National, state and territory population

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Statistics about the population and components of change (births, deaths, migration) for Australia and its states and territories

Reference period
September 2019
Released
19/03/2020

Key statistics

  • Australia’s population was 25,464,116 people at 30 September 2019.
  • The quarterly growth was 98,545 people (0.4%).
  • The annual growth was 371,100 people (1.5%).
  • 37.5% of annual growth was due to natural increase, and 62.5% was due to net overseas migration.

National

Annual population change

In the year ending 30 September 2019, Australia's population grew by 371,100 people (1.5%).

Annual population change(a)(b)

Annual population change(a)(b)

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  1. Annual growth calculated at the end of each quarter.
  2. All data to 30 June 2016 is final. Estimates thereafter are preliminary.

Australia's population growth is comprised of natural increase (births minus deaths) and net overseas migration (migration arrivals minus migration departures).

Components of quarterly population change

In the September 2019 quarter, natural increase:

  • was 32,300 people
  • decreased by 8,400 people since the previous quarter
     

In the September 2019 quarter, net overseas migration:

  • was 66,300 people
  • increased by 31,400 people since the previous quarter
     

Components of quarterly population change

Components of quarterly population change

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Components of annual population change

In the year ending 30 September 2019, natural increase:

  • was 139,100 people
  • decreased by 9,800 people (6.6%) since the previous year
  • contributed 37.5% to Australia's annual population growth
     

In the year ending 30 September 2019, net overseas migration:

  • was 232,100 people
  • decreased by 10,300 people (4.2%) since the previous year
  • contributed 62.5% to Australia's annual population growth
     

Components of annual population change(a)

Components of annual population change(a)

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  1. Annual components calculated at the end of each quarter.
     

States and territories

Annual population change

  • All states and territories, except the Northern Territory, had positive population growth over the year ending 30 September 2019.
  • Victoria had the highest growth rate (2.0%).
  • The Northern Territory had the lowest growth rate (-0.6%).
     

Annual population change by state and territory

 Population at 30 Sep 2019 ('000)Change over previous year ('000)Change over previous year (%)
New South Wales8,118.0102.01.3
Victoria6,629.9129.62.0
Queensland5,115.584.71.7
South Australia1,756.515.40.9
Western Australia2,630.629.31.1
Tasmania535.55.31.0
Northern Territory245.6-1.4-0.6
Australian Capital Territory428.16.21.5
Australia(a)25,464.1371.11.5

a. Includes Other Territories comprising Jervis Bay Territory, Christmas Island, the Cocos (Keeling) Islands and Norfolk Island.
 

State and territory population change is comprised of natural increase, net overseas migration, and net interstate migration (interstate arrivals minus interstate departures).

Components of annual population change

For the year ending 30 September 2019:

  • natural increase was the major contributor to population change in Western Australia and the Australian Capital Territory
  • net interstate migration loss was the largest component of population change in the Northern Territory
  • net overseas migration was the major contributor to population change in New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia and Tasmania.
     

Components of annual population change by state and territory

Components of annual population change by state and territory

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Notes

Changes to this issue

The ABS is aiming to reduce data which is duplicated elsewhere on the website. Below is a summary of the tables which will no longer appear in Australian Demographic Statistics (3101.0) and where the data can be found.

There will be no reduction in the available output, and the remaining table numbers will not change.

2019/20 Australian bushfires and COVID-19

Statistics in this publication predates the Australian summer bushfires of 2019/20 and COVID-19.

Data downloads - time series spreadsheets

Table 1. Population change, summary - Australia ('000)

Table 2. Population change, components - States and territories (number)

Document content:

Population components prior to September 2016 will not sum to total population growth due to intercensal difference. Components for September 2016 onwards will sum to total population growth as the intercensal difference for this period will not be known until after the 2021 Census.

Intercensal difference is the difference between the preliminary ERP for 30 June in a Census year (carried forward from the previous Census base using births, deaths and migration data) and the final ERP for the same time point (based on the new Census). The intercensal difference by age and sex for each state and territory is spread evenly across the intercensal quarters. Thus intercensal difference acts as a balancing item that when combined with births, deaths and migration equals total population growth for that period.

For more information see Australian Demographic Statistics, Dec 2017 Feature Article: Final rebasing of Australia's population estimates using the 2016 Census.

Table 4. Estimated Resident Population, states and territories (number)

Table 16A. Interstate arrivals, states and territories (persons)

Table 16B. Interstate departures, states and territories (persons)

Table 51. Estimated Resident Population by single year of age, New South Wales

Data downloads - data cubes

Australian demographic statistics tables

Population by age and sex tables

Standard population for use in age-standardisation table