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
December 2020
Released
17/06/2021

Key statistics

  • Australia’s population was 25,694,393 people at 31 December 2020.
  • The quarterly growth was 6,900 people (0.03%).
  • The annual growth was 136,300 people (0.5%).
  • 97.6% of annual growth was due to natural increase, and 2.4% was due to net overseas migration.

National

Annual population change

In the year ending 31 December 2020, Australia's population grew by 136,300 people (0.5%).

  1. Annual growth calculated at the end of each quarter.
  2. All data after 30 June 2016 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 2020 quarter, natural increase:

  • was 31,900 people
  • increased by 1,300 people since the previous quarter
     

In the December 2020 quarter, net overseas migration:

  • was -24,900 people
  • increased by 16,300 people since the previous quarter
     

Components of annual population change

In the year ending 31 December 2020, natural increase:

  • was 133,000 people
  • decreased by 6,200 people (4.5%) since the previous year
  • contributed 97.6% to Australia's annual population growth
     

In the year ending 31 December 2020, net overseas migration:

  • was 3,300 people
  • decreased by 244,400 people (98.7%) since the previous year
  • contributed 2.4% to Australia's annual population growth
     
  1. Annual components calculated at the end of each quarter.

Births and deaths

Overseas migration arrivals and departures

States and territories

Annual population change

  • All states and territories had positive population growth over the year ending 31 December 2020.
  • Queensland had the highest growth rate (1.1%).
  • Victoria had the lowest growth rate (0.01%).
     
 Population at 31 Dec 2020 ('000)Change over previous year ('000)Change over previous year (%)
New South Wales8,172.535.60.4
Victoria6,661.70.70.0
Queensland5,194.958.11.1
South Australia1,770.89.40.5
Western Australia2,670.224.50.9
Tasmania541.53.20.6
Northern Territory246.61.30.5
Australian Capital Territory431.53.20.8
Australia (a)25,694.4136.30.5

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 31 December 2020:

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

Natural increase by state and territory

Net overseas migration by state and territory

Net interstate migration by state and territory

Notes

COVID-19

Statistics in this release are impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting Australian Government closure of the international border from 20 March 2020.

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 Information Paper: Improvements to estimation of net overseas migration (cat. no. 3412.0.55.004).

Forthcoming issues

Reference periodRelease date
March 202116 September 2021
June 202116 December 2021
September 202117 March 2022
December 2021June 2022

 

Data downloads - time series spreadsheets

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. Includes population by country of birth

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

All data cubes

Previous catalogue number

This release previously used catalogue number 3101.0

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