Estimated Resident Population 2004p
		Estimated Resident Population		Population Change (%)	Proportion in Age groups (%)
		2003	2004p	2003-2004	0-14	15-64	65 and over	Median Age
Statistical Division
	Perth	1,431,498	1,457,639	1.8	19.3	69.0	11.7	35.8
	South West	203,940	211,918	3.9	21.2	64.7	14.1	38.1
	Lower Great Southern	53,762	53,656	-0.2	21.5	63.9	14.6	38.8
	Upper Great Southern	18,542	18,068	-2.6	21.7	65.1	13.2	38.8
	Midlands	53,258	52,659	-1.1	22.3	64.8	13.0	38.8
	South Eastern	54,886	54,289	-1.1	24.1	69.3	6.6	32.2
	Central	60,251	59,663	-1.0	22.9	66.0	11.1	35.5
	Pilbara	39,482	39,311	-0.4	26.0	71.5	2.5	30.9
	Kimberley	34,329	35,001	2.0	26.6	68.9	4.5	29.4
Western Australia		1,949,948	1,982,204	1.7	20.2	68.2	11.6	35.8

p preliminary estimated resident population, based on 2001 Census.


The estimated resident population of Western Australia at 30 June 2004 was 1,982,000 representing an increase of 32,300 persons or 1.7% since June 2003. There were slightly more males than females, 992,500 and 989,800 respectively.

Over half of the increase, 53% or 17,100 persons, was contributed by net overseas migration. Natural increase, the net of 25,200 births and 11,300 deaths accounted for 43% of the growth with the remaining 4% (1,300 persons) resulting from net interstate migration.

The median age of the Western Australian population at June 2004 was 35.8 years, slightly younger than the national figure of 36.4 years.

Almost three-quarters (74%) of the state population resided in the Perth Statistical Division (SD), this proportion has remained virtually unchanged since 1991.


MEDIAN AGE

The median age of the Western Australian population rose from 35.6 years in 2003 to 35.8 years in 2004. The median age for males and females at June 2004 was 35.2 and 36.5 years respectively.

Among the statistical divisions in Western Australia, the Lower Great Southern, Upper Great Southern and Midlands shared the highest median age of 38.8 years. The median age in the Perth SD was 35.8 years which is an increase of 0.2 years since June 2003. Within the Perth SD, Fremantle, Claremont, Nedlands and Cottesloe each recorded median ages of 40 years or more. Outside the Perth SD, 28 statistical local areas had a median age over 40 years. These included the shires of Beverley with a median age of 46.1, Toodyay and York (43.1 and 42.1 respectively) and the cities of Mandurah (40.8) and Albany (40.5).

Lower median ages occurred in the remote northern and eastern parts of the state, with the Kimberley having the lowest median age (29.4 years) of any statistical division. This reflects both the younger 'working age' profile of the population as well as the relatively large proportion of Indigenous residents, who have generally higher fertility rates and lower life expectancy. This trend was evident in shires such as Halls Creek, Ngaanyatjarraku, Derby-West Kimberley, Mullewa and Murchison which all had median ages under 30 years.


AGE DISTRIBUTION

The age pyramid indicates the different proportions of people within each five year age group in the Perth SD compared with the balance of the state. Of note are distributions of 10-14 year olds and 15-29 year olds. Balance of state, or 'regional Western Australia' has proportionately more 0-14 year olds of both sexes than Perth does; for 15-29 year olds this situation is reversed.

Children aged 0-14 years

In 2004, children aged 0-14 years accounted for 20% of the population. This age group totalled 399,600, with boys outnumbering girls by 9,700.

The statistical divisions with the largest proportion of children aged 0-14 years were the Kimberley and the Pilbara (27% and 26% respectively), while the smallest proportion occurred in the Perth SD (19%).

People aged 15-64 years

In the 12 months to June 2004, the number of people in the 15-64 year age group grew by 1.6% to an estimated 1,352,500 persons, representing 68.2% of the total state population.

Over three-quarters (77%) of overseas migrants into Western Australia were in this age group; their arrival contributed the majority (63%) of the growth. The remaining growth was contributed by interstate migration and by a larger 14 year old cohort moving into the age group than 64 year old cohort moving out of it. The age group was diminished by 2,500 deaths.

Across the statistical divisions, Pilbara had the largest proportion of people in this age group (71%), while the Lower Great Southern had the smallest proportion (64%). In the Perth SD 69% of persons were in this age group.

People aged 65 years and over

In the 12 months to June 2004, the number of older people (aged 65 years and over) in Western Australia rose by 7,300 or 3.3%. In this age group, the number of females exceeded the number of males, with 82.8 males for every 100 females.

In June 2004, there were 230,100 people aged 65 years and over who accounted for 12% of the state population. The largest proportions were in the Lower Great Southern SD (15%) and the South West SD (14%). In contrast, the Pilbara and the Kimberley had 2.5% and 4.5% of their respective populations in this age group.

People aged 85 years and over

People aged 85 years and over accounted for 1.3% of the total state population and 11% of those aged 65 years and over.

In the 12 months to June 2004, the number of people in this age group rose by 3.5% to 25,200. The growth in this age group reflects the increased life expectancy of both men and women. In June 2004, there were more than twice as many females (17,200) as males (8,000) aged 85 years and over.


DEPENDENCY RATIO

The dependency ratio is the number of persons aged 0-14 years and aged 65 years and over expressed as a percentage of the number of persons aged 15-64 years. A reduced value for the dependency ratio indicates that there is a larger population of working age to support the population of non-working age. The dependency ratio for Western Australia in 2004 was 46.6; this is lower than for the whole of Australia (48.7).

The Pilbara and South Eastern SDs recorded the lowest dependency ratios with 39.9 and 44.3 respectively. The Lower Great Southern (56.5) and South West (54.5) statistical divisions recorded the highest dependency ratios. This is partly a reflection of the older profile of the population of these areas.


SEX RATIO

In June 2004, the sex ratio (number of males per 100 females) for Western Australia was 100.3, with 992,500 males and 989,900 females. Males outnumbered females in all statistical divisions except Perth where there were 722,100 males and 735,500 females. The sex ratio ranged from 98.2 in Perth to 123.0 in the Pilbara.


Higher sex ratios for early ages stems from the higher number of boys than girls born. Of the 25,200 births registered in WA in 2004, 51% were male. The lower sex ratios for the older age groups reflects the greater life expectancy of women. For ages 85 years and over, women outnumber men by more than two to one.

The balance of state has a higher sex ratio than the Perth SD (more males than females) for all ages greater than 0-4 years.

The Perth SD has a sex ratio below 100 (more female than males) for the ages 30-54 years and for 64 years and over.


PROFILE OF OVERSEAS AND INTERSTATE MIGRANTS

Across all ages, overseas migration into Western Australia was quite evenly balanced between the sexes with females totalling 8,500 to a male total of 8,700. However, in the age group 20-29 years females outnumbered males by nearly 7% or around 400 persons.

The age profile of overseas arrivals into Western Australia was younger that of the total Western Australian population.

In the twelve months to June 2004 net interstate migration to Western Australia was positive and resulted in a net gain of 1,300 people. The year to 2004 was the first year that this occurred since 1998-99.