Australia’s population surged to 27.4 million by the end of 2024, marking a 1.7 per cent increase — or an additional 445,900 people — compared to the previous year, according to new figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) on Thursday.
Western Australia (WA) recorded the fastest growth rate in the country at 2.4 per cent, officially surpassing a population of 3 million.
“Western Australia had the fastest rise in population growth, up 2.4 per cent in 2024. This was followed by Victoria and Queensland, which both grew by 1.9 per cent,”
said Beidar Cho, ABS head of demography.
Victoria and Queensland also posted strong growth, but in stark contrast, Tasmania had the slowest rise at just 0.3 per cent. Despite adding only 1,600 people to its population — mostly through overseas migration — the island state lost 2,447 residents to other parts of the country.
New South Wales (NSW), Australia’s most populous state, suffered the biggest loss to internal migration, with a net 28,118 people moving interstate. More than 112,000 residents left NSW in 2024, even though the state still attracted 106,730 overseas migrants — the highest in the nation.
Cho explained the main drivers behind the national increase:
“There were 594,900 people arriving from overseas and 254,200 departures. This means that 340,800 people were added to our population from overseas migration in 2024.”
Alongside migration, Australia saw a natural population increase — births minus deaths — of 105,200 people. A total of 292,400 births were registered in 2024 (up 2.6 per cent from the previous year), offset by 187,300 deaths (up 3 per cent).
All states and territories reported positive population growth over the year, with Queensland gaining the most people through net interstate migration (25,940). The ABS noted that overseas migration was the “major contributor” to population growth across all jurisdictions.
The figures reflect estimated resident population data, which includes all people who usually live in Australia, regardless of nationality or visa status.
Support our Journalism
No-nonsense journalism. No paywalls. Whether you’re in Australia, the UK, Canada, the USA, or India, you can support The Australia Today by taking a paid subscription via Patreon or donating via PayPal — and help keep honest, fearless journalism alive.
