By: Joni Boyd
Ever feel like the shops and roads are busier than ever? That’s because they are.
According to research conducted by McCrindle, the population of Australia has reached 27 million, over thirty years ahead of predictions.
“Based on the latest annual growth rate of 2.4%, Australia’s population will be 41 million by 2042, 16 million more than the 2002 forecasts,” the report states. “The record growth through net overseas migration means Australia has seen the largest annual increase in population in the nation’s history.”
The numbers
- Australia’s population currently sits around 27,024,000
- We currently have 1 birth every 2 minutes and 52 seconds
- We currently have one death every 2 minutes and 52 seconds
- One person moves to Australia ever 45 seconds
- One person leaves Australia to live overseas every 2 minutes and 43 seconds
- Australia’s population increases by one person every 50 seconds
- Australia’s population increased by 2.4% (624,100) in 2023
- Australia’s population was predicted to reach 25.3 million by 2042
- Australia’s population reached 27 million, 30+ years ahead of 2002 predictions
- There have been 295,900 births and 189,900 deaths in Australia over the past 12 months
- 737,200 people arrived in Australia in 2023, while 219,100 people left Australia and moved overseas
* statistics according to abs.gov.au
Why are we growing so quickly?
According to the report, the population increase we’ve seen in the past 12 months is due to 737,200 people arriving from overseas, with only 219,100 of us leaving Australia.
2023’s rapid population increase is equivalent to adding the entire population of Tasmania, 572,800 people in one year.
With 295,900 births and 189,900 deaths in Australia over the past 12 months, our birth and death ratio has remained on par with our historical average. According to Mccrindle’s report, “The record growth through net overseas migration means Australia has seen the largest annual increase in population in the nation’s history.”
“With record growth through net overseas migration, Australia has seen the largest annual increase in population in the nation’s history.”
How far ahead of predictions are we?
Even though our population was predicted to sit around 23.4 million in 2023, more than 27 million people now call Australia.
The Treasury’s Intergenerational Report 2002 predicted that the Australian population would be around 23.4 million in 2024 – a milestone which was reached 19 years early, in August 2018.
Forecasters predicted that Australia’s population growth would slow from 1.2% in 2000, to 0.6% in the 2020s and that it would decrease further to 0.4% in the 2030s and 0.2% in the 2040s.
As we now know, population increase has rapidly increased, with no suggestion that it will slow down anytime soon, with an increase of 2.4%, a new numerical annual population increase record of 624,100.
Where are we heading?
With one new Australian being added to the population count every 50 seconds, we could reach 28 million in August 2025 (on August 25, 2025 is the exact prediction). And if predictions are correct and we retain an annual growth rate of 2.4%, Australia’s population will reach 41 million by 2042, a cool 16 million more than the 2002 forecast.
Explore Australia’s population further, with the Mccrindle Population Map 2023.
Article supplied with thanks to Hope Media.
Feature image: Photo by Jay Wennington on Unsplash