VICTORIA


TOTAL POPULATION

The estimated resident population of Victoria at 30 June 2007 was 5.20 million people. Melbourne Statistical Division (SD) was home to about three-quarters (73.1%) of the Victorian population, or 3.81 million people.

Melbourne was the fastest-growing SD in Victoria in the 12 months to 30 June 2007, with a growth rate of 1.7% (62,700 people).


AGE AND SEX DISTRIBUTION

In common with most of the states in Australia, the most noticeable difference between the age distributions of the Melbourne SD and the remainder of Victoria were apparent for people aged between 20 and 39 years. In particular, in the 25-29 year age group, males and females each made up 2.6% of the population of the remainder of the state, compared with 3.9% and 3.8% (respectively) of the Melbourne SD population.

MEDIAN AGE

At 30 June 2007, the median age (the age at which half the population is older and half is younger) of Victorian residents was 36.9 years - 36.1 years for males and 37.7 years for females.

Melbourne had the lowest median age (36.1 years) of all Victorian SDs. The highest median ages occurred in East Gippsland (43.1 years) and Wimmera (42.8).

The Local Government Areas (LGAs) with the highest median ages in June 2007 were Queenscliffe (B) (53.4 years) Strathbogie (S) (47.5) and Yarriambiack (S) (46.6), all in regional Victoria.

The LGAs with the lowest median ages in June 2007 were Melbourne (C) (27.9 years), followed by Melton (S) (31.4) and Wyndham (C) (32.5) which lie on Melbourne's growth fringes.


CHILDREN (UNDER 15 YEARS OF AGE)

Children (people aged 0-14 years) comprised 18.9% of the Victorian population in June 2007. There was a higher proportion of children in regional Victoria (20.0%) than in Melbourne SD (18.4%), with concentrations in Melbourne's fringes and around regional centres.

WORKING AGE POPULATION (AGED 15-64 YEARS)

Persons of working age (15-64 years) represented two-thirds (67.6%) of the Victorian population in June 2007. The population of working age people was higher in Melbourne SD (68.9%) than in regional Victoria (64.2%).

The four LGAs with the highest proportions of working age people were all in inner Melbourne - Melbourne (C) (88.5%), Port Phillip (C) (79.8%), Yarra (C) (79.5%) and Stonnington (C) (73.0%).


PEOPLE AGED 65 YEARS AND OVER

Persons aged 65 years and over accounted for 13.5% of the Victorian population in June 2007. There was a lower proportion of older people in Melbourne SD (12.6%) than in regional Victoria (15.8%).

Queenscliffe (B) (31.8%) on the coast was the LGA with the highest percentage of its population aged 65 years and over, followed by the north Wimmera LGAs of Hindmarsh (S) (24.0%) and Yarriambiack (S) (23.6%).


SEX RATIO

The sex ratio for Victoria was 97.9 in June 2007, indicating there were 97.9 males for every 100 females. In many parts of regional Victoria, however, particularly outside regional centres, this trend was reversed.

The LGAs with the highest sex ratio for June 2007, all in regional Victoria, were Pyrenees (S) (108.2), Murrindindi (S) (105.7), Loddon (S) (also 105.7) and Golden Plains (S) (105.5).

The LGAs with the lowest sex ratio for June 2007 were Queenscliffe (B) (86.9), Bayside (C) (91.6) and Whitehorse (C) (93.0).