3235.3.55.001 - Population by Age and Sex, Queensland, Jun 2002
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 14/08/2003
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SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
POPULATION The preliminary estimate of the resident population of Queensland at June 2002 was 3.7 million, an increase of 78,200 people since June 2001 and an increase of 312,500 people since June 1997. Queensland's average rate of growth was 1.8% per year during the period 1997 to 2002 making Queensland the fastest growing State or Territory. Queensland's growth resulted from net interstate migration of 29,000 people, net overseas migration of 24,900 people and natural increase of 24,300 people. POPULATION DISTRIBUTION AND CHANGE Queensland's population is concentrated in the south-eastern corner of the State in the Statistical Divisions (SDs) of Brisbane and Moreton, which have 45.6% and 20.2% of the population, respectively. The growth of the proportion of the Queensland population living in this south-east region continues to increase steadily from 64.3% in 1997 to 65.7% in 2002. The mainly pastoral areas in the west of the State are sparsely populated, with the North West, South West and Central West SDs collectively containing only 2.0% of the State's population. The south-east corner of Queensland (the Moreton and Brisbane SDs) experienced an increase of 61,900 people in the year to June 2002, accounting for four-fifths (79.1%) of Queensland's growth for the period. Low to moderate growth was recorded in most of the remaining SDs in Queensland in 2001-2002. Northern, Mackay and Wide Bay-Burnett SDs recorded increases of 3,700 (1.9%), 2,100 (1.5%) and 3,300 (1.4%) people respectively. For the period 2001-02, North West and South West SDs recorded small declines of 232 and 15 persons respectively. The two most populous LGAs in Queensland, the cities of Brisbane and Gold Coast, experienced the largest increases in population in Queensland and Australia as a whole in 2001-02. Brisbane (C) with a population of 917,200 increased by 20,600 people (or 2.3%) and the Gold Coast (C) with a population of 438,500 people, increased by 14,800 people (or 3.5%). Growth within the City of Brisbane continued to occur predominantly in new housing estates in the fringe Statistical Local Areas (SLAs), particularly in the south. MEDIAN AGE The Queensland population is continuing to age, following the national trend, with the median age of the population rising to 35.3 years at June 2002, up from 33.7 years in June 1997. A contributing factor to this is the lower than replacement fertility rate (1.8) for Queensland women. Queensland had the fourth lowest median age of all States and Territories, which was lower than for the whole of Australia (35.9 years). Within Queensland, Wide Bay-Burnett and Moreton SDs had the highest median ages of 39.8 years and 38.2 years respectively, both well above the median age for the whole of Queensland. North West SD had the lowest median age at 30.0 years, which was more than 2 years below any other SD in Queensland and was similar to the median age for the Northern Territory of 29.9 years at June 2002. DEPENDENCY RATIO The dependency ratio is the number of children aged 0-14 years and persons aged 65 years and over per 100 persons aged 15-64 years. A reduced value for the dependency ratio indicates that there is a larger population of working age to support the population of non-working age. The dependency ratio for Queensland was 48.8 in 2002, decreasing from 49.1 in 2001 and 49.5 in 1997. Queensland had a lower dependency ratio at June 2002 than for the whole of Australia (49.1). In Queensland in 2002, the Brisbane and Northern SDs recorded the lowest dependency ratios with 45.6 and 47.2, respectively. Wide Bay-Burnett (59.1) and Darling Downs (55.3) continued to record the highest dependency ratios. This is partly a reflection of the substantial numbers of retirees residing within these Statistical Divisions. CHILDREN Children (aged under 15 years) numbered 779,600 in 2002, an increase of 37,800 over 1997. Although the number of children has increased, the proportion of children has decreased, from 21.9% of Queensland's population in 1997 to 21.0% in 2002. The proportion of children decreased in all SDs over this period. In 2002, the lowest proportion of children was recorded in the Moreton (19.6%) and Brisbane (20.5%) SDs. The highest proportions of children were found in the North West and South West SDs with 26.4% and 24.1%, respectively. The Aboriginal and Island Council SLAs had the highest proportions of children with Cherbourg (AC) and Woorabinda (AC) recording 40.8% and 38.9% respectively, while Moreton Island and City - remainder recorded the lowest proportion of children at 5.7% and 5.8% respectively. AGED PERSONS Persons aged 65 years or more numbered 436,183 in 2002, an increase of 53,900 persons since 1997. The proportion of aged persons increased from 11.3% in 1997 to 11.8% in 2002. In 2002, the lowest proportions of persons aged 65 years or more occurred in the North West (6.0%) and Far North (9.5%) SDs. The highest proportions of aged persons occurred in the Wide Bay-Burnett and Moreton SDs (15.8% and 14.4%, respectively) while the Brisbane SD recorded 10.9%. All the SDs experienced an increase in the proportion of aged persons since June 1997. Persons aged 85 years or more numbered 47,600 an increase of 12,200 persons since 1997. The proportion of the population aged 85 years and over is increasing, rising from 1.0% of the Queensland population in 1997 to 1.3% in 2002. The size and the distribution of this population may be of particular interest to planners as this age group requires greater support from social and medical services. 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