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
September 2020
Released
18/03/2021

Key statistics

  • Australia’s population was 25,693,059 people at 30 September 2020.
  • The quarterly decline was 4,200 people (-0.02%).
  • The annual growth was 220,500 people (0.9%).
  • 61.4% of annual growth was due to natural increase, and 38.6% was due to net overseas migration.

National

Annual population change

In the year ending 30 September 2020, Australia's population grew by 220,500 people (0.9%).

  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 September 2020 quarter, natural increase:

  • was 30,600 people
  • decreased by 4,600 people since the previous quarter
     

In the September 2020 quarter, net overseas migration:

  • was -34,800 people
  • decreased by 27,800 people since the previous quarter
     

Components of annual population change

In the year ending 30 September 2020, natural increase:

  • was 135,400 people
  • decreased by 5,400 people (3.8%) since the previous year
  • contributed 61.4% to Australia's annual population growth
     

In the year ending 30 September 2020, net overseas migration:

  • was 85,100 people
  • decreased by 156,900 people (64.8%) since the previous year
  • contributed 38.6% 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 30 September 2020.
  • Queensland had the highest growth rate (1.3%).
  • The Northern Territory had the lowest growth rate (0.2%).
     
 Population at 30 Sep 2020 ('000)Change over previous year ('000)Change over previous year (%)
New South Wales8,166.450.60.6
Victoria6,680.647.20.7
Queensland5,184.868.21.3
South Australia1,770.612.70.7
Western Australia2,667.132.61.2
Tasmania541.15.31.0
Northern Territory246.50.40.2
Australian Capital Territory431.23.40.8
Australia (a)25,693.1220.50.9

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 30 September 2020:

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

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 Net Overseas Migration (NOM) estimates, a component of ERP. The ABS has introduced more frequent revisions to NOM to ensure the suite of demographic statistics continue to be of high quality, and reflect the most timely data available. Preliminary NOM 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
December 202017 June 2021
March 202116 September 2021
June 202116 December 2021
September 202117  March 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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