AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY


Total population

Age and sex distribution

Median age

Children (under 15 years of age)

Working age population (aged 15-64 years)

People aged 65 years and over

Sex ratio


TOTAL POPULATION

The estimated resident population of the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) at 30 June 2010 was 358,600 people, an increase of 28,400 people (8.6%, or 1.7% per year on average) since 30 June 2005.

The three northern Statistical Subdivisions (SSDs) of Gungahlin-Hall, Belconnen and North Canberra, experienced the largest population growth in the five years to June 2010, increasing by 12,700 people, 6,800 and 5,200 respectively over this period. The only SSD to experience a population decline over this period was Tuggeranong where the population fell by 680 people.

For the third consecutive year, the combined population of the northern SSDs at June 2010 (185,000 people) was greater than that of the combined southern SSDs (173,200 people) of Weston Creek-Stromlo, Woden Valley, Tuggeranong and South Canberra.

References to Statistical Local Areas (SLAs) in this commentary exclude those with populations of less than 1,000 at 30 June 2010.

AGE AND SEX DISTRIBUTION

At June 2010, the proportion of younger adults (aged between 20 and 34 years) for both males and females in the ACT was particularly high compared with Australia. This reflects the large number of people in this age group who move to Canberra for tertiary education or employment. They accounted for 25.3% of the territory's population, compared to 21.7% of Australia's population.

In contrast, the ACT had a lower proportion of people aged 60 years and over than Australia as a whole (15.5% and 18.9% respectively).

MEDIAN AGE

Overall, the population of the ACT was younger than the total Australian population at June 2010. The median age (age at which half the population is older and half is younger) of the ACT was 34.6 years, compared with 36.9 years nationally.

Within the ACT, the SLA of Duntroon had the youngest population at June 2010, with a median age of 21.4 years. This was followed by Acton (21.8 years) and Bruce (27.3 years). Isaacs (47.3 years) and Yarralumla (45.8 years) had the highest median ages.

CHILDREN (UNDER 15 YEARS OF AGE)

In the ACT, 18.4% of the total population (66,000 people) were under 15 years of age at June 2010. This was slightly lower than the Australian proportion of 18.9%.

The SLAs with the highest proportion of children under 15 years of age were Amaroo (28.4%) and Gungahlin (26.0%).

WORKING AGE POPULATION (AGED 15-64 YEARS)

At June 2010, 255,300 people in the ACT (or 71.2% of the total population) were aged 15 to 64 years. This was higher than the national proportion of 67.6% and the second highest of any state or territory.

The SLAs with the highest proportions of people aged 15 to 64 years had large student populations or were located near the city centre. These were Acton (97.6%), with the Australian National University; Duntroon (90.7%), with the Australian Defence Force Academy; City (87.7%), Braddon (87.0%), Belconnen Town Centre (85.4%), and Barton (84.7%).

PEOPLE AGED 65 YEARS AND OVER

In the ACT, 10.4% of the population (37,200 people) were aged 65 years and over at June 2010, an increase from 9.3% at June 2005. At June 2010, the ACT had a lower proportion of its population in this age group than Australia as a whole (13.5%). The SLAs with the highest proportions of people aged 65 years and over were Page (21.6%) and Deakin (19.3%).

SEX RATIO

There were 99.0 males for every 100 females in the ACT at June 2010.

Excluding Duntroon, which contains the Royal Military College, City had the highest sex ratio (137.2 males for every 100 females) of all SLAs in the ACT, followed by Reid (130.3). Deakin had the lowest sex ratio in June 2010 (80.6), followed by Greenway (81.0).