Birth registrations up 2.6% in 2025
There were 299,903 registered births in 2025, up 7,585 from the year before, according to data released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).
Beidar Cho, ABS head of population statistics, said: “The total fertility rate increased slightly in 2025, but remained at historically low levels despite the rise in birth registrations.
“The total fertility rate is now 1.497, up from 1.481 babies per woman in 2024.
“Tasmania recorded the highest total fertility rate in 2025 at 1.568 babies per woman, while the Australian Capital Territory recorded the lowest at 1.283 babies per woman.”
“This is the third consecutive year the total fertility rate for Australia has been below 1.5 and is well below the 1.8 babies per woman seen a decade earlier in 2015.”
“Total fertility rates have declined across all states and territories over the last 10 years. The largest declines were in the Northern Territory and Australian Capital Territory, while Victoria and New South Wales recorded the smallest declines.
“In 2025, the total fertility rate for mothers who were Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander was 2.234 babies per woman. There were 26,733 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australian births, which made up 8.9 per cent of all births,” Ms Cho said.
The number of women of childbearing age increased from 5.7 million in 2015 to 6.6 million in 2025.
Media notes
- The total fertility rate required for replacement is considered to be around 2.1 babies per woman to replace herself and her partner in the absence of overseas migration.
- Changes in New South Wales and Western Australian birth registration processing times were partly responsible for the higher than usual birth registrations in 2025.
- For more information on the difference between birth registrations and birth occurrences, visit our methodology: Births, Australia methodology, 2025
- For more information on the estimated resident population (ERP) including age and sex composition, visit: National, state and territory population, March 2026
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