Flying cars, underwater roads and 3D-printed organs – it’s hard to picture what the world will look like in 60 years. One thing we know for sure is that there will be a fair few more humans hanging around (plus perhaps some personal robots and AI pets), with Australia’s population predicted to exceed 40 million people by 2071 (a 51 per cent increase).
This finding comes out of the Australian Bureau of Statistics’ latest population projections, based on assumptions of fertility, mortality and migration. The study predicts that Australia’s population – which is currently 26.5 million strong – will land somewhere between 34.3 and 45.9 million people in the next six decades.
New South Wales currently takes the top spot as Australia’s most populous city, but Victoria is chasing at NSW's tail with the highest predicted average annual growth rate of all the states and territories. Digging a little deeper, the ABS also predicts:
- NSW’s population of 8.2 million could reach between 10.8 million and 13.8 million by 2071
- Victoria's population of 6.6 million could match NSW at between 9.3 million and 13.8 million by 2071
- Melbourne has already overthrown Sydney as Australia's largest city in Australia – but it's just going to get bigger and bigger
Australia’s other states and territories saw some surprising results too. Key predictions for the next six decades include:
- Western Australia’s population of 2.8 million could have the largest variation of population increases – it could land anywhere between 2.9 million and 5.1 million in 60 years time
- Weirdly, Tasmania’s population of 571,000 people could either increase to 843,300 or decline to 425,400
- The Australian Capital Territory’s population of 456,900 could overtake Tasmania by 2048, eventually reaching between 578,700 and 994,500
- The Northern Territory’s population of 250,200 could reach between 234,300 and 566,200
- South Australia’s population could stay at 1.8 million people or increase to 2.7 million max
- Queensland’s population of 5.3 million could reach between 6.8 million and 9.8 million
It’s no surprise that our country will continue to age, with Australia’s current median age of 38.6 years predicted to rise to between 43.8 and 47.6 years. According to the study:
- Tasmania will remain the oldest of all states and territories, with a median age of between 46.3 and 52.2 years
- Northern Territory will remain the youngest, with a median age of between 37.3 and 40.7 years
You can find the Australian Bureau of Statistics’ full population projections for 2022-2071, here.