Darwin had the youngest median age of all capital cities in 2023, according to data released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).
Beidar Cho, ABS head of demography, said: "Darwin's median age of 34.6 years was a year younger than the next youngest capital, Canberra. It was also the only capital where males outnumbered females, with 104.7 males for every 100 females.
"In contrast, Adelaide had the oldest median age at 39.2 years, followed by Hobart at 38.9 years. Hobart and Adelaide also had the lowest male to female ratios of all capitals."
| Capital city | Median age (years) | Sex ratio |
|---|---|---|
| Sydney | 36.8 | 99.0 |
| Melbourne | 36.6 | 97.9 |
| Brisbane | 36.5 | 98.2 |
| Adelaide | 39.2 | 96.0 |
| Perth | 37.6 | 99.6 |
| Hobart | 38.9 | 95.6 |
| Darwin | 34.6 | 104.7 |
| Canberra | 35.6 | 97.5 |
| Total capital cities | 37.0 | 98.4 |
Today's data also reveals the age and sex breakdowns of areas in the capital cities and the rest of Australia.
"Acton in the ACT, which is home to the Australian National University, had the youngest median age at 20.8 years. Meanwhile, Tea Gardens - Hawks Nest on the NSW coast had the oldest at 66.2 years," Ms Cho said.
"Sex ratios varied considerably across the country. Woollahra in Sydney's east, had the lowest male to female ratio, with 80.9 males for every 100 females. Wacol in Brisbane had the highest at 278.1 males per 100 females, as it contained a male correctional centre."
