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AustraliaCommunity profile

Greater Sydney

Service age groups

In 2021, Greater Sydney had similar proportion of female children (under 18) and a lower proportion of females 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 females (Enumerated)20211996Change
Service age group (years)Number%Victoria %Number%Victoria %1996 to 2021
Babies and pre-schoolers (0 to 4)151,3105.75.6126,4586.76.7+24,852
Primary schoolers (5 to 11)222,6888.58.3171,8069.19.6+50,882
Secondary schoolers (12 to 17)178,4946.86.7148,2007.98.1+30,294
Tertiary education and independence (18 to 24)221,2648.48.2198,52910.610.1+22,735
Young workforce (25 to 34)408,72815.515.0309,02816.415.8+99,700
Parents and homebuilders (35 to 49)565,86821.520.6423,15622.522.5+142,712
Older workers and pre-retirees (50 to 59)317,85512.112.4182,2559.79.8+135,600
Empty nesters and retirees (60 to 69)264,03310.010.6138,3797.47.6+125,654
Seniors (70 to 84)240,1459.110.0154,9118.28.2+85,234
Elderly aged (85 and over)64,7832.52.728,3201.51.6+36,463
Total2,635,168100.0100.01,881,042100.0100.0+754,126
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 female service age groups of Greater Sydney in 2021 compared to Victoria shows that there was a similar proportion of females in the younger age groups (0 to 17 years) and a lower proportion of females in the older age groups (60+ years).

Overall, 21.0% of the female population was aged between 0 and 17, and 21.6% were aged 60 years and over, compared with 20.5% and 23.3% respectively for Victoria.

The major differences between the female 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' (9.1% compared to 10.0%)

Emerging groups

From 1996 to 2021, Greater Sydney's female population increased by 754,126 people (40.1%). This represents an average annual population change of 1.36% per year over the period.

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

  • Parents and homebuilders (35 to 49) (+142,712 females)
  • Older workers and pre-retirees (50 to 59) (+135,600 females)
  • Empty nesters and retirees (60 to 69) (+125,654 females)
  • Young workforce (25 to 34) (+99,700 females)

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