SOUTH AUSTRALIA

TOTAL POPULATION

The estimated resident population of South Australia at 30 June 2006 was 1.57 million, an increase of 56,500 (3.7%) since June 2001. In June 2006 South Australia's population was 7.6% of the Australian total.

Almost three quarters (73%) of the state's population resided in the Adelaide Statistical Division (SD) in June 2006, a proportion virtually unchanged since June 1996. Outer Adelaide was the fastest growing SD in the state between June 2001 and June 2006 with an average annual increase of 2.5%, well above the state average of 0.7%. Adelaide SD grew by 38,100 people (at an average annual rate of 0.7%) over this time period. Northern was the only SD to experience a decline in population.

Between June 2001 and June 2006, the fastest growing Local Government Area (LGA) in South Australia was Adelaide (C), increasing by an average annual rate of 5.9%. The second fastest growing LGA was Light (RegC), just north of the capital city, which increased by an average annual rate of 4.0%, followed by coastal Alexandrina (DC) (3.4%) and the mining area of Roxby Downs (3.4%). The fastest declines were recorded in Coober Pedy (DC) and Anangu Pitjantjatjara (AC) (both 3.8%) in the far north of the state.

For Local Government Areas (LGAs) this summary excludes those with populations of less than 2,000 at 30 June 2006.


AGE DISTRIBUTION

The proportion of older residents continues to increase in South Australia, while the proportion of younger people continues to decline. At June 2006, 15.1% of people were aged 65 years or more, compared with 14.6% in June 2001 and 14.0% in June 1996. Over the last 10 years, the proportion of people aged 85 years and over has increased from 1.3% to 2.0%. The proportion of the state's population aged under 15 years was 18.3% in 2006, compared with 19.3% at June 2001 and 20.3% in June 1996.




The varied age distribution throughout South Australia is particularly noticeable when comparing Adelaide SD with the remainder of the state. Adelaide SD had a lower proportion of people aged under 18 years, a higher proportion of people aged 18 to 37 years and a lower proportion of people aged 38 to 75 years, compared with the remainder of the state.



MEDIAN AGE

In 2006, South Australia had the second highest median age (the age at which half the population is older and half is younger) of all states and territories (behind Tasmania) with a median age of 38.7 years . This increased from 37.6 years in June 2001 and 35.6 years in June 1996, which was a greater increase than the national median age, which increased from 34.0 years to 36.6 years over the last 10 years.

The highest median age among South Australia's SDs was recorded in Yorke and Lower North (45.1 years). Northern and South East had the lowest median ages of 37.8 years and 37.9 years, respectively. Adelaide had a median age of 38.3 years, which was the highest of all the capital city SDs.

Over the 10 years to June 2006, Victor Harbor (C) had the highest median age of all LGAs in South Australia, and in fact of all LGAs in Australia. At June 2006 the median age of its population was 53.6 years, increasing from 50.7 years in June 2001 and 46.8 years in June 1996. Yorke Peninsula (DC) also had a high median age (49.2 years) followed by Yankalilla (DC) (48.1 years). These are all coastal and rural areas. The LGAs with the lowest median ages in South Australia were Anangu Pitjantjatjara (AC) (26.9 years), Roxby Downs (29.3 years) and Adelaide (C) (31.9 years).


CHILDREN (UNDER 15 YEARS OF AGE)

At June 2006, South Australia had the lowest proportion of its population aged 0 to 14 years (18.3%) of all states and territories, down from 19.3% in 2001. Nationally 19.6% of the population was in this age group. The total number of children declined from 291,700 in June 2001 to 287,400 in June 2006.

Eyre SD had the highest proportion of children aged under 15 years (21.3%), followed by Northern (21.2%) and South East (21.1%). Adelaide had the smallest proportion of its population aged under 15 years (17.6%). Outer Adelaide was the only SD to experience an increase in the number of children in the five years to June 2006, with an increase of 1,600 children.

Of LGAs with more than 2,000 people the largest proportions of children were recorded in Roxby Downs (M) (27.4%), Anangu Pitjantjatjara (AC) (26.9%) and Ceduna (DC) (23.9%). Adelaide (C) has remained the LGA with the smallest percentage of children over the last ten years. In June 2006, only 5.7% of people living in Adelaide (C) were aged 15 years or under, down from 6.2% in June 2001 and 6.4% in June 1996. Other LGAs with small proportions of children in June 2006 were Holdfast Bay (C) (12.4%), Norwood Payneham St Peters (C) (13.5%) and Victor Harbor (C) (13.8%).


WORKING AGE POPULATION (AGED 15–64 YEARS)

In June 2006, 66.6% of South Australia's population was aged 15–64 years, which was the second lowest percentage of all states and territories in Australia. There were 1.04 million people in this age group in June 2006, an increase of 45,600 people (4.6%) from June 2001.

The SD with the highest proportion of people aged 15 to 64 years was Adelaide (67.4%), while the lowest was in Yorke and Lower North (61.2%). Except for Murray Lands, all SDs in South Australia experienced an increase in the proportion of the working age population between June 2001 and June 2006. The slight decline in the Murray Lands proportion occurred because although the number of people in that age group increased by 520, there was a much larger increase in the number of people aged 65 years or more.

The LGAs with the highest proportion of their population aged 15 to 64 years were Adelaide (C) (83.4%) and Roxby Downs (M) (72.1%). At the other end of the scale, just over one half (54.6%) of people living in Victor Harbor (C) were aged between 15 and 64 years.


OLDER PEOPLE

AGED 65 YEARS AND OVER

In 2006, the proportion of the South Australian population aged 65 years and over was the highest among the states and territories at 15.1% (236,200 people). Nationally, the proportion was 13.0%. The total number of people in this age group in South Australia increased by 15,200 between June 2001 and June 2006.

The proportion of the population who were aged 65 years and over increased in all SDs over the ten years to June 2006, at which time the SDs with the highest proportions were Yorke and Lower North (20.5%) and Murray Lands (15.9%). The lowest proportions were in South East (13.6%) and Northern (13.7%).

Of South Australian LGAs with more than 2,000 people, those with the highest proportions of their populations aged 65 years and over were Victor Harbor (C) (31.6%), Yorke Peninsula (DC) (24.0%) and Copper Coast (DC) (22.7%). The LGAs with the smallest proportions were Roxby Downs (M) (0.5%), Anangu Pitjantjatjara (AC) (5.1%) and Mallala (DC) (8.8%).

AGED 85 YEARS AND OVER

In June 2006, South Australia had the highest proportion of its population aged 85 years and over among all states and territories at 2.0% or 30,600 people. Between June 2001 and June 2006, the number of people in this age group rose by 5,200 people (21%).

Yorke and Lower North was the SD with the greatest proportion of people aged 85 years and over (2.4%), while the lowest was in Northern (1.4%).

The LGAs of Holdfast Bay (C) (4.1%), Unley (C), Victor Harbor (C) and Walkerville (C) (all 3.7%) had the highest proportion of their population aged 85 years and over in June 2006. There was no-one aged 85 years or over living in Roxby Downs (M). Other LGAs with low proportions were Coober Pedy (DC) (0.3%), and Anangu Pitjantjatjara (AC) (0.4%).


SEX RATIO

Since 1970, females have outnumbered males in South Australia. At June 2006, the state's sex ratio (number of males per 100 females) was 97.5, with 774,400 males and 793,800 females. This was down from 97.7 in June 2001 and 97.9 in June 1996.

Despite females outnumbering males in South Australia, males outnumbered females in all SDs except Adelaide SD, which had 559,900 males and 586,200 females (or a sex ratio 95.5). Eyre had the highest sex ratio of 107.1.

At June 2006 in South Australia, there were more male children aged from 0 to 14 years (146,900) than female (140,500) leading to a sex ratio of 104.6. Out of the LGAs with more than 2,000 people, Ceduna (DC) had the highest sex ratio of children aged 0 to 14 years (112.1), while Yankalilla (DC) (91.5) had the lowest.

There were also more males than females in the working age population (523,600 to 521,000). Roxby Downs (M) LGA had the highest sex ratio of the working age population (144.5) with 1,800 males and 1,270 females. Burnside (C) had more females than males with the lowest sex ratio of 92.4, followed by Unley (C) (93.1), Campbelltown (C) and Gawler (T) (both 94.0).

In South Australia, the number of females aged 65 years and over (132,300) was almost 30% higher than the number of males in this age group (103,900) in June 2006. There were more than twice as many females (20,800) as males (9,800) aged 85 years and over. The lower sex ratios for the more elderly age groups illustrate the greater life expectancy of women.