3235.0 - Population by Age and Sex, Regions of Australia, 2016 Quality Declaration 
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 28/08/2017   
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WESTERN AUSTRALIA

MEDIAN AGE

  • Western Australia (WA) had a median age (the age at which half the population is older and half is younger) of 36.3 years at June 2016, which was unchanged from June 2006. The median age of males in 2016 was 35.7 years compared with 36.9 years for females.
  • The SA2s with the highest median ages in WA were the popular retirement and tree-change/sea-change locations of York - Beverley (50.9 years) and Toodyay (50.1) in the northern wheat belt, and Pemberton (49.4) in the state's south-west.
  • Halls Creek (27.5 years) in the East Kimberley region had the lowest median age in the state, followed by Roebuck (27.6) in the state's far north.

SA2s WITH OLDEST AND YOUNGEST MEDIAN AGES(a), Western Australia, 2016

Median Age
SA2GCCSA
years

OLDEST MEDIAN AGES

York - BeverleyRest of WA
50.9
ToodyayRest of WA
50.1
PembertonRest of WA
49.4
Mandurah - SouthGreater Perth.
48.7
Bridgetown - Boyup BrookRest of WA
48.6

YOUNGEST MEDIAN AGES

Halls CreekRest of WA
27.5
RoebuckRest of WA
27.6
Alkimos - EglintonGreater Perth
28.3
Derby - West KimberleyRest of WA
29.5
ByfordGreater Perth
29.6

(a) Excludes SA2s with a population of less than 1,000 at June 2016.

  • In the ten years to 2016, the largest increase in median age was in the SA2 of Pemberton (up 6.8 years). The largest decrease in median age was in Byford (down 7.4 years).


SEX RATIO

  • At June 2016, the sex ratio (the number of males per 100 females) in WA was 100.9. This was the second highest sex ratio of all states and territories, behind the Northern Territory at 105.9 (the only other state or territory where males outnumbered females).
  • The SA2 with the highest sex ratio in WA was East Pilbara (265.1 males per 100 females) in the state's northern mining region. Other SA2s in WA with high sex ratios included Ashburton (251.2), Roebourne (160.3) and Meekatharra (151.8), which are all located in areas of significant mining activity, and Chidlow (240.2), which contains a large male prison facility.
  • The SA2s with the lowest sex ratios were Mosman Park - Peppermint Grove (86.0 males per 100 females) in Greater Perth and Albany (86.5) in the state's south.

SA2s WITH HIGHEST AND LOWEST SEX RATIOS(a), Western Australia, 2016

Sex Ratio
SA2GCCSA
males per 100 females

HIGHEST SEX RATIOS

East PilbaraRest of WA
265.1
AshburtonRest of WA
251.2
ChidlowGreater Perth
240.2
RoebourneRest of WA
160.3
MeekatharraRest of WA
151.8

LOWEST SEX RATIOS

Mosman Park - Peppermint GroveGreater Perth
86.0
AlbanyRest of WA
86.5
WillageeGreater Perth
89.6
ComoGreater Perth
89.6
Tuart Hill - JoondannaGreater Perth
89.7

(a) Excludes SA2s with a population of less than 1,000 at June 2016.


AGE AND SEX DISTRIBUTION
  • In 2016, Greater Perth had a lower proportion of its population aged less than 15 years (19%) compared with the rest of WA (21%) and a higher proportion aged 15 to 34 years (30% compared with 25%). This is consistent with young adults moving to the capital city for employment or education purposes.


AGE AND SEX DISTRIBUTION (%), Western Australia - 30 June 2016

Population pyramid showing proportion of population by age and sex, WA, 30 June 2016