3235.4.55.001 - Population by Age and Sex, South Australia, Jun 2003  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 30/06/2004   
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SUMMARY

The estimated resident population of South Australia at 30 June 2003 was 1,527,000, an increase of 8,500 since 2002. In 2003 South Australia's population was 7.7% of the Australian total.

In 2003 almost three quarters (73.3%) of the state's population resided in the Adelaide Statistical Division (SD), a proportion virtually unchanged since 2002. Outer Adelaide was the fastest growing SD in the state with an increase of 2.2% (2,600 persons) from 2002 to 2003. Northern and Murray Lands SDs experienced a decline in estimated resident population (-420 and -110 persons respectively) over the same time period. For Statistical Local Areas the following analysis excludes unincorporated areas.


MEDIAN AGE

The median age, the age at which half the population is older and half is younger, increased in South Australia between 2002 and 2003, from 37.9 years to 38.2 years. In the same time, the median age of the Australian population increased from 36.0 years to 36.1 years. South Australia's median age continues to be the highest of all states and territories of Australia.

Amongst the SDs in South Australia, the highest median age was recorded by Yorke and Lower North (43.8 years). The SD with the lowest median age was Northern (36.7 years).

The Statistical Local Area (SLA) with the highest median age was Victor Harbor (C) at 52.1 years. Other SLAs with relatively high median ages were Yorke Peninsula (DC) - South (47.3 years), Yorke Peninsula (DC) - North (47.0 years) and Alexandrina (DC) - Coastal (46.5 years). The SLAs with the lowest median ages were Roxby Downs (M) (28.7 years), Playford (C) - West Central (30.4 years), Salisbury (C) - Inner North (30.8 years) and Salisbury (C) - Bal (31.5 years).


POPULATION DISTRIBUTION

POPULATION, SOUTH AUSTRALIA, 2002 and 2003

Graph: Population, South Australia, 2002 and 2003


CHILDREN (UNDER 15 YEARS)

In 2003 South Australia had the lowest proportion of children aged 0-14 years (18.8%) of all states and territories. Nationally 20.0% of the population was in this age group. In South Australia the total number of children has fallen from 289,600 persons in 2002 to 287,700 in 2003, a decrease of 0.7%.

The SD with the highest proportion of its population aged under 15 in 2003 was Eyre (22.3%) and the lowest was Adelaide (18.0%). All South Australian SDs apart from Outer Adelaide and South East experienced a decline in the number of children from 2002 to 2003. The Yorke and Lower North SD had the largest percentage fall of 1.9% (-160 persons), while the largest numeric decrease was in Adelaide SD with 1,400 persons (-0.7%).

With 6.2% of its population aged under 15 years, the SLA of Adelaide (C) had the smallest percentage of children. This was followed by: Holdfast Bay (C) - North (11.8%), Holdfast Bay (C) - South and Norwood, Payneham and St Peters (C) - West (both with 13.0%). The largest proportions of children were recorded in the SLAs of Roxby Downs (M) (30.9%), Playford (C) - West Central (27.5%), and Playford (C) - East Central (26.1%).


PERSONS AGED 15-44 YEARS

In 2003 the proportion of persons aged 15-44 years in South Australia was 41.5%, a figure marginally lower than that for total Australia (43.4%). In South Australia the total number of persons in this age group (634,200) has declined between 2002 and 2003 by 520 persons (0.1%). Nationally there was an increase of 0.8% over this period.

The SD with the highest proportion of persons aged 15-44 was Adelaide (42.6%) while the lowest was Yorke and Lower North (32.8%). From 2002 to 2003 Outer Adelaide SD recorded the highest increase in this age group (1.3% or 560 persons), while the largest decrease was in Northern SD (-1.6% or -520 persons).

SLAs with the lowest proportion of their population aged 15-44 were Victor Harbor (DC) (27.2%), Yorke Peninsula (DC) - South (28.8%), Yorke Peninsula (DC) - North (29.5%) and Barunga West (DC) (30.6%). The SLAs with the highest proportion of their population in this age group were Adelaide (C) (57.0%), Roxby Downs (M) (54.5%), Salisbury (C) Bal (50.4%) and West Torrens (C) - East (48.9%).


PERSONS AGED 45-64 YEARS

The percentage of South Australia's population aged 45-64 years in 2003 was 24.8%, higher than the national figure of 23.8%. In South Australia the total number of persons in this age group rose from 370,100 persons in 2002 to 378,200 in 2003, an increase of 2.2%. Nationally there was an increase of 2.6%.

The SD with the highest proportion in this age group was Yorke and Lower North (28.2%), and the lowest proportion was in Northern (24.3%). Outer Adelaide SD had the greatest percentage increase of 4.6% (1,400 persons) from 2002 to 2003. All other SDs experienced an increase ranging from 1.2% in Northern to 2.6% in South East.

The SLAs with the lowest proportion of population in this age group were Roxby Downs (M) (13.8%), Playford (C) - East Central (18.4%), Playford (C) - West Central (19.0%) and Salisbury (C) Bal (19.7%). SLAs with the highest proportion were Coober Pedy (DC) (32.9%), Yankalilla (DC) (31.6%), Adelaide Hills (DC) - Ranges (31.3%) and Tea Tree Gully (C) - Hills (30.9%).


THE AGED (65 YEARS AND OVER)

In 2003 the proportion of the South Australian population aged 65 years and over was the highest amongst all states and territories at 14.9% (227,000 persons). The national proportion was 12.8%. In South Australia the total number of persons in this age group increased by 3,000 from 2002 to 2003, an increase of 1.3%.

The SD with the highest proportion of its population aged 65 years and over was Yorke and Lower North (19.9%), followed by Murray Lands (15.0%). The lowest proportion was in Northern and South East SDs (both with 13.2%). From 2002 to 2003 the SD with the fastest increase of population aged 65 years and over was Outer Adelaide, a 3.0% increase and more than double the rate for the remainder of the state.

The SLA with the smallest proportion of persons aged 65 years and over was Roxby Downs (M) (0.8%). Of the SLAs in Adelaide SD, Salisbury (C) - Inner North (5.9%), Salisbury (C) Bal (6.3%), Tea Tree Gully (C) - North (6.6%) and Marion (C) South (6.9%) had the smallest share of their population aged 65 years and over. South Australian SLAs with the highest proportion of population aged 65 and over were Victor Harbor (C) (30.9%), Holdfast Bay (C) - South (24.2%), Holdfast Bay (C) - North (23.6%) followed by Yorke Peninsula (DC) - South (23.4%).


PERSONS AGED 85 YEARS AND OVER

In 2003 South Australia had the highest proportion of people aged 85 years and over for any state or territory, at 1.8% of the total state population. Nationally this proportion was 1.5%. In South Australia the number of people in this age group rose from 26,300 persons in 2002 to 27,500 in 2003, an increase of 4.7%. The growth in this age group is in part due to increased life expectancy of both men and women.

The SD with the largest proportion of its population aged 85 years and over was Yorke and Lower North (2.2%) while the lowest was Northern (1.4%). From 2002 to 2003 the SDs with the largest increase in population aged 85 years and over were South East (7.7%), Outer Adelaide (7.2%) and Eyre (6.6%). The smallest increase was recorded in Murray Lands SD (2.5%).

The SLAs of Holdfast Bay (C) - North (4.8%), Norwood, Payneham and St Peters (C) - East (4.1%), Holdfast Bay (C) - South (3.8%) and Unley (C) - East (3.6%) had the highest proportion of their population aged 85 years and over in 2003. The SLAs with the lowest proportion of their population in this age group were Roxby Downs (M) (0.1%), Tea Tree Gully (C) - North (0.2%) followed by Salisbury (C) Bal and Marion (C) - South (both with 0.3%).


SEX RATIO

In June 2003 females outnumbered males in South Australia by 15,700. With 755,700 males and 771,400 females at June 2003, the state's sex ratio (number of males per 100 females) was 98.0. The sex ratio for South Australia was below that of total Australia (98.6).

Despite females outnumbering males across the state, males outnumber females in all SDs except Adelaide and Outer Adelaide. Sex ratios across SDs ranged from a low of 96.2 in Adelaide to 105.5 in Eyre.

The SLAs with the highest ratio of males to females aged 15-64 years were Roxby Downs (M) (135.6), Streaky Bay (DC) (126.7), Coober Pedy (DC) (125.3) and Adelaide (C) (124.3). The lowest ratios occurred in Burnside (C) - South-West (92.7), Tea Tree Gully (C) - North (92.8), Unley (C) - West (93.0) and Victor Harbor (C) (93.5).

In South Australia the number of females aged 65 years and over (127,800) was almost 30% higher than the number of males in this age group (99,300) in 2003. Considering persons aged 85 years and over, there was more than twice as many females (19,000) as males (8,500). The lower sex ratios for the more elderly age groups reflects the greater life expectancy of women.