Population by age group in Australia
Australia: Population by age group was 1.53 million people in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
1.53 million people
Change on year
up 0.2%
World rank
71st
of 236 countries
All-time high
1.58 million people
in 2017
All-time low
888,741 people
in 1950
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Population by age group in Australia, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
Australia recorded 1.53 million people for population by age group in 2023.
That represents a change of up 0.2% on the previous year and down 0.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population by age group in Australia peaked at 1.58 million people in 2017 and was at its lowest, 888,741 people, in 1950.
Australia ranks 71st of 236 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 74 years of available data.
Population by age group in Australia, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 888,741 people | — |
| 1951 | 923,696 people | +3.9% |
| 1952 | 940,771 people | +1.8% |
| 1953 | 955,930 people | +1.6% |
| 1954 | 974,997 people | +2.0% |
| 1955 | 993,114 people | +1.9% |
| 1956 | 1.01 million people | +1.8% |
| 1957 | 1.03 million people | +1.7% |
| 1958 | 1.05 million people | +1.8% |
| 1959 | 1.07 million people | +2.1% |
| 1960 | 1.09 million people | +2.3% |
| 1961 | 1.12 million people | +2.3% |
| 1962 | 1.14 million people | +1.9% |
| 1963 | 1.15 million people | +1.3% |
| 1964 | 1.16 million people | +0.7% |
| 1965 | 1.16 million people | +0.1% |
| 1966 | 1.16 million people | -0.4% |
| 1967 | 1.15 million people | -0.6% |
| 1968 | 1.15 million people | -0.1% |
| 1969 | 1.17 million people | +1.2% |
| 1970 | 1.20 million people | +2.8% |
| 1971 | 1.24 million people | +3.8% |
| 1972 | 1.28 million people | +2.8% |
| 1973 | 1.29 million people | +1.1% |
| 1974 | 1.29 million people | -0.1% |
| 1975 | 1.27 million people | -1.4% |
| 1976 | 1.24 million people | -2.8% |
| 1977 | 1.20 million people | -3.2% |
| 1978 | 1.17 million people | -2.6% |
| 1979 | 1.15 million people | -1.8% |
| 1980 | 1.14 million people | -0.7% |
| 1981 | 1.14 million people | +0.5% |
| 1982 | 1.16 million people | +1.2% |
| 1983 | 1.17 million people | +1.3% |
| 1984 | 1.19 million people | +1.3% |
| 1985 | 1.20 million people | +1.2% |
| 1986 | 1.21 million people | +0.9% |
| 1987 | 1.22 million people | +0.9% |
| 1988 | 1.24 million people | +1.0% |
| 1989 | 1.25 million people | +1.1% |
| 1990 | 1.26 million people | +1.2% |
| 1991 | 1.28 million people | +1.1% |
| 1992 | 1.29 million people | +0.9% |
| 1993 | 1.30 million people | +0.6% |
| 1994 | 1.30 million people | +0.3% |
| 1995 | 1.30 million people | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 1.30 million people | -0.2% |
| 1997 | 1.30 million people | -0.2% |
| 1998 | 1.29 million people | -0.3% |
| 1999 | 1.29 million people | -0.4% |
| 2000 | 1.28 million people | -0.3% |
| 2001 | 1.28 million people | -0.2% |
| 2002 | 1.28 million people | -0.2% |
| 2003 | 1.28 million people | -0.1% |
| 2004 | 1.28 million people | +0.2% |
| 2005 | 1.29 million people | +0.6% |
| 2006 | 1.31 million people | +1.6% |
| 2007 | 1.35 million people | +2.8% |
| 2008 | 1.39 million people | +3.3% |
| 2009 | 1.43 million people | +2.9% |
| 2010 | 1.46 million people | +1.8% |
| 2011 | 1.47 million people | +1.3% |
| 2012 | 1.50 million people | +1.8% |
| 2013 | 1.53 million people | +1.9% |
| 2014 | 1.55 million people | +1.2% |
| 2015 | 1.56 million people | +1.0% |
| 2016 | 1.58 million people | +0.9% |
| 2017 | 1.58 million people | +0.2% |
| 2018 | 1.57 million people | -0.5% |
| 2019 | 1.56 million people | -0.8% |
| 2020 | 1.54 million people | -1.2% |
| 2021 | 1.53 million people | -1.0% |
| 2022 | 1.52 million people | -0.3% |
| 2023 | 1.53 million people | +0.2% |
Australia compared with similar countries
- Australia's 1.53 million people is above the median for high income countries, which is 127,928 people, 11.9× the median. (85 countries reporting)
- Australia's 1.53 million people is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 156,933 people, 9.7× the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 983,286 people | 888,741 people | 1.07 million people | 10 |
| 1960s | 1.15 million people | 1.09 million people | 1.17 million people | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.23 million people | 1.15 million people | 1.29 million people | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.19 million people | 1.14 million people | 1.25 million people | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.29 million people | 1.26 million people | 1.30 million people | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.32 million people | 1.28 million people | 1.43 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.54 million people | 1.46 million people | 1.58 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.53 million people | 1.52 million people | 1.54 million people | 4 |
Countries ranked near Australia
- 68 Spain 1.76 million people compare
- 69 North Korea 1.71 million people compare
- 70 Sri Lanka 1.64 million people compare
- 72 South Sudan 1.48 million people compare
- 73 Ecuador 1.40 million people compare
- 74 South Korea 1.36 million people compare
More population data for Australia
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate 0.5057 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate 0.5755 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate 0.5057 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate 0.2553 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 32,193 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 0.8589 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate 0.2773 % change on previous year (2100)
- World population growth 0.5% (2100)
- Population density 5.61 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 2.09 million people (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population by age group in Australia?
- Population by age group in Australia was 1.53 million people in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest population by age group recorded in Australia?
- The highest recorded value was 1.58 million people in 2017.
- What is the lowest population by age group recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was 888,741 people in 1950.
- How does Australia rank for population by age group?
- Australia ranks 71st out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is population by age group rising or falling in Australia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Australia data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Population by age group. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Total population, measured on 1 July of the year shown. This only includes people aged 0-4.