In this issue, the ABS has rebased the population estimates to the 2021 Census of Population. Estimates for September 2016 - June 2021 are final. For further information see Methodology used in final rebased population estimates, June 2021. These final rebased estimates supersede all previously released estimates.
National, state and territory population
Statistics about the population and components of change (births, deaths, migration) for Australia and its states and territories
Key statistics
Statistics in this release are commonly known as Estimated Resident Population (ERP).
- Australia’s population was 26,268,359 people at 31 December 2022.
- The quarterly growth was 127,078 people (0.5%).
- The annual growth was 496,800 people (1.9%).
- Annual natural increase was 109,800 and net overseas migration was 387,000.
National
Annual population change
In the year ending 31 December 2022, Australia's population grew by 496,800 people (1.9%).
- Annual growth calculated at the end of each quarter.
- All data after 30 June 2021 is subject to revision.
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 December 2022 quarter, natural increase:
- was 29,200 people
- increased by 6,700 people since the previous quarter
In the December 2022 quarter, net overseas migration:
- was 97,900 people
- decreased by 15,400 people since the previous quarter
Components of annual population change
In the year ending 31 December 2022, natural increase:
- was 109,800 people
- decreased by 33,500 people (23.4%) since the previous year
In the year ending 31 December 2022, net overseas migration:
- was 387,000 people
- increased by 380,100 people since the previous year
- Annual components calculated at the end of each quarter.
Births and deaths
Births
In the year ending 31 December 2022:
- there were 300,700 births
- births decreased by 14,500 (4.6%) since the previous year
Deaths
In the year ending 31 December 2022:
- there were 190,900 deaths
- deaths increased by 19,000 (11.1%) since the previous year
Overseas migration arrivals and departures
Overseas migration arrivals
In the year ending 31 December 2022:
- there were 619,600 people immigrating to Australia
- arrivals increased by 403,500 people (186.7%) since the previous year
Overseas migration departures
In the year ending 31 December 2022:
- there were 232,600 people emigrating from Australia
- departures increased by 23,400 people (11.2%) since the previous year
States and territories
Annual population change
- All states and territories had positive population growth over the year ending 31 December 2022.
- Western Australia had the fastest growth rate (2.3%).
- Tasmania had the slowest rate (0.5%).
Population at 31 December 2022 ('000) | Change over previous year ('000) | Change over previous year (%) | |
---|---|---|---|
New South Wales | 8238.8 | 138.0 | 1.7 |
Victoria | 6704.3 | 137.7 | 2.1 |
Queensland | 5378.3 | 116.6 | 2.2 |
South Australia | 1834.3 | 28.5 | 1.6 |
Western Australia | 2825.2 | 62.7 | 2.3 |
Tasmania | 571.6 | 2.9 | 0.5 |
Northern Territory | 250.1 | 2.0 | 0.8 |
Australian Capital Territory | 460.9 | 8.3 | 1.8 |
Australia (a) | 26268.4 | 496.8 | 1.9 |
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 31 December 2022:
- net overseas migration was the major contributor to change in most states, New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia, Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory.
- natural increase was the major contributor to change in the Northern Territory.
Natural increase by state and territory
NSW | Vic. | Qld | SA | WA | Tas. | NT | ACT | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Births | 97,900 | 75,194 | 62,101 | 19,455 | 31,461 | 5,511 (a) | 3,616 | 5,456 |
Deaths | 62,981 | 47,978 | 38,162 | 15,456 | 17,297 | 5,142 | 1,339 | 2,563 |
Natural increase | 34,919 | 27,216 | 23,939 | 3,999 | 14,164 | 369 | 2,277 | 2,893 |
(a) A legacy reporting difference regarding date of registration has been aligned to match other jurisdictions in this publication - see Methodology: Births and Deaths, Current issues
Net overseas migration by state and territory
NSW | Vic. | Qld | SA | WA | Tas. | NT | ACT | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Overseas arrivals | 217,604 | 181,984 | 100,860 | 33,620 | 61,788 | 6,077 | 5,662 | 11,902 |
Overseas departures | 83,002 | 61,524 | 42,782 | 9,763 | 23,878 | 2,629 | 3,793 | 5,231 |
Net overseas migration | 134,602 | 120,460 | 58,078 | 23,857 | 37,910 | 3,448 | 1,869 | 6,671 |
Net interstate migration by state and territory
NSW | Vic. | Qld | SA | WA | Tas. | NT | ACT | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Interstate arrivals | 89,511 | 73,870 | 113,087 | 26,016 | 37,076 | 13,453 | 14,626 | 20,439 |
Interstate departures | 121,071 | 83,825 | 78,542 | 25,346 | 26,483 | 14,394 | 16,750 | 21,667 |
Net interstate migration | -31,560 | -9,955 | 34,545 | 670 | 10,593 | -941 | -2,124 | -1,228 |
Internal migration, capital city - rest of state
Datacube 4 contains provisional statistics on internal migration between Greater Capital City Statistical Areas (GCCSAs) and Rest of state regions of Australia, for the June 2022 quarter. Similar data was previously released in Regional internal migration estimates, provisional which covered the period June 2020 to March 2021.
Internal migration for GCCSAs by financial year is released in Regional population annually, as regional internal migration estimates (RIME). The internal migration data in RIME and the state and territory migration data presented elsewhere in National, state and territory population are used to compile the official measure of population in Australia. The quarterly internal migration data released in datacube 4 are provisional, and should only be used to provide more timely insights on internal migration patterns.
Notes
COVID-19
Statistics in this release are impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting Australian Government closure of the international border through most of 2020 and 2021.
To ensure the ongoing production of fit-for-purpose official population estimates through the COVID-19 pandemic, the ABS has been assessing the likely impact of changed traveller behaviour on preliminary overseas migration estimates, a component of ERP. The ABS has introduced more frequent revisions to overseas migration to ensure the suite of demographic statistics continue to be of high quality and reflect the most timely data available. Preliminary overseas migration estimates will be revised every quarter over four quarters, instead of once after four quarters, until it becomes final. These more frequent revisions will ensure the most timely and accurate data flows through to ERP.
For further information see the Improvements to estimation of net overseas migration.
Data downloads - time series spreadsheets
I-note
Population components prior to September 2021 will not sum to total population growth due to intercensal difference.
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 Methodology used in final rebased population estimates, June 2021.
Population and components of change - national
Quarterly population and components of change, national, from June 1981 onwards
Components of population change - states and territories
Quarterly components of change, by state and territory, from June 1981 onwards
Population - states and territories
Quarterly population by sex, by state and territory, from June 1981 onwards
Interstate migration arrivals
Quarterly interstate migration arrivals, from June 1981 onwards
Interstate migration departures
Quarterly interstate migration departures, from June 1981 onwards
Population - New South Wales
Population at 30 June, by sex and single year of age, NSW, from 1971 onwards
Population - Victoria
Population at 30 June, by sex and single year of age, Vic., from 1971 onwards
Population - Queensland
Population at 30 June, by sex and single year of age, Qld, from 1971 onwards
Population - South Australia
Population at 30 June, by sex and single year of age, SA, from 1971 onwards
Population - Western Australia
Population at 30 June, by sex and single year of age, WA, from 1971 onwards
Population - Tasmania
Population at 30 June, by sex and single year of age, Tas., from 1971 onwards
Population - Northern Territory
Population at 30 June, by sex and single year of age, NT, from 1971 onwards
Population - Australian Capital Territory
Population at 30 June, by sex and single year of age, ACT, from 1971 onwards
Population - Australia
Population at 30 June, by sex and single year of age, Aust., from 1971 onwards
All time series spreadsheets
Data downloads - data cubes
National, state and territory population tables
Various tables of population, components of change and rates, by state and territory.
Population by age and sex - national
Summary statistics of Australia's population by age and sex
Standard population
Standard population used in age-standardised rates
Regional internal migration estimates, provisional
All data cubes
Previous catalogue number
This release previously used catalogue number 3101.0
Data Explorer datasets
Quarterly Population Estimates (ERP), by State/Territory, Sex and Age
Population and components of change - national, states and territories
Interstate Migration by States and Territories of Arrival and Departure by Sex
Interstate migration: Arrivals, departures and net, State/territory, Age and sex - Financial years, 1996-97 onwards
Interstate migration: Arrivals, departures and net, State/territory, Age and sex - Calendar years, 1997 onwards
Population Clock Component Data
For information on Data Explorer and how it works, see the Data Explorer user guide
Caution: Data in Data Explorer is currently released after the 11:30am release on the ABS website. Please check the reference period when using Data Explorer.
Rebasing of Australia's population estimates using the 2021 Census
2021 Census update of the Net Interstate Migration model
Post-release changes
15th September 2023 - Scaling updated for 'Components of annual population growth' graph.
27th July 2023 - Data downloads - Population and components of change - national, table 12. September 2022 data has been added.