23%) in the south, Toorak Gardens (23%) in the east, and Hope Valley - Modbury (23%) in the north.

SEX RATIO

At June 2013, the sex ratio (the number of males per 100 females) of South Australia was 98.3, with 828,200 males and 842,600 females. This was the second lowest sex ratio of all states and territories, behind Victoria (98.0).

The SA2 with the highest sex ratio in South Australia was Outback (174.7), followed by the mining towns of Roxby Downs (156.3) and Coober Pedy (131.8), which were also among the highest in Australia. These were followed by Grant (118.5) which surrounds Mount Gambier, Murray Bridge Region (118.3), inner-city Adelaide (116.4), and Le Hunte - Elliston (113.6) on the west coast of Eyre Peninsula.

Payneham - Felixstow (87.9), Brighton (88.3), Unley - Parkside and Toorak Gardens (both 88.8), and Warradale (89.7), all in Greater Adelaide, had the lowest sex ratios in South Australia and were among the lowest in the country.