Number of children, working-age adults, and older people in Australia
Australia: Number of children, working-age adults, and older people was 4.59 million people in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
4.59 million people
Change on year
up 2.8%
World rank
29th
of 236 countries
All-time high
4.59 million people
in 2023
All-time low
667,290 people
in 1950
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Number of children, working-age adults, and older people in Australia, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
The most recent figure for number of children, working-age adults, and older people in Australia is 4.59 million people, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 74 years on record.
That represents a change of up 2.8% on the previous year and up 37.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of children, working-age adults, and older people in Australia peaked at 4.59 million people in 2023 and was at its lowest, 667,290 people, in 1950.
That places Australia 29th out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Number of children, working-age adults, and older people in Australia, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 667,290 people | — |
| 1951 | 686,434 people | +2.9% |
| 1952 | 705,994 people | +2.8% |
| 1953 | 727,305 people | +3.0% |
| 1954 | 749,730 people | +3.1% |
| 1955 | 772,529 people | +3.0% |
| 1956 | 794,989 people | +2.9% |
| 1957 | 817,153 people | +2.8% |
| 1958 | 838,650 people | +2.6% |
| 1959 | 857,957 people | +2.3% |
| 1960 | 876,360 people | +2.1% |
| 1961 | 895,416 people | +2.2% |
| 1962 | 914,438 people | +2.1% |
| 1963 | 932,541 people | +2.0% |
| 1964 | 949,456 people | +1.8% |
| 1965 | 967,263 people | +1.9% |
| 1966 | 984,895 people | +1.8% |
| 1967 | 1.00 million people | +1.6% |
| 1968 | 1.01 million people | +1.4% |
| 1969 | 1.03 million people | +1.4% |
| 1970 | 1.05 million people | +2.3% |
| 1971 | 1.08 million people | +3.1% |
| 1972 | 1.12 million people | +3.0% |
| 1973 | 1.15 million people | +2.7% |
| 1974 | 1.18 million people | +2.6% |
| 1975 | 1.21 million people | +2.8% |
| 1976 | 1.25 million people | +3.1% |
| 1977 | 1.28 million people | +3.0% |
| 1978 | 1.32 million people | +3.1% |
| 1979 | 1.37 million people | +3.2% |
| 1980 | 1.41 million people | +3.2% |
| 1981 | 1.45 million people | +3.1% |
| 1982 | 1.49 million people | +2.8% |
| 1983 | 1.53 million people | +2.5% |
| 1984 | 1.57 million people | +2.6% |
| 1985 | 1.62 million people | +3.0% |
| 1986 | 1.67 million people | +3.5% |
| 1987 | 1.73 million people | +3.5% |
| 1988 | 1.79 million people | +3.2% |
| 1989 | 1.84 million people | +2.9% |
| 1990 | 1.89 million people | +2.9% |
| 1991 | 1.95 million people | +3.0% |
| 1992 | 2.00 million people | +2.7% |
| 1993 | 2.05 million people | +2.5% |
| 1994 | 2.10 million people | +2.3% |
| 1995 | 2.14 million people | +2.2% |
| 1996 | 2.19 million people | +2.2% |
| 1997 | 2.23 million people | +2.0% |
| 1998 | 2.27 million people | +1.9% |
| 1999 | 2.32 million people | +1.8% |
| 2000 | 2.36 million people | +1.9% |
| 2001 | 2.41 million people | +2.1% |
| 2002 | 2.46 million people | +2.1% |
| 2003 | 2.51 million people | +2.0% |
| 2004 | 2.56 million people | +2.1% |
| 2005 | 2.61 million people | +2.1% |
| 2006 | 2.67 million people | +2.3% |
| 2007 | 2.74 million people | +2.5% |
| 2008 | 2.81 million people | +2.7% |
| 2009 | 2.90 million people | +3.0% |
| 2010 | 2.99 million people | +3.3% |
| 2011 | 3.10 million people | +3.5% |
| 2012 | 3.22 million people | +3.8% |
| 2013 | 3.34 million people | +3.7% |
| 2014 | 3.45 million people | +3.4% |
| 2015 | 3.56 million people | +3.3% |
| 2016 | 3.68 million people | +3.3% |
| 2017 | 3.80 million people | +3.2% |
| 2018 | 3.93 million people | +3.2% |
| 2019 | 4.06 million people | +3.4% |
| 2020 | 4.20 million people | +3.5% |
| 2021 | 4.34 million people | +3.3% |
| 2022 | 4.47 million people | +2.9% |
| 2023 | 4.59 million people | +2.8% |
Australia compared with similar countries
- Australia's 4.59 million people is above the median for high income countries, which is 285,676 people, 16.1× the median. (85 countries reporting)
- Australia's 4.59 million people is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 96,191 people, 47.7× the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 761,803 people | 667,290 people | 857,957 people | 10 |
| 1960s | 956,252 people | 876,360 people | 1.03 million people | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.20 million people | 1.05 million people | 1.37 million people | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.61 million people | 1.41 million people | 1.84 million people | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.11 million people | 1.89 million people | 2.32 million people | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.60 million people | 2.36 million people | 2.90 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.51 million people | 2.99 million people | 4.06 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.40 million people | 4.20 million people | 4.59 million people | 4 |
Countries ranked near Australia
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 number of children, working-age adults, and older people in Australia?
- Number of children, working-age adults, and older people in Australia was 4.59 million people in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of children, working-age adults, and older people recorded in Australia?
- The highest recorded value was 4.59 million people in 2023.
- What is the lowest number of children, working-age adults, and older people recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was 667,290 people in 1950.
- How does Australia rank for number of children, working-age adults, and older people?
- Australia ranks 29th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is number of children, working-age adults, and older people rising or falling in Australia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 37.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- 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 Number of children, working-age adults, and older people. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Total population, measured on 1 July of the year shown. This only includes people aged 65+.