Latest release

National, state and territory population

Statistics about the population and components of change (births, deaths, migration) for Australia and its states and territories

Reference period

December 2021

Released

28/06/2022

Key statistics

Statistics in this release are commonly known as Estimated Resident Population (ERP).

In this issue, the ABS has rebased the population estimates to the 2021 Census of Population. Rebased estimates supersede all estimates from June 2016, for further information see Methodology used in rebased population estimates, June 2021.

Australia’s population was 25,766,605 people at 31 December 2021.
The quarterly growth was 63,400 people (0.2%).
The annual growth was 128,000 people (0.5%).
Annual natural increase was 138,500 and net overseas migration was -3,600.

National

Annual population change

In the year ending 31 December 2021, Australia's population grew by 128,000 people (0.5%).

Annual population growth rate(a)(b)
	Annual population change (%)
Dec-01	1.28
Mar-02	1.19
Jun-02	1.14
Sep-02	1.14
Dec-02	1.13
Mar-03	1.15
Jun-03	1.16
Sep-03	1.15
Dec-03	1.13
Mar-04	1.11
Jun-04	1.07
Sep-04	1.09
Dec-04	1.10
Mar-05	1.17
Jun-05	1.22
Sep-05	1.28
Dec-05	1.32
Mar-06	1.35
Jun-06	1.36
Sep-06	1.47
Dec-06	1.56
Mar-07	1.69
Jun-07	1.84
Sep-07	1.86
Dec-07	1.88
Mar-08	1.96
Jun-08	2.02
Sep-08	2.11
Dec-08	2.19
Mar-09	2.14
Jun-09	2.08
Sep-09	1.98
Dec-09	1.82
Mar-10	1.68
Jun-10	1.57
Sep-10	1.45
Dec-10	1.40
Mar-11	1.39
Jun-11	1.40
Sep-11	1.49
Dec-11	1.58
Mar-12	1.67
Jun-12	1.76
Sep-12	1.79
Dec-12	1.80
Mar-13	1.78
Jun-13	1.74
Sep-13	1.69
Dec-13	1.61
Mar-14	1.58
Jun-14	1.50
Sep-14	1.48
Dec-14	1.47
Mar-15	1.45
Jun-15	1.45
Sep-15	1.45
Dec-15	1.46
Mar-16	1.51
Jun-16	1.57
Sep-16	1.65
Dec-16	1.67
Mar-17	1.70
Jun-17	1.67
Sep-17	1.62
Dec-17	1.54
Mar-18	1.52
Jun-18	1.51
Sep-18	1.54
Dec-18	1.57
Mar-19	1.55
Jun-19	1.50
Sep-19	1.49
Dec-19	1.50
Mar-20	1.44
Jun-20	1.24
Sep-20	0.77
Dec-20	0.44
Mar-21	0.09
Jun-21	0.13
Sep-21	0.25
Dec-21	0.50

["","Annual population change"]

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Annual growth calculated at the end of each quarter.
All data after 30 June 2016 is subject to revision.

Australia's population growth is comprised of natural increase (births minus deaths) and net overseas migration (migration arrivals minus migration departures).

Components of quarterly population change

In the December 2021 quarter, natural increase:

was 34,200 people
increased by 2,200 people since the previous quarter

In the December 2021 quarter, net overseas migration:

was 29,100 people
increased by 46,000 people since the previous quarter

Components of quarterly population change
	Total growth	Natural increase	Net overseas migration
Dec-17	69,458	35,640	35,828
Mar-18	123,148	40,176	85,105
Jun-18	82,046	36,498	47,559
Sep-18	104,559	33,184	73,828
Dec-18	79,330	35,863	45,728
Mar-19	119,264	38,122	83,554
Jun-19	70,421	34,550	38,228
Sep-19	103,694	31,996	74,525
Dec-19	82,925	34,335	51,313
Mar-20	107,529	35,563	75,179
Jun-20	20,924	32,925	-8,314
Sep-20	-15,640	30,565	-42,551
Dec-20	-997	31,865	-29,271
Mar-21	17,978	35,663	-14,182
Jun-21	31,449	36,659	-1,725
Sep-21	15,162	31,998	-16,836
Dec-21	63,364	34,219	29,145

["","Total growth","Natural increase","Net overseas migration"]

[["Dec-17","Mar-18","Jun-18","Sep-18","Dec-18","Mar-19","Jun-19","Sep-19","Dec-19","Mar-20","Jun-20","Sep-20","Dec-20","Mar-21","Jun-21","Sep-21","Dec-21"],[[69458],[123148],[82046],[104559],[79330],[119264],[70421],[103694],[82925],[107529],[20924],[-15640],[-997],[17978],[31449],[15162],[63364]],[[35640],[40176],[36498],[33184],[35863],[38122],[34550],[31996],[34335],[35563],[32925],[30565],[31865],[35663],[36659],[31998],[34219]],[[35828],[85105],[47559],[73828],[45728],[83554],[38228],[74525],[51313],[75179],[-8314],[-42551],[-29271],[-14182],[-1725],[-16836],[29145]]]

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Components of annual population change

In the year ending 31 December 2021, natural increase:

was 138,500 people
increased by 7,600 people (5.8%) since the previous year

In the year ending 31 December 2021, net overseas migration:

was -3,600 people
increased by 1,400 people (27.4%) since the previous year

Components of annual population change(a)
	Total growth	Natural increase	Net overseas migration
Dec-01	245,425	118,978	136,076
Mar-02	228,169	119,918	117,651
Jun-02	220,509	119,120	110,556
Sep-02	219,764	115,874	112,733
Dec-02	218,980	117,024	110,475
Mar-03	223,278	115,779	115,694
Jun-03	225,527	116,899	116,498
Sep-03	224,558	118,327	113,833
Dec-03	221,714	118,944	110,104
Mar-04	217,477	120,541	104,002
Jun-04	211,985	118,817	99,966
Sep-04	216,248	119,865	103,135
Dec-04	218,848	119,133	106,425
Mar-05	232,448	121,098	118,020
Jun-05	244,122	126,994	123,763
Sep-05	255,050	130,362	130,819
Dec-05	265,540	134,156	137,009
Mar-06	271,579	133,543	143,153
Jun-06	274,122	131,973	146,753
Sep-06	297,555	136,595	166,253
Dec-06	316,004	139,793	182,196
Mar-07	344,685	146,327	205,033
Jun-07	376,656	151,225	232,796
Sep-07	381,878	151,295	238,660
Dec-07	388,574	153,327	244,030
Mar-08	406,111	154,155	261,444
Jun-08	421,577	154,432	277,338
Sep-08	441,889	154,320	298,648
Dec-08	459,504	155,794	315,687
Mar-09	452,748	154,693	310,921
Jun-09	442,454	156,343	299,866
Sep-09	422,039	158,728	278,259
Dec-09	389,998	159,237	246,900
Mar-10	362,421	161,691	218,063
Jun-10	340,097	162,566	196,058
Sep-10	316,314	161,846	175,318
Dec-10	306,846	157,978	172,038
Mar-11	304,661	157,003	173,149
Jun-11	308,274	155,714	180,372
Sep-11	328,369	154,518	194,040
Dec-11	349,728	156,050	206,240
Mar-12	372,185	157,854	219,276
Jun-12	393,441	158,822	231,947
Sep-12	401,151	158,708	239,848
Dec-12	405,826	163,064	240,248
Mar-13	402,061	162,153	237,462
Jun-13	394,664	161,958	230,329
Sep-13	386,309	162,611	221,214
Dec-13	369,754	158,791	208,379
Mar-14	363,189	158,305	202,191
Jun-14	347,557	156,976	187,778
Sep-14	342,670	155,718	183,735
Dec-14	342,554	156,565	182,345
Mar-15	339,436	154,285	181,080
Jun-15	340,309	151,779	184,033
Sep-15	341,370	150,622	184,227
Dec-15	344,250	148,985	186,730
Mar-16	357,796	151,267	195,976
Jun-16	374,912	154,351	206,233
Sep-16	393,624	154,883	229,509
Dec-16	401,298	153,212	243,829
Mar-17	409,153	150,436	259,585
Jun-17	403,295	147,602	263,351
Sep-17	394,096	142,603	259,426
Dec-17	375,570	142,005	241,661
Mar-18	372,019	142,279	237,997
Jun-18	372,441	142,604	238,224
Sep-18	379,211	145,498	242,320
Dec-18	389,083	145,721	252,220
Mar-19	385,199	143,667	250,669
Jun-19	373,574	141,719	241,338
Sep-19	372,709	140,531	242,035
Dec-19	376,304	139,003	247,620
Mar-20	364,569	136,444	239,245
Jun-20	315,072	134,819	192,703
Sep-20	195,738	133,388	75,627
Dec-20	111,816	130,918	-4,957
Mar-21	22,265	131,018	-94,318
Jun-21	32,790	134,752	-87,729
Sep-21	63,592	136,185	-62,014
Dec-21	127,953	138,539	-3,598

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Annual components calculated at the end of each quarter.

Births and deaths

Births

In the year ending 31 December 2021:

there were 310,000 births
births increased by 18,200 (6.2%) since the previous year

Deaths

In the year ending 31 December 2021:

there were 171,500 deaths
deaths increased by 10,500 (6.5%) since the previous year

Overseas migration arrivals and departures

Overseas migration arrivals

In the year ending 31 December 2021:

there were 217,100 people immigrating to Australia
arrivals decreased by 18,200 people (7.7%) since the previous year

Overseas migration departures

In the year ending 31 December 2021:

there were 220,700 people emigrating from Australia
departures decreased by 19,600 people (8.2%) since the previous year

States and territories

Annual population change

Most states and territories had positive population growth over the year ending 31 December 2021.
Queensland had the highest growth rate (1.4%).
Victoria had the only negative growth rate (-0.1%).

	Population at 31 Dec 2021 ('000)	Change over previous year ('000)	Change over previous year (%)
New South Wales	8095.4	11.2	0.1
Victoria	6559.9	-3.5	-0.1
Queensland	5265.0	73.7	1.4
South Australia	1806.6	9.6	0.5
Western Australia	2762.2	30.5	1.1
Tasmania	569.8	4.3	0.8
Northern Territory	249.3	0.2	0.1
Australian Capital Territory	453.3	1.9	0.4
Australia (a)	25766.6	128.0	0.5

a. Includes Other Territories comprising Jervis Bay Territory, Christmas Island, the Cocos (Keeling) Islands and Norfolk Island.

State and territory population change is comprised of natural increase, net overseas migration, and net interstate migration (interstate arrivals minus interstate departures).

Components of annual population change

For the year ending 31 December 2021:

natural increase was the major contributor to population change in New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia and the Australian Capital Territory
net interstate migration was the major contributor to population change in Queensland and the Northern Territory.
net overseas migration was the major contributor to change in Tasmania.

Components of annual population growth
	Natural increase	Net interstate migration	Net overseas migration
NSW	44,809	-35,337	12,608
Vic.	32,877	-19,386	-9,566
Qld	30,255	50,162	-4,838
SA	5,260	980	295
WA	18,150	9,288	-3,578
Tas.	1,275	-486	1,640
NT	2,572	-3,420	741
ACT	3,335	-1,801	-921

["","Natural increase","Net interstate migration","Net overseas migration"]

[["NSW","Vic.","Qld","SA","WA","Tas.","NT","ACT"],[[44809],[32877],[30255],[5260],[18150],[1275],[2572],[3335]],[[-35337],[-19386],[50162],[980],[9288],[-486],[-3420],[-1801]],[[12608],[-9566],[-4838],[295],[-3578],[1640],[741],[-921]]]

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Natural increase by state and territory

	NSW	Vic.	Qld	SA	WA	Tas.	NT	ACT
Births	101,333	75,365	64,112	19,757	34,039	6,044	3,785	5,543
Deaths	56,524	42,488	33,857	14,497	15,889	4,769	1,213	2,208
Natural increase	44,809	32,877	30,255	5,260	18,150	1,275	2,572	3,335

Net overseas migration by state and territory

	NSW	Vic.	Qld	SA	WA	Tas.	NT	ACT
Overseas arrivals	93,212	58,863	29,641	8,962	15,221	3,511	3,047	4,633
Overseas departures	80,604	68,429	34,479	8,667	18,799	1,871	2,306	5,554
Net overseas migration	12,608	-9,566	-4,838	295	-3,578	1,640	741	-921

Net interstate migration by state and territory

	NSW	Vic.	Qld	SA	WA	Tas.	NT	ACT
Interstate arrivals	111,050	89,756	145,981	33,413	44,218	16,421	17,998	25,106
Interstate departures	146,387	109,142	95,819	32,433	34,930	16,907	21,418	26,907
Net interstate migration	-35,337	-19,386	50,162	980	9,288	-486	-3,420	-1,801

Notes

COVID-19

Statistics in this release are impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting Australian Government closure of the international border from 20 March 2020.

To ensure the ongoing production of fit-for-purpose official population estimates through the COVID-19 pandemic, the ABS has been assessing the likely impact of changed traveller behaviour on preliminary overseas migration estimates, a component of ERP. The ABS has introduced more frequent revisions to overseas migration to ensure the suite of demographic statistics continue to be of high quality and reflect the most timely data available. Preliminary overseas migration estimates will be revised every quarter over four quarters, instead of once after four quarters, until it becomes final. These more frequent revisions will ensure the most timely and accurate data flows through to ERP.

For further information see the Improvements to estimation of net overseas migration.

Changes to this issue

The ABS is aiming to reduce data which is duplicated elsewhere on the website. The below table will no longer appear in National, state and territory population and can be found in a new annual publication.
Table 8 Estimated resident population, Country of birth–at 30 June is published in Australia's Population by Country of Birth, 2021

Data downloads - time series spreadsheets

Population and components of change - national

Quarterly population and components of change, national, from June 1981 onwards

Data files

Download xlsx [68.68 KB]

Components of population change - states and territories

Quarterly components of change, by state and territory, from June 1981 onwards

Data files

Download xlsx [90.46 KB]

Population - states and territories

Quarterly population by sex, by state and territory, from June 1981 onwards

Data files

Download xlsx [86.96 KB]

Interstate migration arrivals

Quarterly interstate migration arrivals, from June 1981 onwards

Data files

Download xlsx [59.08 KB]

Interstate migration departures

Quarterly interstate migration departures, from June 1981 onwards

Data files

Download xlsx [59.02 KB]

Population - New South Wales

Population at 30 June, by sex and single year of age, NSW, from 1971 onwards

Data files

Download xlsx [191.15 KB]

Population - Victoria

Population at 30 June, by sex and single year of age, Vic., from 1971 onwards

Data files

Download xlsx [190.34 KB]

Population - Queensland

Population at 30 June, by sex and single year of age, Qld, from 1971 onwards

Data files

Download xlsx [187.93 KB]

Population - South Australia

Population at 30 June, by sex and single year of age, SA, from 1971 onwards

Data files

Download xlsx [184.53 KB]

Population - Western Australia

Population at 30 June, by sex and single year of age, WA, from 1971 onwards

Data files

Download xlsx [184.54 KB]

Population - Tasmania

Population at 30 June, by sex and single year of age, Tas., from 1971 onwards

Data files

Download xlsx [178.93 KB]

Population - Northern Territory

Population at 30 June, by sex and single year of age, NT, from 1971 onwards

Data files

Download xlsx [171.96 KB]

Population - Australian Capital Territory

Population at 30 June, by sex and single year of age, ACT, from 1971 onwards

Data files

Download xlsx [175.35 KB]

Population - Australia

Population at 30 June, by sex and single year of age, Aust., from 1971 onwards

Data files

Download xlsx [195.93 KB]

All time series spreadsheets

Data files

Download zip [1.69 MB]

Data downloads - data cubes