Australia's population grew by 2.3 per cent to 27.1 million people in March 2024, according to the latest figures released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).
Beidar Cho, ABS head of demography, said: "Our population at 31 March 2024 was 27.1 million people, having grown by 615,300 people over the previous year. Net overseas migration drove 83 per cent of this population growth, while births and deaths, known as natural increase, made up the other 17 per cent."
Annual net overseas migration in the year to March 2024 was 509,800 people, down from a peak of 559,900 in September 2023.
Natural increase was 105,500 people in the year ending March 2024, made up of 289,700 births and 184,200 deaths registered in Australia.
Western Australia had the fastest growing population, up 3.1 per cent in the 12 months ending March 2023. This was followed by Victoria, which grew by 2.7 per cent, and Queensland, which grew by 2.5 per cent.
Tasmania saw the lowest growth, at 0.4 per cent.
Population at 31 March 2024 ('000) |
Change over previous year ('000) | Change over previous year (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| New South Wales | 8469.6 | 167.7 | 2.0 |
| Victoria | 6959.2 | 184.0 | 2.7 |
| Queensland | 5560.5 | 134.6 | 2.5 |
| South Australia | 1873.8 | 27.3 | 1.5 |
| Western Australia | 2951.6 | 89.0 | 3.1 |
| Tasmania | 575.7 | 2.2 | 0.4 |
| Northern Territory | 254.3 | 2.0 | 0.8 |
| Australian Capital Territory | 472.8 | 8.4 | 1.8 |
| Australia (a) | 27122.4 | 615.3 | 2.3 |
- Includes Other Territories comprising Jervis Bay Territory, Christmas Island, the Cocos (Keeling) Islands and Norfolk Island.
