MEDIA RELEASE
28 September 2018	Embargo: 11.30 am (Canberra time)
Life starts at 40 in Australia's oldest capital

Hobart residents have the highest median age of any Australian capital city while Darwin has the youngest, according to data released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

Hobart's median age (the age at which half the population is older and half is younger) was 39.8 years at June 2017, making it once again Australia's oldest capital, more than a year older than nearest rival Adelaide (38.7 years). With a median age of 33.6 years, Darwin was again the youngest capital, more than a year younger than residents in the Australian Capital Territory (35.0).

"The data indicates that popular coastal retirement destinations tended to drag up the median age," ABS Director of Demography Anthony Grubb said. "These areas included Tea Gardens - Hawks Nest (62.4 years) and Tuncurry (60.8) in New South Wales, and Bribie Island (59.6) in Queensland."

"Conversely, where students or military personnel congregated, the median ages were low. For example in the ACT, the suburb of Acton has a large number of university students and the median age is 21.3 years. Duntroon, which is also in the ACT, has a concentration of military personnel and a median age of 21.9 years."

The data, contained in Regional Population by Age and Sex, also showed that Adelaide once again had the lowest ratio of males to females of all capital cities, with 96.7 males for every 100 females, followed by Melbourne at 97.7. Darwin was again the only capital with more males than females, with 111.5 males per 100 females.

Oldest and youngest populations in each state/territory(a), June 2017

State/Territory	Median age in		Oldest area	Median age		Youngest area	Median age
	capital city
New South Wales	35.8		Tea Gardens - Hawks Nest	62.4		Kensington	25.9
Victoria	35.6		Point Lonsdale - Queenscliff	58.3		Carlton	24.7
Queensland	35.3		Bribie Island	59.6		Northern Peninsula	22.4
South Australia	38.7		Goolwa - Port Elliot	58.3		APY Lands	27.6
Western Australia	36.1		York - Beverley	51.5		Roebuck	27.4
Tasmania	39.8		Forestier - Tasman	55.9		Mowbray	31.1
Northern Territory	33.6		Ross	45.2		Gulf	25.4
Australian Capital Territory	35.0		Yarralumla	49.7		Acton	21.3

(a) Excludes areas with population less than 1,000.

Further details can be found in Population by Age and Sex, Regions of Australia, 2017 (cat. no. 3235.0) available for download from the ABS website.

Media notes:

• Capital cities mentioned in this release are Greater Capital City Statistical Areas and areas are Statistical Areas Level 2, as defined in the Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS): Volume 1 - Main Structure and Greater Capital City Statistical Areas, July 2016 (cat. no. 1270.0.55.001).
• When reporting ABS data, the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) must be attributed as a source.
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