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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 Australia.

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 (Usual residence)20212016Change
Service age group (years)Number%Australia %Number%Australia %2016 to 2021
Babies and pre-schoolers (0 to 4)312,3646.05.8310,1736.46.3+2,191
Primary schoolers (5 to 11)459,6948.88.7424,3428.88.9+35,352
Secondary schoolers (12 to 17)369,6107.17.2334,0606.97.1+35,550
Tertiary education and independence (18 to 24)459,3668.88.5460,8219.69.2-1,455
Young workforce (25 to 34)811,31415.514.3774,40516.114.4+36,909
Parents and homebuilders (35 to 49)1,122,46721.520.21,017,79721.120.2+104,670
Older workers and pre-retirees (50 to 59)625,93612.012.4587,37712.212.7+38,559
Empty nesters and retirees (60 to 69)510,2619.810.9455,9839.510.6+54,278
Seniors (70 to 84)454,4058.710.0363,0147.58.6+91,391
Elderly aged (85 and over)105,7292.02.196,0222.02.1+9,707
Total5,231,146100.0100.04,823,994100.0100.0+407,152
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2016 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 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, 21.8% of the population was aged between 0 and 17, and 20.5% 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 Sydney and Australia were:

  • A larger percentage of 'Parents and homebuilders' (21.5% compared to 20.2%)
  • A larger percentage of 'Young workforce' (15.5% compared to 14.3%)
  • A smaller percentage of 'Seniors' (8.7% compared to 10.0%)
  • A smaller percentage of 'Empty nesters and retirees' (9.8% compared to 10.9%)

Emerging groups

From 2016 to 2021, Greater Sydney's population increased by 407,152 people (8.4%). This represents an average annual population change of 1.63% 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) (+104,670 people)
  • Seniors (70 to 84) (+91,391 people)
  • Empty nesters and retirees (60 to 69) (+54,278 people)
  • Older workers and pre-retirees (50 to 59) (+38,559 people)

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