STATE AND TERRITORY DATA
Marriage statistics in this publication are presented by the state or territory where the marriage was registered, rather than the state of usual residence of the couple. For this reason, the ABS advises caution in the interpretation of data at a state or territory level as couples may chose to marry outside their state or territory of usual residence. Refer to Explanatory Notes 30-31 for more information.
Number of marriages, states and territories(a) - Selected years - 1989-2008 |
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| NSW | Vic. | Qld | SA | WA | Tas. | NT | ACT | Aust. |
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1989 | 41 300 | 30 624 | 19 088 | 9 776 | 10 739 | 3 111 | 778 | 1 760 | 117 176 |
1999 | 41 016 | 27 252 | 22 416 | 8 237 | 10 197 | 2 499 | 885 | 1 814 | 114 316 |
2004(b) | 37 431 | 25 587 | 24 312 | 7 883 | 10 601 | 2 648 | 777 | 1 719 | 110 958 |
2005 | 35 927 | 25 266 | 24 303 | 7 630 | 11 124 | 2 644 | 774 | 1 655 | 109 323 |
2006 | 38 071 | 26 564 | 25 043 | 7 841 | 11 602 | 2 664 | 799 | 1 638 | 114 222 |
2007 | 37 982 | 26 967 | 25 808 | 8 095 | 12 290 | 2 791 | 779 | 1 610 | 116 322 |
2008 | 39 137 | 27 089 | 26 803 | 8 046 | 12 367 | 2 685 | 955 | 1 674 | 118 756 |
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(a) Care should be taken interpreting these figures as marriage data is by state of registration rather than usual residence. See Explanatory Notes 30-31 for further information. |
(b) 2004 data is subject to sampling error. See Explanatory Note 50 for further information. |
In 2008, the greatest increase in the number of marriages registered was in New South Wales (up by 1155, 3.0%) and Queensland (995, 3.9%). Both South Australia and Tasmania decreased by 49 (0.6%) and 176 (3.8%) respectively.
Queensland recorded the highest crude marriage rate in 2008 (6.2 marriages per 1,000 estimated population), whilst the Northern Territory had the lowest crude marriage rate, with 4.3 marriages per 1,000 estimated population. Marriages performed by ministers of religion as a proportion of all marriages in 2008 were highest in New South Wales and lowest in Tasmania (39.5% and 29.5% respectively). In 2008, the proportion of marriages where couples lived together prior to marriage was lowest in New South Wales (69.9%) and highest in Tasmania (86.4%).
Selected marriage indicators(a), States and Territories of registration(b) - 2008 |
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| | | NSW | VIC | QLD | SA | WA | TAS | NT | ACT | AUST. |
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Marriages registered (no.) | 39 137 | 27 089 | 26 803 | 8 046 | 12 367 | 2 685 | 955 | 1 674 | 118 756 |
Crude marriage rate(c) (rate) | 5.6 | 5.1 | 6.2 | 5.0 | 5.7 | 5.4 | 4.3 | 4.8 | 5.5 |
Median age at marriage | | | | | | | | | |
| Males (no.) | 31.1 | 31.6 | 32.0 | 31.7 | 32.1 | 32.7 | 34.3 | 31.8 | 31.6 |
| Females (no.) | 28.9 | 29.4 | 29.5 | 29.1 | 29.5 | 30.1 | 30.8 | 29.1 | 29.3 |
Previous marital status | | | | | | | | | |
| First marriage both partners (no.) | 27 999 | 19 596 | 17 801 | 5 505 | 8 439 | 1 735 | 621 | 1 151 | 82 847 |
| First marriage one partner (no.) | 6 429 | 4 329 | 4 830 | 1 328 | 2 093 | 464 | 192 | 304 | 19 969 |
| Remarriage both partners (no.) | 4 709 | 3 164 | 4 172 | 1 213 | 1 835 | 486 | 142 | 219 | 15 940 |
Marriage Celebrants | | | | | | | | | |
| Ministers of religion(d) | | | | | | | | | |
| | Number of marriages (no.) | 15 470 | 9 826 | 7 753 | 2 999 | 3 834 | 793 | 220 | 650 | 41 545 |
| | Proportion of marriages (%) | 39.5 | 36.3 | 28.9 | 37.3 | 31.0 | 29.5 | 23.0 | 38.8 | 35.0 |
| Civil celebrants(d) | | | | | | | | | |
| | Number of marriages (no.) | 23 613 | 17 256 | 19 044 | 5 047 | 8 531 | 1 892 | 735 | 1 024 | 77 142 |
| | Proportion of marriages (%) | 60.3 | 63.7 | 71.1 | 62.7 | 69.0 | 70.5 | 77.0 | 61.2 | 65.0 |
Relative birthplace of male and female(e) | | | | | | | | | |
| Both born in Australia (no.) | 21 612 | 16 031 | 17 059 | 5 522 | 6 512 | 2 124 | 610 | 1 051 | 70 521 |
| Both born in the same overseas country (no.) | 5 583 | 3 198 | 1 881 | 491 | 1 084 | 51 | 43 | 129 | 12 460 |
| Born in different countries (no.) | 11 879 | 7 852 | 7 850 | 2 033 | 4 710 | 509 | 302 | 494 | 35 629 |
Couples living together prior to marriage | | | | | | | | | |
| Number of marriages (no.) | 27 362 | 20 919 | 22 781 | 6 409 | 10 267 | 2 321 | 798 | 1 363 | 92 220 |
| Proportion of marriages (%) | 69.9 | 77.2 | 85.0 | 79.7 | 83.0 | 86.4 | 83.6 | 81.4 | 77.7 |
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(a) See Glossary for definitions of terms used. |
(b) By state or territory where the marriage is registered. See Explanatory Note 30-31 for further detail. |
(c) Per 1,000 of population at 30 June. See Explanatory Notes 39 and 46 for further information. |
(d) Excludes marriages where the rite is not stated or not defined. Registers of ministers of religion are maintained by states and territories under the authority of the Marriage Act 1961. Data on religious marriage rites are classified to the Australian Standard Classification of Religious Groups, 1996 (ASCRG, cat. no. 1266.0). |
(e) Excludes marriages where country of birth of one or both partners is not stated. |