Regional population

Australia's centre of population: 

• was 40 kilometres east of Ivanhoe in western New South Wales, reflecting the concentration of population in south-east Australia
• moved 6.4 kilometres south over 2011-21, reflecting stronger growth in Melbourne over this period

Australia's population density at June 2021 was 3.3 people per square kilometre (sq km).

The most densely populated areas were: 

• Melbourne CBD - North (31,100 people per sq km)
• Southbank - East (20,600) in inner Melbourne
• Sydney (South) - Haymarket (18,800) in inner Sydney

Population density can also be explored at a finer level by breaking Australia up into 1 km² grid cells.

Grid cells can be grouped into population density classes, ranging from no population to very high.

• Sydney had the largest combined area in the high and very high density classes (175 km²), followed by Melbourne (51 km²) and Brisbane (17 km²).
• Canberra (2 km²) was the only other capital city to have areas in the high or very high density classes.

The centre for New South Wales: 

• was near the Hawkesbury River at June 2021, in the suburb of Lower Portland
• moved 2.6 kilometres south-east over 2011-21, reflecting growth in Sydney and along the NSW coast

The centre for Sydney: 

• was in the Parramatta River at June 2021, in the suburb of Rydalmere
• moved around 890 metres west over 2011-21, led by strong growth in outer north-western and south-western suburbs

The areas with the highest density at June 2021 were: 

• Sydney (South) - Haymarket (18,800 people per sq km) in inner-city Sydney
• Chippendale (17,100) also in inner-city Sydney
• Wolli Creek (16,000) near Sydney's airport

The centre for Victoria:

• was in the suburb of Coburg North at June 2021, north of Melbourne’s central business district
• moved 1.2 kilometres south over 2011-21, reflecting strong growth in the inner Melbourne suburbs

The centre for Melbourne: 

• was in the suburb of Malvern at June 2021, near the Monash Freeway
• moved 890 metres west over 2011-21, reflecting strong growth in Melbourne's outer west

The areas with the highest density at June 2021 were: 

• Melbourne CBD - North (31,100 people per sq km)
• Southbank - East (20,600) in inner Melbourne
• Melbourne CBD - West (16,100)

The centre for Queensland:

• was in the rural locality of Booubyjan at June 2021, south-west of Maryborough
• moved 19 kilometres south-east over 2011-21, reflecting strong population growth in South East Queensland

The centre for Brisbane: 

• was in the suburb of Highgate Hill at June 2021, to the south-west of Brisbane's central business district
• moved 250 metres south-west over 2011-21, indicating higher growth in Brisbane's outer south-west

The areas with the highest density at June 2021 were all inner Brisbane suburbs:

• West End (7,800 people per sq km)
• Fortitude Valley (7,700)
• Kangaroo Point (7,400)

The centre for South Australia:

• was in the suburb of Lightsview at June 2021, in Adelaide's inner north-east
• moved 1.9 kilometres south over 2011-21, towards Adelaide's central business district

The centre for Adelaide: 

• was north of Botanic Park at June 2021, in the suburb of Adelaide
• moved 270 metres north-east over 2011-21, reflecting higher growth in Adelaide's north

The areas with the highest density at June 2021 were: 

• Unley - Parkside (3,000 per sq km) in Adelaide's inner south
• Prospect (2,900), to the north of Adelaide's central business district
• Glenelg (also 2,900), a coastal suburb in Adelaide's south-west

The centre for Western Australia:

• was in the Avon Valley National Park at June 2021, 30 kilometres west of the town of Toodyay
• moved 12 kilometres south-west over 2011-21, towards Perth’s central business district

The centre for Perth: 

• was in the suburb of Como at June 2021, near the banks of the Swan River
• moved 510 metres south over 2011-21, reflecting slightly stronger growth to the south of the city

The areas with the highest density at June 2021 were: 

• Perth (North) - Highgate (4,000 people per sq km) in Perth's inner north
• Scarborough (3,700) on Perth's north-west coastline
• Tuart Hill - Joondanna (also 3,700) in Perth's inner north

The centre for Tasmania:

• was near Woods Lake at June 2021, located in Steppes in the state's Central Highlands
• moved 4.3 kilometres south-east over 2011-21, reflecting stronger growth in Hobart

The centre for Hobart: 

• was just south of the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens at June 2021, in the suburb of Queens Domain
• moved 190 metres east over 2011-21, reflecting stronger growth in the city's east

The areas with the highest density at June 2021 all surrounded Hobart's central business district: 

• West Moonah (2,500 people per sq km)
• Moonah (2,100)
• Sandy Bay (1,800)

The centre for the Northern Territory:

• was approximately 40 kilometres south-west of the town of Katherine at June 2021
• moved 26 kilometres north-west over 2011-21, reflecting growth in and around the capital

The centre for Darwin: 

• was in the suburb of Berrimah at June 2021, south of the Stuart Highway
• moved 570 metres south-east over 2011-21, towards the fast-growing Palmerston area

The areas with the highest density at June 2021 were: 

• Nightcliff (2,800 people per sq km) in Darwin's northern suburbs
• Parap (2,700) and Stuart Park (2,600), both inner suburbs of Darwin

The centre for the Australian Capital Territory:

• was in Lake Burley Griffin at June 2021, west of the suburb of Acton
• moved 1.3 kilometres north over 2011-21, reflecting population growth in the northern suburbs

The areas with the highest density at June 2021 were: 

• Kingston (4,700 people per sq km) on the south-eastern banks of Lake Burley Griffin
• Braddon (4,600) in Canberra's inner north
• inner-city Civic (3,500)