52,678 ▲ +18.7%
Lower than 58% of sub-region (sa3) areas.
- 2011: 44,386
- 2016: 47,869
- 2021: 52,678
The number of people who usually live in the area, counted on Census night.
Southern Highlands · Sub-region (SA3)
Demographics & Identity in Southern Highlands
Who lives here — how many people, how old they are, and how communities identify.
A typical resident in the Southern Highlands is far older than the national average, with a typical age of 48. This aging trend is a standout feature for the region, which has grown by 19% to reach a population of 52,678 since 2011. The area is now among the oldest of its kind in the country.
52,678
▲ +18.7%
- 1–2: 3 areas
- 2–2: 0 areas
- 2–4: 0 areas
- 4–6: 0 areas
- 6–9: 2 areas
- 9–15: 2 areas
- 15–23: 1 area
- 23–37: 0 areas
- 37–57: 1 area
- 57–90: 0 areas
- 90–141: 1 area
- 141–221: 1 area
- 221–347: 1 area
- 347–545: 2 areas
- 545–854: 3 areas
- 854–1,340: 0 areas
- 1,340–2,101: 3 areas
- 2,101–3,296: 1 area
- 3,296–5,169: 2 areas
- 5,169–8,107: 3 areas
- 8,107–12,714: 7 areas
- 12,714–19,940: 16 areas
- 19,940–31,273: 30 areas
- 31,273–49,048: 61 areas
- 49,048–76,924: 90 areas
- 76,924–120,643: 70 areas
- 120,643–189,211: 46 areas
- 189,211–296,748: 12 areas
All sub-region (sa3) areas, 2021. The marker is Southern Highlands — lower than 58% of areas.
| Southern Highlands | 52,678 |
|---|---|
| Rest of NSW | 2,829,637 |
| New South Wales | 8,072,163 |
| Australia | 25,422,788 |
Population
How many people, and the typical age.
The population grew by about 8,292 people between 2011 and 2021. Residents have become older over time, with the typical age rising from 45 to 48 years during that decade.
48 yrs ▲ +6.7%
Older than 88% of sub-region (sa3) areas.
- 2011: 45 yrs
- 2016: 47 yrs
- 2021: 48 yrs
Half the population is older than this age, and half younger.
Age profile
How the population splits across age groups.
Seniors aged 65 and over make up 28% of the population, which is far above the national figure of 17.2%. This high number of older residents is matched by a lower proportion of children under 15, which fell to 16.7% since 2011.
28.0% ▲ +29.0%
Higher than 94% of sub-region (sa3) areas.
- 2011: 21.7%
- 2016: 25.9%
- 2021: 28.0%
Share of the population aged 65 years and over.
16.7% ▼ -13.8%
Lower than 66% of sub-region (sa3) areas.
- 2011: 19.3%
- 2016: 17.5%
- 2021: 16.7%
Share of the population aged under 15 years.
Age structure
View on map →Southern Highlands splits fairly evenly between Seniors (65+) (28%) and Older adults (45–64) (27%), with Young adults (25–44) at 19%.
Identity & relationships
First Nations identity and marital status.
About 2.3% of residents are Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, which is about the same as the national figure. Most people here are married (52.4%), while those in de facto relationships make up 10.2%, a figure much lower than most similar areas.
2.3% ▲ +26.5%
Lower than 54% of sub-region (sa3) areas.
- 2011: 1.8%
- 2016: 2.0%
- 2021: 2.3%
Share of people who identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander.
10.2% ▲ +21.9%
Lower than 78% of sub-region (sa3) areas.
- 2011: 8.4%
- 2016: 9.7%
- 2021: 10.2%
Share of people aged 15+ who are in a de facto marriage (registered marriages excluded).
Marital status
View on map →In Southern Highlands, Married is the majority at 52%; Never married is next at 28%.
Age & sex structure
Sources
- Census of Population and Housing — Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2021 (CC BY 4.0).
More for Southern Highlands
Cite this page
Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2021). Demographics & Identity in Southern Highlands [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/region/sa3/11402/southern-highlands/topic/demographics-identity