Darwin the nation’s youngest capital
Darwin had the youngest median age of all capital cities in 2023, according to data released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).
Beidar Cho, ABS head of demography, said: "Darwin's median age of 34.6 years was a year younger than the next youngest capital, Canberra. It was also the only capital where males outnumbered females, with 104.7 males for every 100 females.
“In contrast, Adelaide had the oldest median age at 39.2 years, followed by Hobart at 38.9 years. Hobart and Adelaide also had the lowest male to female ratios of all capitals.”
| Capital city | Median age (years) | Sex ratio |
|---|---|---|
| Sydney | 36.8 | 99.0 |
| Melbourne | 36.6 | 97.9 |
| Brisbane | 36.5 | 98.2 |
| Adelaide | 39.2 | 96.0 |
| Perth | 37.6 | 99.6 |
| Hobart | 38.9 | 95.6 |
| Darwin | 34.6 | 104.7 |
| Canberra | 35.6 | 97.5 |
| Total capital cities | 37.0 | 98.4 |
Today's data also reveals the age and sex breakdowns of areas in the capital cities and the rest of Australia.
"Acton in the ACT, which is home to the Australian National University, had the youngest median age at 20.8 years. Meanwhile, Tea Gardens - Hawks Nest on the NSW coast had the oldest at 66.2 years," Ms Cho said.
“Sex ratios varied considerably across the country. Woollahra in Sydney’s east, had the lowest male to female ratio, with 80.9 males for every 100 females. Wacol in Brisbane had the highest at 278.1 males per 100 females, as it contained a male correctional centre.”
To find out more about your area, including its median age and sex ratio, see Regional population by age and sex.
Media notes
- The median age is the age at which half the population is older and half is younger. The sex ratio is the number of males per 100 females.
- Capital cities mentioned in this release are Greater Capital City Statistical Areas and areas are Statistical Areas Level 2, as defined in the Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS) Edition 3.
- When reporting ABS data you must attribute the Australian Bureau of Statistics (or the ABS) as the source.
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