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Australia has one of the highest proportions of foreign-born residents in the world, with almost 30% of the population born overseas as of 2023. This figure rose to 31.5% in 2024, with 8.6 million people in Australia's total population of 27.2 million born outside the country. This makes Australia the 8th largest immigrant population in the world, with the highest proportion among major Western nations.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Percentage of foreign-born population in 2024 | 31.5% |
| Number of foreign-born population in 2024 | 8.6 million |
| Percentage of foreign-born population in 2023 | 30.7% |
| Number of foreign-born population in 2023 | 7,529,570 |
| Percentage of foreign-born population in 2022 | 29.5% |
| Percentage of foreign-born population in 2021 | 29.1% |
| Percentage of foreign-born population in 2020 | 29.8% |
| Percentage of population with European ancestry in 2016 | 76% |
| Percentage of Australians with a parent born overseas in 2021 | 48% |
| Percentage of population aged 65 and over in 2024 | 17% |
| Median age of the population in 2024 | 38.3 years |
| Median age of foreign-born population in 2024 | 43 years |
| Median age of Australian-born population in 2024 | 35 years |
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What You'll Learn
Australia's population growth
In 2024, 31.5% of Australia's population were born overseas, up from 30.7% in 2023 and 29.5% in 2022. This equates to 8.6 million people. In 2023, 31% of people in Australia were born overseas, a proportion that has increased by 8 percentage points over the past 30 years.
Australia has one of the highest proportions of foreign-born residents in the world, with immigrants accounting for 30% of the population, the highest proportion among major Western nations. In 2020, 29.1% of the population, or 7,502,000 people, were born overseas. In 2021, this figure increased to 29.8%.
The median age of Australia's overseas-born population has decreased from 46 years in 2004 to 43 in 2024, while the median age for the Australian-born population has increased from 32 years in 2004 to 35 in 2024. The median age for Australia's total population increased from 33.4 years in 1994 to 38.3 years in 2024.
Australia's population is concentrated in major cities, with 73% of the population living in urban areas. Capital cities have been growing faster than regional areas, with the share of the population living in the eight capital cities increasing by 3 percentage points over the past 30 years to 68% in 2023-24. This is because overseas migrants tend to settle in cities, and the younger age structure of cities results in a greater natural increase.
Australia's population has grown from an estimated 300,000 to 2,400,000 Indigenous Australians at the time of British colonisation in 1788, due to waves of immigration. The European component's share of the population rose sharply in the late 18th and 19th centuries but is now declining. In 1788, Australia was majority Protestant with a large Catholic minority. As of 2016, 76% of the population had European ancestry, but this has been decreasing since the 1960s and 1970s when the White Australia policy was abolished.
The percentage of Christians has been steadily decreasing since 1991, while the percentage of non-religious people has been increasing. In all Australian censuses since 1991, "no religion" has constituted the largest group by religious identification.
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Immigration trends
Australia has one of the highest proportions of foreign-born residents in the world, with 31.5% of its population born overseas as of June 2024. This equates to around 8.6 million people, up from 30.7% in 2023 and 29.5% in 2022. This percentage exceeded 30% for the first time since 1893. The proportion of foreign-born residents in Australia has been steadily increasing since 2004, when it was 23.8%.
Australia's population growth is largely driven by net overseas migration, which has increased from a net inflow of 47,000 people in 1993-94 to 435,000 people in 2023-24. In 2022-23, net overseas migration reached a record level of 536,000, with overall migration totalling 739,000. The COVID-19 pandemic and associated border restrictions caused a brief reversal in this trend, with a net outflow of migrants from Australia in 2020-21 for the first time since World War II.
Historically, Australia's immigration patterns have shifted from predominantly European-born migrants to a more diverse range of countries, particularly from neighbouring countries in Asia and the Pacific. In 2024, almost every country in the world was represented in Australia's overseas-born population, with the top five countries of birth being England, India, China, New Zealand, and the Philippines. Sydney, Melbourne, and Perth have the highest number of overseas-born residents, while Western Australia has the largest proportion of overseas-born individuals compared to other Australian states and territories.
The median age of Australia's overseas-born population has decreased from 46 years in 2004 to 43 years in 2024, while the median age of Australian-born individuals has increased from 32 years to 35 years over the same period. Additionally, the percentage of Australians with European backgrounds has been declining since the 1960s and 1970s, coinciding with the abolition of the White Australia policy.
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Top countries of origin
As of 30 June 2024, 31.5% of Australia's population, or 8.6 million people, were born overseas. This is a notable increase from 2023, when the proportion of foreign-born residents was 30.7%. In 2022, the percentage was 29.5%, and in 2021, it had dropped to 29.1% due to COVID-19 travel restrictions.
Australia has one of the highest proportions of foreign-born residents in the world, and immigration is a significant driver of the country's population growth. In 2024, almost every country in the world was represented in the birthplaces of Australia's population. The top countries of origin for foreign-born residents in Australia are England, India, China, and New Zealand. These four countries alone make up over one-third of Australia's foreign-born population.
The largest increase in Australia's overseas-born population over the ten years leading up to 2024 was observed among people born in India, China, the Philippines, and Nepal. This shift reflects a broader change in Australia's immigration patterns, with a growing number of migrants from Asian countries. Previously, European-born migrants had been the predominant group, reflecting historical immigration trends, particularly before the Second World War, when migrants to Australia were almost exclusively from the UK.
In recent decades, Australia's immigration policy has broadened to attract economic and skilled migrants, resulting in a more diverse population. As of 2024, the median age of foreign-born Australians is 43, while for Australian-born citizens, it is 35. The overall median age in Australia is 38.3 years, up from 33.4 years in 1994.
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Language and religion
Australia has no official language, but English has always been the de facto national language and is the only common tongue. Australian English has a distinctive accent and lexicon, and differs slightly from other English varieties in grammar and spelling. General Australian serves as the standard variety. At the 2021 census, English was the only language spoken in the homes of 72% of the population. The next most common languages spoken at home are Mandarin Chinese (2.7%), Arabic (1.4%), Vietnamese (1.3%), and Cantonese (1.2%). The vast majority of Australians speak English at home, with the exception of some Aboriginal Australians and first-generation immigrants.
Australia has no official religion, and "no religion" constitutes the largest group by religious identification. The percentage of Christians has been steadily decreasing, while the percentage of non-religious people has been increasing. In all censuses since 1991, the percentage of Christians has been on a downward trajectory, with weekly attendance at Christian church services now constituting about 1.5 million, or about 7.5% of the population. Despite the lack of an official religion, various Australian governments and courts refer to the Christian God in their ceremonies.
Australia's population has grown from an estimated 300,000 to 2,400,000 Indigenous Australians at the time of British colonisation in 1788 to 27.2 million in 2024, largely due to numerous waves of immigration. The European component's share of the population rose sharply in the late 18th and 19th centuries, but is now declining as a percentage. In 2016, 76% of the population had European ancestry, but this has been on the decline since the 1960s and 1970s, around the time the White Australia policy was abolished.
In 2024, the proportion of Australia's population born overseas was 31.5%, up from 30.7% in 2023 and 29.5% in 2022. This percentage exceeded 30% for the first time since 1893. The top five countries of birth for those not born in Australia are England, India, China, New Zealand, and the Philippines. The largest increases in Australia's overseas-born population over the ten years leading up to 2024 were from India, China, the Philippines, and Nepal.
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Population density
Australia has an average population density of 3.6 people per square kilometre of total land area, making it one of the most sparsely populated countries in the world. This is due to several factors, including the semi-arid and desert geography of much of the interior of the country. Additionally, urbanisation has played a role, with 89% of its population living in a handful of urban areas, making Australia one of the world's most urbanised countries.
The population density varies across different regions of Australia. The majority of Australians (73%) reside in major cities, with the next most populous regions being inner regional Australia (25%), followed by outer regional Australia, and remote and very remote areas (1.9%). Capital cities have been growing faster than regional areas, with the share of Australia's population living in the eight capital cities increasing by 3% over the past 30 years to 68% in 2023-24. This trend is influenced by the tendency of overseas migrants to settle in cities, as well as the younger age structure of city dwellers, resulting in a greater natural increase.
The overseas-born population in Australia has been growing steadily. In 2024, the proportion of Australia's population born overseas was 31.5%, up from 30.7% in 2023 and 29.5% in 2022. This increase is attributed to the easing of COVID-19 travel restrictions, which had previously caused a decline in overseas migration in 2021. The top countries of birth for those not born in Australia include England, India, China, New Zealand, and the Philippines.
Australia has one of the highest proportions of foreign-born residents in the world, both in total numbers and per capita. Immigrants account for around 30% of the population, the highest proportion among major Western nations. This contributes to the population density dynamics, particularly in urban areas where migrants tend to settle.
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Frequently asked questions
As of 30 June 2024, 31.5% of Australia's population was born overseas. This is an increase from 30.7% in 2023 and 29.5% in 2022.
As of 30 June 2024, there were 8.6 million foreign-born people in Australia out of a total population of 27.2 million.
The percentage of foreign-born people in Australia has generally increased over time. In 1891, 32% of the population was born overseas, and this fell to a low of 10% in 1947 due to decreased migration during World War I, the Great Depression, and World War II. Since then, the percentage has increased steadily, with the recent increase attributed to the removal of COVID-19 travel restrictions.
