Population

National and state population summary tables

Data sources and definitions

Future Living Arrangements

The number of people living alone is projected to increase from 1.8 million in 2001 to between 2.8 million and 3.7 million in 2026 - an increase of between 57% and 105%. Over the same period the proportion of Australians living in a couple family with children is projected to decrease from 52% to between 46% and 35%. This article uses population projections to discuss future living arrangements.

Social circumstances of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples

Since 1994 there have been a number of improvements in the social circumstances of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Nevertheless, Indigenous people remain disadvantaged across a range of areas of social concern when compared to the social circumstances of non-Indigenous Australians. This article examines the social circumstances of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples across a range of areas including health and disability, education, work, income and housing.

People in their 20s: then and now

More than ever before, the ages of 20 to 29 years are a time of transition. While people legally reach adulthood at 18 years, the years which follow are a time of growing independence. This article compares the experience of people in their twenties in 1976 and 2001. It focuses on changes in their demographic characteristics, living arrangements, family life, and participation in education and work.

Recent fertility trends

This article looks at the changes in Australian fertility trends over the ten years between 1993-2003, with an emphasis on the changes in age of mothers and how many children they have. The most noticeable trends are the delaying of childbirth, smaller completed family sizes and increasing incidence of childlessness.