Population: Census

Latest release

Information on sex and age

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Reference period
2021
Released
28/06/2022
Next release Unknown
First release

Key statistics

  • The 2021 Census counted 25,422,788 people in Australia (excludes overseas visitors), an increase of 8.6 per cent since the 2016 Census.
  • 49.3 per cent of the population were male with a median age of 37 years old.
  • 50.7 per cent of the population were female with the median age of 39 years old.

Population by generation

A bar chart is shown. The population is broken down by: 12.0% Gen Alpha (0-9 years), 18.2% Gen Z (10-24 years), 21.5% Millennials (25-39 years), 19.3% Gen X (40-54 years), 21.5% Baby Boomers (55-74 years) and 7.5% Interwar (75 years and over)
A bar chart shows the Australian population broken down by generations. The population is made up of 12.0 per cent Gen Alpha (0-9 years), 18.2 per cent Gen Z (10-24 years), 21.5 per cent Millennials (25-39 years), 19.3 per cent Gen X (40-54 years), 21.5 per cent Baby Boomers (55-74 years) and 7.5 per cent Interwar (75 years and over).

Source: Age (AGEP)

Count of persons(a) by state and territory by sex, 2021 Census
 MaleFemaleTotal
New South Wales                       3,984,166                       4,087,995                       8,072,163
Victoria                       3,200,963                       3,302,528                       6,503,491
Queensland                       2,540,404                       2,615,736                       5,156,138
South Australia                          878,592                          902,924                       1,781,516
Western Australia                       1,322,855                       1,337,171                       2,660,026
Tasmania                          273,765                          283,804                          557,571
Northern Territory                          117,526                          115,075                          232,605
Australian Capital Territory                          224,361                          230,140                          454,499
Australia(b)                     12,545,154                     12,877,635                     25,422,788

Note there are small random adjustments made to all cell values to protect the confidentiality of data. These adjustments may cause the sum of rows or columns to differ by small amounts from table totals.

  1. Based on place of usual residence. Excludes overseas visitors.
  2. Includes Other Territories.

Source: Sex (SEXP)

Census data stories and concepts

Articles and information papers that related to this topic include:

How Census data is used

Learn how Census data helps community groups, businesses and governments make important decisions.

Shopping, fun and friendship: Census helps connect older people in Bass Valley

Key questions in 2021 Census

  • Is the person male, female or non-binary sex? 
  • What is the person’s date of birth and age?
  • For each female, how many babies has she ever given birth to? 

The questions from the 2021 Census are output into variables. To see descriptions of the variables, including data use considerations, relevant to this topic see the 2021 Census dictionary: Population.

Data downloads

Data table for Population data summary

Data files
Download xlsx [56.49 KB]

Other relevant data downloads can be found on the following pages:

Snapshot of Australia

  • Age by sex - 2016 and 2021
  • Indigenous status by age - 2016 and 2021

Other ABS links

To access more 2021 Census data, see Search Census data or to build your own data sets, see Census data tools.

Explore other ABS data: 

Articles

Media releases