Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander life expectancy

Latest release

Life expectancy estimates for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people for Australia and selected geographic areas

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Reference period
2020 - 2022
Release date and time
23/01/2024 11:30am AEDT

Key statistics

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander life expectancy at birth for the period 2020–2022 was:

  • 71.9 years for males and 75.6 years for females
  • highest for both males (73.8 years) and females (77.9 years) in New South Wales
  • lowest for both males (65.6 years) and females (69.4 years) in the Northern Territory
  • lower in Remote and Very Remote Areas (67.3 years for males and 71.3 years for females) compared with Major Cities (72.5 years and 76.5 years).

The life expectancy estimates in this release are framed comparatively within the population, as a way of offering insights into current priority areas. The estimates show a point in time quantitative outlook into an aspect of population health. For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, the concept of health extends beyond physical health and wellbeing, to include social, emotional and cultural wellbeing of individuals, families and communities throughout their life¹. The estimates in this release, in isolation, do not provide this full Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander lived context, which is essential for meaningful understanding of population outcomes.

[1] Commonwealth Closing the Gap Implementation Plan (August 2021), page 23

This publication has been externally peer-reviewed by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander members of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Demographic Statistics Experts Advisory Group (ATSIDSEAG). The ABS greatly values the knowledge, expertise and contributions of these reviewers and thanks them for their time and input.

Interpreting life expectancy estimates

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander life expectancy is estimated using:

  • average number of deaths that occur in a period, and
  • estimates of the population (at the mid-point of the period).

Understanding the factors that impact the processes of collection, recording and identification of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people in both deaths data and population data over time is important for accurate interpretation of these life expectancy estimates.

Estimates are deliberately not compared to those from 2015–2017. The significant increase in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population between the 2016 and 2021 Censuses, and improvements to identification of Indigenous status in death records, have contributed to changes in the estimates and these are indistinguishable from genuine change in the health of the population.

For further information see Understanding life expectancy estimates for 2020–2022.

Life expectancy at birth

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander life expectancy at birth was:

  • 71.9 years for males, 8.8 years less than for non-Indigenous males (80.6 years)
  • 75.6 years for females, 8.1 years less than for non-Indigenous females (83.8 years).

Life expectancy for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander males and females at all ages was lower than for non-Indigenous Australians.

Life expectancy estimates at selected ages by Indigenous status and sex, Australia(a)—2020–2022(b)(c)
  Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (yrs)Non-Indigenous (yrs)Difference(d) (yrs)
Males 
 071.980.68.8
 171.379.98.6
 567.475.98.6
 2548.156.38.2
 5026.432.56.1
 6515.519.33.9
 854.44.70.3
Females 
 075.683.88.1
 175.083.08.0
 571.079.18.0
 2551.459.27.8
 5028.534.96.4
 6516.721.14.4
 854.54.80.3
Difference between males and females(d) 
 03.83.1. .
 13.73.1. .
 53.73.1. .
 253.42.9. .
 502.12.4. .
 651.21.7. .
 850.10.1. .

. . not applicable

  1. Includes all states and territories.
  2. Life expectancy estimates are calculated taking age-specific identification rates into account.
  3. Based on the average number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander deaths registered across 2020, 2021 and 2022, adjusted for under/over identification of Indigenous status in registrations, and final Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population estimates for 30 June 2021 based on the 2021 Census.
  4. Differences are based on unrounded estimates.

Ratio of mortality rates

States and territory

Life expectancy estimates are only available for the populations of New South Wales, Queensland, Western Australia and the Northern Territory. These four jurisdictions have numbers of deaths sufficient to construct separate reliable life expectancy estimates. However, life expectancy estimates for Australia include deaths from all states and territories.

Life expectancies presented in this release are estimates and therefore have some error associated with them. This error is measured and presented here as confidence intervals, showing the upper and lower limits within which we are 95% confident that the true value lies.

For further information see Methodology.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander life expectancy at birth was:

  • highest for both males (73.8 years) and females (77.9 years) in New South Wales
  • lowest for both males (65.6 years) and females (69.4 years) in the Northern Territory.
  1. Includes all states and territories.
  2. Estimates are statistically different at 95% confidence level if their confidence intervals do not overlap.
  3. Based on the average number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander deaths registered across 2020, 2021 and 2022, adjusted for under/over identification of Indigenous status in registrations, and final Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population estimates for 30 June 2021 based on the 2021 Census.
  4. Life expectancy estimates are calculated taking age-specific identification rates into account.

Differences in life expectancy at birth between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and non-Indigenous Australians were largest for both males (13.5 years lower) and females (13.8 years lower) in the Northern Territory.

  1. Estimates are statistically different at 95% confidence level if their confidence intervals do not overlap.
  2. Based on the average number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander deaths registered across 2020, 2021 and 2022, adjusted for under/over identification of Indigenous status in registrations, and final Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population estimates for 30 June 2021 based on the 2021 Census.
  3. Life expectancy estimates are calculated taking age-specific identification rates into account.
  4. Includes all states and territories.
Life expectancy estimates at birth by Indigenous status, sex and selected states and territory and Australia(a)—2020–2022(b)(c)
  Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (yrs)Non-Indigenous (yrs)Difference(d) (yrs)
Males
 NSW73.880.66.8
 Qld72.980.27.4
 WA68.981.212.3
 NT65.679.113.5
 Aust.(a)71.980.68.8
Females
 NSW77.983.85.9
 Qld76.683.57.0
 WA72.684.311.7
 NT69.483.213.8
 Aust.(a)75.683.88.1
Difference between males and females(d)
 NSW-4.1-3.1. .
 Qld-3.7-3.3. .
 WA-3.7-3.1. .
 NT-3.8-4.1. .
 Aust.(a)-3.8-3.1. .

. . not applicable

  1. Includes all states and territories.
  2. Based on the average number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander deaths registered across 2020, 2021 and 2022, adjusted for under/over identification of Indigenous status in registrations, and final Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population estimates for 30 June 2021 based on the 2021 Census.
  3. Life expectancy estimates are calculated taking age-specific identification rates into account.
  4. Differences are based on unrounded estimates.

Remoteness Areas and SEIFA Index of Relative Socio-Economic Disadvantage (IRSD)

Life expectancy estimates at birth are presented for three groupings of remoteness:

  • Major Cities of Australia
  • Inner Regional and Outer Regional Australia combined
  • Remote and Very Remote Australia combined.

There are similar patterns of deaths according to age and sex within these areas. Grouping them increases the numbers in each which improves reliability of the data, particularly at lower ages.

For further information on Remoteness Areas, see Remoteness Structure, Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS) Edition 3.

Similarly, to improve reliability of the life expectancy estimates by SEIFA Index of Relative Socio-Economic Disadvantage (IRSD), the two least disadvantaged quintiles have been grouped together. For further information on SEIFA, see Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas (SEIFA): Technical Paper.

Life expectancy estimates are presented with confidence intervals.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living in Remote and Very Remote Australia and those living in areas of most socio-economic disadvantage had the lowest life expectancy and the greatest difference compared to non-Indigenous people living in similar areas.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander people are more likely to live in Remote and Very Remote Areas than the non-Indigenous population (15% compared with 1%). Life expectancy for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander males and females living in these areas was significantly lower than for those who lived in Major Cities. Life expectancy was:

  • 67.3 years for males living in Remote and Very Remote Areas, compared with 72.5 years for those living in Major Cities
  • 71.3 years for females living in Remote and Very Remote Areas, compared with 76.5 years for those living in Major Cities.

The difference between life expectancy estimates for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and the non-Indigenous populations was also more marked in these Remote and Very Remote Areas than in Major Cities. The difference between the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and non-Indigenous life expectancy was:

  • 12.4 years for males in Remote and Very Remote Areas, compared with 8.5 years in Major Cities
  • 12.4 years for females in Remote and Very Remote Areas, compared with 7.5 years in Major Cities.
  1. Estimates are statistically different at 95% confidence level if their confidence intervals do not overlap.
  2. Based on the average number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander deaths registered across 2020, 2021 and 2022, adjusted for under/over identification of Indigenous status in registrations, and final Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population estimates for 30 June 2021 based on the 2021 Census.
  3. Life expectancy estimates are calculated taking age-specific identification rates into account.
  1. Estimates are statistically different at 95% confidence level if their confidence intervals do not overlap.
  2. Based on the average number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander deaths registered across 2020, 2021 and 2022, adjusted for under/over identification of Indigenous status in registrations, and final Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population estimates for 30 June 2021 based on the 2021 Census.
  3. Life expectancy estimates are calculated taking age-specific identification rates into account.
Life expectancy estimates at birth by Indigenous status, sex and Remoteness Areas—2020–2022(a)(b)
  Life expectancy at birth Proportion of population living in area
  Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (yrs)Non-Indigenous (yrs)Difference(c) (yrs)Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (%)Non-Indigenous (%)Total (%)
Males     
 Major Cities of Australia72.581.08.540.673.271.9
 Inner and Outer Regional Australia72.879.66.844.225.326.1
 Remote and Very Remote Australia67.379.712.415.21.52.0
Females     
 Major Cities of Australia76.584.07.541.073.772.5
 Inner and Outer Regional Australia76.783.26.543.525.025.7
 Remote and Very Remote Australia71.383.712.415.51.31.8
Difference between males and females(c)     
 Major Cities of Australia-4.0-2.9. .. .. .. .
 Inner and Outer Regional Australia-3.9-3.6. .. .. .. .
 Remote and Very Remote Australia-4.0-4.0. .. .. .. .

. . not applicable

  1. Based on the average number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander deaths registered across 2020, 2021 and 2022, adjusted for under/over identification of Indigenous status in registrations, and final Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population estimates for 30 June 2021 based on the 2021 Census.
  2. Life expectancy estimates are calculated taking age-specific identification rates into account.
  3. Differences are based on unrounded estimates.

Similarly, a higher proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people live in the most disadvantaged SEIFA quintile than the non-Indigenous population (39% compared with 18%), and of these more than a quarter (27% of males and females) in remote and very remote areas. Life expectancy for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander males and females living in these areas was lower than for those who lived in the least disadvantaged areas. Life expectancy was:

  • 69.5 years for males living in the most disadvantaged areas, compared with 74.6 years for those living in the least disadvantaged areas
  • 74.0 years for females living in the most disadvantaged areas, compared with 77.0 years for those living in the least disadvantaged areas.
  1. Estimates are statistically different at 95% confidence level if their confidence intervals do not overlap.
  2. Based on the average number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander deaths registered across 2020, 2021 and 2022, adjusted for under/over identification of Indigenous status in registrations, and final Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population estimates for 30 June 2021 based on the 2021 Census.
  3. Life expectancy estimates are calculated taking age-specific identification rates into account.

The difference between life expectancy estimates for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and the non-Indigenous populations was also more marked in the most disadvantaged areas than in the least disadvantaged areas. The difference between the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and non-Indigenous life expectancy was:

  • 8.9 years for males in the most disadvantaged areas, compared with 7.4 years in the least disadvantaged areas
  • 8.3 years for females in the most disadvantaged areas, compared with 7.6 years in the least disadvantaged areas.
Life expectancy at birth by Indigenous status, sex and Index of Relative Socio-economic Disadvantage(a)—2020–2022(b)
  Aboriginal and Torres Strait IslanderNon-Indigenous 
  Life expectancy (yrs)% of population in this quintile% of people in this quintile living in Remote and Very Remote AreasLife expectancy (yrs)% of population in this quintile% of people in this quintile living in Remote and Very Remote Areas
Males
 Most disadvantaged 20%69.538.726.878.418.52.0
 Second most disadvantaged 20%71.725.911.479.519.03.4
 Middle 20%74.317.67.380.821.21.4
 Least disadvantaged 40%74.617.83.582.041.30.4
Females
 Most disadvantaged 20%74.039.526.982.318.11.6
 Second most disadvantaged 20%75.726.311.783.018.83.1
 Middle 20%78.017.66.884.021.31.3
 Least disadvantaged 40%77.016.63.784.641.80.3
  1. Life expectancy estimates are calculated taking age-specific identification rates into account.
  2. Based on the average number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander deaths registered across 2020, 2021 and 2022, adjusted for under/over identification of Indigenous status in registrations, and final Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population estimates for 30 June 2021 based on the 2021 Census.

Comparison with AIHW estimates

The ABS is Australia’s official statistical organisation. Every five years the ABS produces the official life expectancy estimates for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population.

The AIHW is Australia’s national health and welfare statistics agency. The AIHW also produces life expectancy estimates for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population.

It is a strength of the Australian statistical system that two sets of life expectancy estimates are produced. While the two sets of estimates are based on the same death and population information, there are differences in the ways this information is adjusted, enhanced or supplemented to produce life expectancy estimates. To date, the ABS and AIHW life expectancy estimates have been similar, which provides confidence that they are quality estimates of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander life expectancy.

For statistical purposes, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population is defined by how people identify (or are identified) in various data sources, and this can change over time. This affects the input data sources used to calculate life expectancy estimates, and the ABS and AIHW apply different treatments to address this.

The production of two sets of life expectancy estimates provides an opportunity for crosschecking the estimates which may help with interpreting them and understanding their quality. This has occurred by exploring differences between the estimates and through engagement between ABS, AIHW and other experts and data users. Improvements or learnings gained from one set of estimates can provide insight into areas of future development for the other set of estimates, and vice versa.

There are benefits to using both estimates in combination to provide insight into Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander life expectancy.

Data downloads

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Data cubes

Data files

  • Table 1: Life expectancy estimates for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians, age groups and sex by selected states and territory and Australia—2020–2022

    Download xlsx [97.57 KB]

  • Table 2: Life expectancy estimates for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians, age groups and sex by Remoteness Areas—2020–2022

    Download xlsx [63.29 KB]

  • Table 3: Life expectancy estimates for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians, age group and sex by Index of Relative Socio-Economic Disadvantage—2020–2022

    Download xlsx [80.67 KB]

  • Table 4: Summary of linked deaths by Indigenous status, death registrations and Census identification by selected states and territory—2021–2022

    Download xlsx [71.04 KB]

  • Table 5: Summary of linked deaths by Indigenous status, deaths registrations and Census identification, Remoteness Areas—2021–2022

    Download xlsx [67.61 KB]

  • Table 6: Summary of linked deaths by Indigenous status, deaths registrations and Census identification, Index of Relative Socio-economic Disadvantage—2021–2022

    Download xlsx [72.86 KB]

  • Table 7: Difference in Indigenous classification between Census and PES, unweighted and weighted data by selected states and territory—2021

    Download xlsx [76.46 KB]

  • Table 8: Difference in Indigenous classification between Census and PES, unweighted and weighted data, Remoteness Areas—2021

    Download xlsx [73.15 KB]

  • Table 9: Difference in Indigenous classification between Census and PES, unweighted and weighted data, Index of Relative Socio-economic Disadvantage—2021

    Download xlsx [72.15 KB]

  • Table 10: Life expectancy estimates for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians, age groups and sex by selected states and territory and Australia—2015–2017 Updated method

    Download xlsx [91.75 KB]

Acknowledgements

We thank Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples for their cooperation and assistance in the collection of data, without whom this analysis would not have been possible.

The ABS would like to recognise the valuable contribution made by key experts to the methods used by the ABS. In particular, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Demographic Statistics Expert Advisory Group (ATSIDSEAG) has provided invaluable advice to the ABS in the lead-up to producing the 2020–2022 estimates.

This publication has been externally peer-reviewed. The ABS greatly values the knowledge, expertise and contributions of these reviewers and thanks them for their time and input.

Previous catalogue number

This release previously used catalogue number 3302.0.55.003.

Updated method for 2020–2022

Two enhancements have been made to the 2020-2022 methodology.

For more information on the updates made to the 2020-2022 method and comparison to the 2015-2017 method see Updated method for 2020–2022 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander life expectancy estimates

Post-release changes

23 January 2024 – Table 10 in Data downloads was released containing 2015-2017 life expectancy estimates for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians recalculated using the 2020-2022 updated method. 

Three additional tables (Table 4, Table 5 and Table 6) were added to Updated method for 2020–2022 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander life expectancy estimates  containing 2015-2017 life expectancy estimates by Indigenous status, sex, selected geographies, and the Index of Relative Socio-Economic Disadvantage (IRSD).

Methodology

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander life expectancy methodology, 2020 - 2022

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