SOUTH AUSTRALIA


Total population

Age and sex distribution

Median age

Children (under 15 years of age)

Working age population (aged 15-64 years)

People aged 65 years and over

Sex ratio


TOTAL POPULATION

At June 2011, the estimated resident population of South Australia (SA) was 1.64 million people, an increase of 126,500 (or 8.4%) since June 2001.

Over three-quarters of the state's population resided in Greater Adelaide in 2011. Greater Adelaide grew by 108,200 people in the ten years to 2011 to reach 1.26 million, while the rest of the state grew by 18,300 people.

Within Greater Adelaide, the SA3 of Adelaide City had the fastest growth in these ten years, increasing by 58%. This was followed by Gawler - Two Wells (24%), Port Adelaide - East (20%) and Playford (18%). Tea Tree Gully was the only SA3 in Greater Adelaide to decline in population, down 1.5%.

AGE AND SEX DISTRIBUTION

The age distribution of the population in Greater Adelaide and the rest of the state varies most in the younger population. Greater Adelaide had a higher proportion aged 18 to 40 years at June 2011 as compared to the rest of the state. This is indicative of young adults moving to the capital city for employment or education purposes.

The difference between the age distribution of Greater Adelaide and the rest of South Australia was most evident for people aged 20 to 24 years. The population of Greater Adelaide was 3.4 times larger than the rest of the state, while for those aged 20 to 24 it was 4.9 times greater. At June 2011, males in this age group comprised 3.9% of the population in Greater Adelaide compared with 2.8% in the rest of the state, while females aged 20 to 24 years comprised 3.7% of the capital city compared with 2.4% in the rest of the state.

MEDIAN AGE

At June 2011, South Australia had a median age (the age at which half the population is older and half is younger) of 39.5 years. This was the second highest of all states and territories, behind Tasmania at 40.4 years. The median age of females (40.5 years) in South Australia was higher than males (38.4).

The coastal SA2s of Victor Harbor and Goolwa - Port Elliot, both popular retirement destinations, had the highest median ages in South Australia in 2011, at 56.4 and 54.6 years respectively. This was followed by Yorke Peninsula - South (52.9 years), Moonta (52.2) and Yorke Peninsula - North (51.5). These SA2s all had median ages among the highest in Australia.

APY Lands in the far north-west of the state had the lowest median age of all SA2s in South Australia at 26.0 years. This was followed by Davoren Park (27.7) and neighbouring Munno Para West - Angle Vale (28.0), both on the northern fringe of Greater Adelaide, and inner-city Adelaide (29.3).

In the ten years to 2011, the median age of Adelaide SA2 decreased by 6.0 years to 29.3 years. This was the largest decrease of all SA2s in South Australia. In contrast, the largest increase in median age over this period was in Yankalilla on the Fleurieu Peninsula, which increased by 7.8 years to 51.1 years.
CHILDREN (UNDER 15 YEARS OF AGE)

At June 2011, there were 289,200 people aged 0 to 14 years in South Australia, which was 18% of the state's population. The number of children in Greater Adelaide increased by 3,200 in the ten years to June 2011, while in the rest of the state, it declined by 5,700.

The SA2s with the largest proportions of children were mostly in Greater Adelaide, including Davoren Park (27%), Munno Para West - Angle Vale (26%), Nairne (24%), and Craigmore - Blakeview (23%). APY Lands, in the state's far north-west, also had a high proportion (26%).

The proportion of children declined in most of South Australia's SA2s in the ten years to 2011, with the largest decrease in Roxby Downs (down from 31% to 22%).
WORKING AGE POPULATION (AGED 15-64 YEARS)

Two-thirds of South Australia's population (or 1.09 million people) were aged between 15 and 64 years in June 2011. Between 2001 and 2011, the working age population increased by 80,000 people in Greater Adelaide and 9,400 in the rest of South Australia.

The SA2 with the highest proportion of its population of working age was inner-city Adelaide (87%), followed by Roxby Downs (77%), Outback (75%), Norwood and North Adelaide (both 74%). The proportion of people aged 15 to 64 years in the mining town of Roxby Downs increased from 68% to 77% in the ten years to 2011, which was the largest increase of all SA2s in South Australia over this period.
PEOPLE AGED 65 YEARS AND OVER

South Australia had 260,600 people aged 65 years or over in June 2011, representing 16% of the state's population. Between 2001 and 2011, the proportion of the population aged 65 and above in Greater Adelaide remained at around 15%, while in the rest of the state it increased from 15% to 18%.

The SA2s with the highest proportions of their populations aged 65 years or above were all located on the South Australian coast. Victor Harbor had the highest proportion with 35%, followed by Goolwa - Port Elliot (33%), Moonta (29%), Yorke Peninsula - North and Yorke Peninsula - South (both 27%). These proportions all increased since June 2001.

SEX RATIO

At June 2011, the sex ratio (the number of males per 100 females) of South Australia was 97.9, with 810,400 males and 827,900 females. This was the second lowest sex ratio of all states and territories, behind Victoria (97.8).

The SA2 with the highest sex ratio in South Australia was Outback (159.4), followed by the mining towns of Roxby Downs (145.6) and Coober Pedy (126.8), which were also among the highest in Australia. These were followed by Grant (117.3) which surrounds Mount Gambier, inner-city Adelaide (114.9), Murray Bridge Region (114.2), and Waikerie (112.6) in the east of the state.

Toorak Gardens (86.6), Unley - Parkside (87.1), Brighton (88.0), Payneham - Felixstow (88.4) and Warradale (89.0), all in Greater Adelaide, had the lowest sex ratios in South Australia and were all among the lowest in the country.