3235.7.55.001 - Population by Age and Sex, Northern Territory, Jun 2003  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 30/06/2004   
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DEMOGRAPHIC SUMMARY, Statistical, Northern Territory


Age Group
Median Age
Sex Ratio
Growth Rate
0-14
15-64
65 and over

PERSONS IN SSD (%)
YEARS
2002-2003

Statistical Subdivision
Darwin City
20.6
74.2
5.1
34.4
110.6
-0.17
Palmerston-East Arm
29.5
67.4
3.1
29.0
109.2
0.79
Litchfield Shire
23.1
72.8
4.1
30.5
128.6
0.61
Finniss
21.8
71.3
6.9
38.9
110.2
-0.21
Bathurst-Melville
30.5
67.0
2.6
25.4
104.8
-0.28
Alligator
31.3
66.0
2.7
28.6
111.9
-0.20
Daly
34.7
61.6
3.7
23.3
105.1
-0.08
East Arnhem
31.8
66.2
1.9
25.9
107.2
-0.04
Lower Top End NT
29.3
66.4
4.4
24.8
111.4
-1.46
Barkly
29.0
67.4
3.6
24.9
109.1
-0.54
Central NT
25.8
69.9
4.3
26
106.8
-0.44



POPULATION

The preliminary estimate of the resident population of the Northern Territory at 30 June 2003 was 198,300 (1.0% of the Australian population), comprising 104,200 males and 94,100 females. This was a decrease of 300 people from June 2002, a negative growth rate over this period of (0.2%).

The majority of people in the Northern Territory (118,200 or 60%) lived in the three major urban centres of Darwin City, Palmerston-East Arm and Alice Springs. A further 5.8% (11,600) lived in the smaller urban areas of Katherine and Tennant Creek, and 8% (15,900) lived in Litchfield Shire. By Statistical Subdivision, the greatest proportion of people lived in Darwin City SSD (34.5%), followed by Central NT SSD (19.6%) which includes Alice Springs (T).

Since June 2002 positive population growth occurred in the SSDs of Palmerston-East Arm (0.8%) and Litchfield Shire (0.6%) while all other SSDs experienced negative growth. The largest decline was within Lower Top End NT (-1.5%). The Statistical Local Areas showing strong growth were Palmerston (C) Bal with an increase of 250 people (or 7.7%), Bakewell with an increase of 150 people (or 4.5%) and Litchfield (S) - Pt B with an increase of 100 people (or 0.7%).

POPULATION DISTRIBUTION BY STATISTICAL SUBDIVISION

Graph - Population Distribution by Statistical Subdivision



MEDIAN AGE

The median age, that age at which half the population is older and half is younger, for the Northern Territory increased from 29.9 years in 2002 to 30.3 years in 2003. The NT continues to have the lowest median age of all states and territories with the median age of the Australian population being 36.1 years at 30 June 2003. The median age for all males within the Northern Territory was 30.6 years and the total female median age was slightly lower at 30 years.

Amongst the Statistical Subdivisions in the Northern Territory, the highest median ages were recorded in Finniss (38.9 years) followed by Darwin City (34.4 years) and Litchfield Shire (30.5 years).


SEX DISTRIBUTION

As at the 30 June 2003 the sex ratio for the whole of the Northern Territory was 110.6 males per 100 females compared to the national ratio of 98.6. Each SSD within the Northern Territory had more males than females.

The highest sex ratios occurred within the Statistical Local Areas of East Arm (which includes a detention centre) with 1,233 males per 100 females, Litchfield Shire (S) - Part A (which includes the Robertson Army Barracks) with 370 males per 100 females, and Winnellie (a light industrial area) with 179 males per 100 females.


AGE DISTRIBUTION

At the end of June 2003 the Northern Territory had the highest proportion of children (aged 14 years and under) of any state or territory (25.4% compared with 20% nationally). Of the urban SLAs, Moulden (34.5%) and Durack (33.8%) had the highest proportion in this age group.

The Northern Territory also had the highest proportion of people aged 20-34 years compared with any state or territory (25.9% compared with 21.4% nationally). The SLAs where this age group was proportionally highest were Litchfield (S) - Pt A (57.6%) due to the large Defence Force presence, East Arm (53%) which includes a detention centre, followed by Darwin City - Remainder (39%), Petermann (37.8%), Brinkin (37%), Bakewell (36.4%) and Alice Springs (T) - Stuart (35%).

In contrast the Northern Territory had the lowest proportion of people aged 65 years and over (4.2%) compared with (14.8%) nationally. The SLAs with the highest proportion of people in this age group were the Darwin suburbs of The Gardens (12.6%), which includes a nursing home and Coconut Grove (10.4%), containing a seniors' village and a number of aged care facilites.

NORTHERN TERRITORY AND AUSTRALIA AGE DISTRIBUTION
Graph - Northern Territory and Australia Age Distriburion


DEPENDENCY RATIO

The dependency ratio is the number of children (0-14 years) and aged persons (65 years and over) per 100 people of working age (15-64 years). As at 30 June 2003 the Northern Territory had a dependency ratio of 42.1 compared to the national ratio of 48.8. A reduced value for the dependency ratio indicates that there is a larger proportion of working age to support the population of non-working age. Within Australia the highest proportion of people aged 15-64 years occurred in the ACT (71.1%), the Northern Territory was second highest with 70.4% for this age group but still higher than the national figure of 67.2%.