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AustraliaCommunity profile

Greater Sydney

Service age groups

In 2021, Greater Sydney had similar proportion of children (under 18) and a lower proportion of persons aged 60 or older than Victoria.

The Age Structure of Greater Sydney provides key insights into the level of demand for age based services and facilities such as child care. It is an indicator of Greater Sydney's residential role and function and how it is likely to change in the future.

Service age groups divide the population into age categories that reflect typical life-stages. They indicate the level of demand for services that target people at different stages in life and how that demand is changing.

To get a more complete picture Greater Sydney's Age Structure should be viewed in conjunction with Household Types and Dwelling Types.

Q:

Derived from the Census question:

'What is the person's date of birth or age?'

Age structure - Service age groups
Greater Sydney - Total persons (Enumerated)20211996Change
Service age group (years)Number%Victoria %Number%Victoria %1996 to 2021
Babies and pre-schoolers (0 to 4)311,7716.05.8259,8437.07.0+51,928
Primary schoolers (5 to 11)458,0858.88.6352,0949.510.0+105,991
Secondary schoolers (12 to 17)368,2717.17.0303,4558.28.4+64,816
Tertiary education and independence (18 to 24)456,6088.88.6396,83010.710.4+59,778
Young workforce (25 to 34)808,54015.515.1612,06116.515.8+196,479
Parents and homebuilders (35 to 49)1,119,50021.520.6836,22322.622.5+283,277
Older workers and pre-retirees (50 to 59)623,27812.012.2370,12910.010.0+253,149
Empty nesters and retirees (60 to 69)506,7549.710.4268,2377.27.5+238,517
Seniors (70 to 84)451,8668.79.5264,3727.17.2+187,494
Elderly aged (85 and over)105,5662.02.239,4781.11.1+66,088
Total5,210,239100.0100.03,702,722100.0100.0+1,507,517
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 1996 and 2021. Compiled and presented by .id (informed decisions).
Please refer to specific data notes for more information

Dominant groups

Analysis of the service age groups of Greater Sydney in 2021 compared to Victoria shows that there was a similar proportion of people in the younger age groups (0 to 17 years) and a lower proportion of people in the older age groups (60+ years).

Overall, 21.8% of the population was aged between 0 and 17, and 20.4% were aged 60 years and over, compared with 21.5% and 22.1% respectively for Victoria.

The major differences between the age structure of Greater Sydney and Victoria were:

  • A larger percentage of 'Parents and homebuilders' (21.5% compared to 20.6%)
  • A smaller percentage of 'Seniors' (8.7% compared to 9.5%)

Emerging groups

From 1996 to 2021, Greater Sydney's population increased by 1,507,517 people (40.7%). This represents an average annual population change of 1.38% per year over the period.

The largest changes in the age structure in this area between 1996 and 2021 were in the age groups:

  • Parents and homebuilders (35 to 49) (+283,277 people)
  • Older workers and pre-retirees (50 to 59) (+253,149 people)
  • Empty nesters and retirees (60 to 69) (+238,517 people)
  • Young workforce (25 to 34) (+196,479 people)

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