6,080,428 ▲ +19.6%
Higher than 99% of remoteness area areas.
- 2011: 5,084,262
- 2016: 5,577,538
- 2021: 6,080,428
The number of people who usually live in the area, counted on Census night.
Major Cities of Australia · Remoteness Area
Demographics & Identity in Major Cities of Australia
Who lives here — how many people, how old they are, and how communities identify.
Nearly one million new residents joined the Major Cities of Australia since 2011, driving a 20% population increase. This region is slightly younger than the national average, with a typical resident aged 37. It is now home to over 6 million people.
6,080,428
▲ +19.6%
- 1–2: 3 areas
- 2–3: 0 areas
- 3–5: 0 areas
- 5–9: 0 areas
- 9–16: 2 areas
- 16–28: 1 area
- 28–50: 1 area
- 50–87: 0 areas
- 87–152: 1 area
- 152–265: 1 area
- 265–463: 1 area
- 463–808: 3 areas
- 808–1,412: 1 area
- 1,412–2,466: 0 areas
- 2,466–4,308: 4 areas
- 4,308–7,525: 2 areas
- 7,525–13,147: 4 areas
- 13,147–22,967: 2 areas
- 22,967–40,122: 1 area
- 40,122–70,092: 5 areas
- 70,092–122,448: 2 areas
- 122,448–213,911: 5 areas
- 213,911–373,695: 3 areas
- 373,695–652,831: 2 areas
- 652,831–1,140,471: 2 areas
- 1,140,471–1,992,358: 3 areas
- 1,992,358–3,480,573: 2 areas
- 3,480,573–6,080,428: 2 areas
All remoteness area areas, 2021. The marker is Major Cities of Australia — higher than 99% of areas.
| Major Cities of Australia | 6,080,428 |
|---|---|
| Australia | 25,422,788 |
Population
How many people, and the typical age.
The population grew by 996,166 people since 2011 to reach 6,080,428. The typical resident is 37, which is a little younger than the Australian figure of 38.
37 yrs ▲ +2.8%
Younger than 75% of remoteness area areas.
- 2011: 36 yrs
- 2016: 36 yrs
- 2021: 37 yrs
Half the population is older than this age, and half younger.
Age profile
How the population splits across age groups.
Children under 15 make up 18.3% of the population, a figure higher than most similar areas. Meanwhile, the proportion of seniors aged 65 and over rose 2.4 points since 2011 to reach 15.8%, which is a little below the national level.
15.8% ▲ +17.7%
Lower than 53% of remoteness area areas.
- 2011: 13.4%
- 2016: 14.6%
- 2021: 15.8%
Share of the population aged 65 years and over.
18.3% ▼ -4.1%
Higher than 63% of remoteness area areas.
- 2011: 19.1%
- 2016: 18.6%
- 2021: 18.3%
Share of the population aged under 15 years.
Age structure
View on map →In Major Cities of Australia, the largest group is Young adults (25–44) at 30%, followed by Older adults (45–64) (24%) and Children (0–14) (18%).
Identity & relationships
First Nations identity and marital status.
About 2.2% of residents identify as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, which is lower than most areas. De facto relationships rose 2.3 points since 2011 to 10%, though this remains much lower than in most other areas.
2.2% ▲ +49.2%
Lower than 81% of remoteness area areas.
- 2011: 1.5%
- 2016: 1.8%
- 2021: 2.2%
Share of people who identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander.
10.0% ▲ +29.4%
Lower than 93% of remoteness area areas.
- 2011: 7.8%
- 2016: 8.8%
- 2021: 10.0%
Share of people aged 15+ who are in a de facto marriage (registered marriages excluded).
Marital status
View on map →In Major Cities of Australia, the largest group is Married at 48%, followed by Never married (37%) and Divorced (8%).
Age & sex structure
Sources
- Census of Population and Housing — Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2021 (CC BY 4.0).
More for Major Cities of Australia
Cite this page
Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2021). Demographics & Identity in Major Cities of Australia [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/region/ra/RA10/major-cities-of-australia/topic/demographics-identity