Urban and rural population in Australia
Australia: Urban and rural population was 23.66 million in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
23.66 million
Change on year
up 1.1%
World rank
40th
of 236 countries
All-time high
23.66 million
in 2025
All-time low
6.20 million
in 1950
Years of data
76
1950–2025
Urban and rural population in Australia, 1950–2025
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
Australia recorded 23.66 million for urban and rural population in 2025. That is the highest value across all 76 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.1% on the previous year and up 13.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, urban and rural population in Australia peaked at 23.66 million in 2025 and was at its lowest, 6.20 million, in 1950.
That places Australia 40th out of 236 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 76 years of available data.
Urban and rural population in Australia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 6.20 million | — |
| 1951 | 6.45 million | +4.0% |
| 1952 | 6.68 million | +3.6% |
| 1953 | 6.89 million | +3.1% |
| 1954 | 7.09 million | +2.9% |
| 1955 | 7.30 million | +3.0% |
| 1956 | 7.52 million | +3.1% |
| 1957 | 7.74 million | +2.9% |
| 1958 | 7.95 million | +2.8% |
| 1959 | 8.17 million | +2.7% |
| 1960 | 8.39 million | +2.7% |
| 1961 | 8.60 million | +2.6% |
| 1962 | 8.80 million | +2.3% |
| 1963 | 9.00 million | +2.2% |
| 1964 | 9.20 million | +2.2% |
| 1965 | 9.42 million | +2.4% |
| 1966 | 9.65 million | +2.4% |
| 1967 | 9.88 million | +2.4% |
| 1968 | 10.13 million | +2.5% |
| 1969 | 10.40 million | +2.7% |
| 1970 | 10.74 million | +3.3% |
| 1971 | 11.12 million | +3.5% |
| 1972 | 11.40 million | +2.5% |
| 1973 | 11.60 million | +1.7% |
| 1974 | 11.79 million | +1.6% |
| 1975 | 11.94 million | +1.3% |
| 1976 | 12.08 million | +1.1% |
| 1977 | 12.21 million | +1.1% |
| 1978 | 12.34 million | +1.1% |
| 1979 | 12.48 million | +1.1% |
| 1980 | 12.63 million | +1.2% |
| 1981 | 12.81 million | +1.5% |
| 1982 | 13.01 million | +1.5% |
| 1983 | 13.19 million | +1.4% |
| 1984 | 13.35 million | +1.2% |
| 1985 | 13.52 million | +1.3% |
| 1986 | 13.72 million | +1.4% |
| 1987 | 13.93 million | +1.6% |
| 1988 | 14.17 million | +1.7% |
| 1989 | 14.40 million | +1.7% |
| 1990 | 14.62 million | +1.5% |
| 1991 | 14.82 million | +1.3% |
| 1992 | 14.99 million | +1.1% |
| 1993 | 15.13 million | +1.0% |
| 1994 | 15.27 million | +0.9% |
| 1995 | 15.43 million | +1.1% |
| 1996 | 15.60 million | +1.1% |
| 1997 | 15.77 million | +1.0% |
| 1998 | 15.93 million | +1.0% |
| 1999 | 16.10 million | +1.1% |
| 2000 | 16.28 million | +1.2% |
| 2001 | 16.49 million | +1.3% |
| 2002 | 16.71 million | +1.3% |
| 2003 | 16.93 million | +1.3% |
| 2004 | 17.14 million | +1.3% |
| 2005 | 17.38 million | +1.4% |
| 2006 | 17.66 million | +1.6% |
| 2007 | 18.00 million | +1.9% |
| 2008 | 18.38 million | +2.1% |
| 2009 | 18.76 million | +2.1% |
| 2010 | 19.09 million | +1.8% |
| 2011 | 19.41 million | +1.7% |
| 2012 | 19.75 million | +1.8% |
| 2013 | 20.12 million | +1.8% |
| 2014 | 20.46 million | +1.7% |
| 2015 | 20.81 million | +1.7% |
| 2016 | 21.17 million | +1.8% |
| 2017 | 21.55 million | +1.8% |
| 2018 | 21.91 million | +1.7% |
| 2019 | 22.25 million | +1.5% |
| 2020 | 22.47 million | +1.0% |
| 2021 | 22.64 million | +0.8% |
| 2022 | 22.88 million | +1.1% |
| 2023 | 23.14 million | +1.1% |
| 2024 | 23.40 million | +1.1% |
| 2025 | 23.66 million | +1.1% |
Australia compared with similar countries
- Australia's 23.66 million is above the median for high income countries, which is 2.22 million, 10.6× the median. (85 countries reporting)
- Australia's 23.66 million is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 722,007, 32.8× the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 7.20 million | 6.20 million | 8.17 million | 10 |
| 1960s | 9.35 million | 8.39 million | 10.40 million | 10 |
| 1970s | 11.77 million | 10.74 million | 12.48 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 13.47 million | 12.63 million | 14.40 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 15.37 million | 14.62 million | 16.10 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 17.37 million | 16.28 million | 18.76 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 20.65 million | 19.09 million | 22.25 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 23.03 million | 22.47 million | 23.66 million | 6 |
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)
- Population growth rate 0.503 (2100)
- Population density 5.61 (2100)
- Projected population under age 5 2.09 million (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is urban and rural population in Australia?
- Urban and rural population in Australia was 23.66 million in 2025, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest urban and rural population recorded in Australia?
- The highest recorded value was 23.66 million in 2025.
- What is the lowest urban and rural population recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.20 million in 1950.
- How does Australia rank for urban and rural population?
- Australia ranks 40th out of 236 countries with data for 2025.
- Is urban and rural population rising or falling in Australia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 13.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Australia data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Urban and rural population. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 76 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).