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LEARN MORE ABOUT .idIn 2021, Greater Melbourne had similar proportion of children (under 18) and a lower proportion of persons aged 60 or older than Australia.
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 persons (Enumerated) | 2021 | 2016 | Change | ||||
| Service age group (years) | Number | % | Australia % | Number | % | Australia % | 2016 to 2021 |
| Babies and pre-schoolers (0 to 4) | 290,242 | 5.9 | 5.8 | 286,283 | 6.4 | 6.3 | +3,959 |
| Primary schoolers (5 to 11) | 425,385 | 8.7 | 8.7 | 381,525 | 8.6 | 8.9 | +43,860 |
| Secondary schoolers (12 to 17) | 338,410 | 6.9 | 7.2 | 302,834 | 6.8 | 7.1 | +35,576 |
| Tertiary education and independence (18 to 24) | 437,864 | 9.0 | 8.5 | 449,779 | 10.1 | 9.2 | -11,915 |
| Young workforce (25 to 34) | 785,890 | 16.1 | 14.3 | 728,285 | 16.3 | 14.4 | +57,605 |
| Parents and homebuilders (35 to 49) | 1,052,517 | 21.5 | 20.2 | 944,024 | 21.2 | 20.2 | +108,493 |
| Older workers and pre-retirees (50 to 59) | 583,246 | 11.9 | 12.4 | 533,984 | 12.0 | 12.7 | +49,262 |
| Empty nesters and retirees (60 to 69) | 459,475 | 9.4 | 10.9 | 410,475 | 9.2 | 10.6 | +49,000 |
| Seniors (70 to 84) | 417,349 | 8.5 | 10.0 | 333,343 | 7.5 | 8.6 | +84,006 |
| Elderly aged (85 and over) | 99,619 | 2.0 | 2.1 | 88,162 | 2.0 | 2.1 | +11,457 |
| Total | 4,889,997 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 4,458,694 | 100.0 | 100.0 | +431,303 |
Dominant groups
Analysis of the service age groups of Greater Melbourne in 2021 compared to Australia 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, 21.6% of the population was aged between 0 and 17, and 20.0% were aged 60 years and over, compared with 21.7% and 23.0% respectively for Australia.
The major differences between the age structure of Greater Melbourne and Australia were:
- A larger percentage of 'Young workforce' (16.1% compared to 14.3%)
- A larger percentage of 'Parents and homebuilders' (21.5% compared to 20.2%)
- A smaller percentage of 'Empty nesters and retirees' (9.4% compared to 10.9%)
- A smaller percentage of 'Seniors' (8.5% compared to 10.0%)
Emerging groups
From 2016 to 2021, Greater Melbourne's population increased by 431,303 people (9.7%). This represents an average annual population change of 1.86% per year over the period.
The largest changes in the age structure in this area between 2016 and 2021 were in the age groups:
- Parents and homebuilders (35 to 49) (+108,493 people)
- Seniors (70 to 84) (+84,006 people)
- Young workforce (25 to 34) (+57,605 people)
- Older workers and pre-retirees (50 to 59) (+49,262 people)
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