Number of people living in urban and rural areas in Australia
Australia: Number of people living in urban and rural areas was 23.66 million people in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
23.66 million people
Change on year
up 1.1%
World rank
40th
of 236 countries
All-time high
23.66 million people
in 2025
All-time low
6.20 million people
in 1950
Years of data
76
1950–2025
Number of people living in urban and rural areas in Australia, 1950–2025
Source: United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
Australia recorded 23.66 million people for number of people living in urban and rural areas 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, number of people living in urban and rural areas in Australia peaked at 23.66 million people in 2025 and was at its lowest, 6.20 million people, 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.
Number of people living in urban and rural areas in Australia, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 6.20 million people | — |
| 1951 | 6.45 million people | +4.0% |
| 1952 | 6.68 million people | +3.6% |
| 1953 | 6.89 million people | +3.1% |
| 1954 | 7.09 million people | +2.9% |
| 1955 | 7.30 million people | +3.0% |
| 1956 | 7.52 million people | +3.1% |
| 1957 | 7.74 million people | +2.9% |
| 1958 | 7.95 million people | +2.8% |
| 1959 | 8.17 million people | +2.7% |
| 1960 | 8.39 million people | +2.7% |
| 1961 | 8.60 million people | +2.6% |
| 1962 | 8.80 million people | +2.3% |
| 1963 | 9.00 million people | +2.2% |
| 1964 | 9.20 million people | +2.2% |
| 1965 | 9.42 million people | +2.4% |
| 1966 | 9.65 million people | +2.4% |
| 1967 | 9.88 million people | +2.4% |
| 1968 | 10.13 million people | +2.5% |
| 1969 | 10.40 million people | +2.7% |
| 1970 | 10.74 million people | +3.3% |
| 1971 | 11.12 million people | +3.5% |
| 1972 | 11.40 million people | +2.5% |
| 1973 | 11.60 million people | +1.7% |
| 1974 | 11.79 million people | +1.6% |
| 1975 | 11.94 million people | +1.3% |
| 1976 | 12.08 million people | +1.1% |
| 1977 | 12.21 million people | +1.1% |
| 1978 | 12.34 million people | +1.1% |
| 1979 | 12.48 million people | +1.1% |
| 1980 | 12.63 million people | +1.2% |
| 1981 | 12.81 million people | +1.5% |
| 1982 | 13.01 million people | +1.5% |
| 1983 | 13.19 million people | +1.4% |
| 1984 | 13.35 million people | +1.2% |
| 1985 | 13.52 million people | +1.3% |
| 1986 | 13.72 million people | +1.4% |
| 1987 | 13.93 million people | +1.6% |
| 1988 | 14.17 million people | +1.7% |
| 1989 | 14.40 million people | +1.7% |
| 1990 | 14.62 million people | +1.5% |
| 1991 | 14.82 million people | +1.3% |
| 1992 | 14.99 million people | +1.1% |
| 1993 | 15.13 million people | +1.0% |
| 1994 | 15.27 million people | +0.9% |
| 1995 | 15.43 million people | +1.1% |
| 1996 | 15.60 million people | +1.1% |
| 1997 | 15.77 million people | +1.0% |
| 1998 | 15.93 million people | +1.0% |
| 1999 | 16.10 million people | +1.1% |
| 2000 | 16.28 million people | +1.2% |
| 2001 | 16.49 million people | +1.3% |
| 2002 | 16.71 million people | +1.3% |
| 2003 | 16.93 million people | +1.3% |
| 2004 | 17.14 million people | +1.3% |
| 2005 | 17.38 million people | +1.4% |
| 2006 | 17.66 million people | +1.6% |
| 2007 | 18.00 million people | +1.9% |
| 2008 | 18.38 million people | +2.1% |
| 2009 | 18.76 million people | +2.1% |
| 2010 | 19.09 million people | +1.8% |
| 2011 | 19.41 million people | +1.7% |
| 2012 | 19.75 million people | +1.8% |
| 2013 | 20.12 million people | +1.8% |
| 2014 | 20.46 million people | +1.7% |
| 2015 | 20.81 million people | +1.7% |
| 2016 | 21.17 million people | +1.8% |
| 2017 | 21.55 million people | +1.8% |
| 2018 | 21.91 million people | +1.7% |
| 2019 | 22.25 million people | +1.5% |
| 2020 | 22.47 million people | +1.0% |
| 2021 | 22.64 million people | +0.8% |
| 2022 | 22.88 million people | +1.1% |
| 2023 | 23.14 million people | +1.1% |
| 2024 | 23.40 million people | +1.1% |
| 2025 | 23.66 million people | +1.1% |
Australia compared with similar countries
- Australia's 23.66 million people is above the median for high income countries, which is 2.22 million people, 10.6× the median. (85 countries reporting)
- Australia's 23.66 million people is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 722,007 people, 32.8× the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 7.20 million people | 6.20 million people | 8.17 million people | 10 |
| 1960s | 9.35 million people | 8.39 million people | 10.40 million people | 10 |
| 1970s | 11.77 million people | 10.74 million people | 12.48 million people | 10 |
| 1980s | 13.47 million people | 12.63 million people | 14.40 million people | 10 |
| 1990s | 15.37 million people | 14.62 million people | 16.10 million people | 10 |
| 2000s | 17.37 million people | 16.28 million people | 18.76 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 20.65 million people | 19.09 million people | 22.25 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 23.03 million people | 22.47 million people | 23.66 million people | 6 |
Countries ranked near Australia
More population data for Australia
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate 0.2553 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population long run 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 regions with projections, annual growth rate 0.5057 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development 0.5% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 2.09 million people (2100)
- Population density 5.61 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth 0.5% (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate 0.2773 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 0.8589 Percent per annum (2030)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of people living in urban and rural areas in Australia?
- Number of people living in urban and rural areas in Australia was 23.66 million people in 2025, according to United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of people living in urban and rural areas recorded in Australia?
- The highest recorded value was 23.66 million people in 2025.
- What is the lowest number of people living in urban and rural areas recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.20 million people in 1950.
- How does Australia rank for number of people living in urban and rural areas?
- Australia ranks 40th out of 236 countries with data for 2025.
- Is number of people living in urban and rural areas 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 United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Number of people living in urban and rural areas. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Number of people living in urban areas, based on each country's national definition.