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LEARN MORE ABOUT .idIn 2021, Greater Melbourne 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 Melbourne provides key insights into the level of demand for age based services and facilities such as child care. It is an indicator of Greater Melbourne'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 Melbourne'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 Melbourne - Total females (Usual residence) | 2021 | 2011 | Change | ||||
| Service age group (years) | Number | % | Victoria % | Number | % | Victoria % | 2011 to 2021 |
| Babies and pre-schoolers (0 to 4) | 141,400 | 5.7 | 5.5 | 126,376 | 6.2 | 6.2 | +15,024 |
| Primary schoolers (5 to 11) | 207,642 | 8.3 | 8.2 | 163,955 | 8.1 | 8.2 | +43,687 |
| Secondary schoolers (12 to 17) | 164,430 | 6.6 | 6.7 | 141,435 | 7.0 | 7.2 | +22,995 |
| Tertiary education and independence (18 to 24) | 214,181 | 8.6 | 8.2 | 199,165 | 9.8 | 9.3 | +15,016 |
| Young workforce (25 to 34) | 398,093 | 15.9 | 14.9 | 310,596 | 15.3 | 14.1 | +87,497 |
| Parents and homebuilders (35 to 49) | 535,030 | 21.4 | 20.6 | 449,908 | 22.1 | 21.6 | +85,122 |
| Older workers and pre-retirees (50 to 59) | 301,364 | 12.1 | 12.4 | 247,385 | 12.2 | 12.6 | +53,979 |
| Empty nesters and retirees (60 to 69) | 244,389 | 9.8 | 10.8 | 184,871 | 9.1 | 9.8 | +59,518 |
| Seniors (70 to 84) | 228,971 | 9.2 | 10.1 | 161,887 | 8.0 | 8.6 | +67,084 |
| Elderly aged (85 and over) | 61,530 | 2.5 | 2.6 | 47,881 | 2.4 | 2.5 | +13,649 |
| Total | 2,497,030 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 2,033,459 | 100.0 | 100.0 | +463,571 |
Dominant groups
Analysis of the female service age groups of Greater Melbourne 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, 20.6% of the female population was aged between 0 and 17, and 21.4% were aged 60 years and over, compared with 20.4% and 23.5% respectively for Victoria.
The major differences between the female age structure of Greater Melbourne and Victoria were:
- A larger percentage of 'Young workforce' (15.9% compared to 14.9%)
- A larger percentage of 'Parents and homebuilders' (21.4% compared to 20.6%)
- A smaller percentage of 'Empty nesters and retirees' (9.8% compared to 10.8%)
- A smaller percentage of 'Seniors' (9.2% compared to 10.1%)
Emerging groups
From 2011 to 2021, Greater Melbourne's female population increased by 463,571 people (22.8%). This represents an average annual population change of 2.07% per year over the period.
The largest changes in the female age structure in this area between 2011 and 2021 were in the age groups:
- Young workforce (25 to 34) (+87,497 females)
- Parents and homebuilders (35 to 49) (+85,122 females)
- Seniors (70 to 84) (+67,084 females)
- Empty nesters and retirees (60 to 69) (+59,518 females)
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