Population & Demographics•Series ID: 3.3.TOT.AUS.Q•1902–2026
Annual Population Growth Rate - Historical Data
Tracks the combined demographic impact of natural increase (births minus deaths) and net overseas migration.
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Current Statistics & Historical Records
Latest Reading (2026 Q1)
1.43%
Prev (2025 Q4): 1.46%-0.03 pp
Highest Recorded (1919)
4.38%
Recorded in 1919
Lowest Recorded (1916)
-1.04%
Recorded in 1916
Long-Run Mean (1902–2026)
1.61%
125 annual observations · Quarterly
Annual Population Growth Rate - Historical Series (1902–2026)
% p.a.Drag to pan, scroll to zoom, or toggle between full annual history (1902–2026) and recent quarterly releases.
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Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) (3.3.TOT.AUS.Q) Latest: 1.43 % p.a. (2026 Q1)
Annual Population Growth Rate by Decade (1902–2026)
Decade averages, peaks, and troughs across Australian economic cycles
1900s1902–1909
1.55%
High (1909):2.17%
Low (1903):1.07%
1910s1910–1919
2.07%
High (1919):4.38%
Low (1916):-1.04%
1920s1920–1929
1.96%
High (1922):2.29%
Low (1929):1.27%
1930s1930–1939
0.85%
High (1930):1.00%
Low (1935):0.72%
1940s1940–1949
1.40%
High (1949):3.25%
Low (1942):0.80%
1950s1950–1959
2.36%
High (1950):3.26%
Low (1953):1.87%
1960s1960–1969
2.01%
High (1961):2.41%
Low (1966):1.73%
1970s1970–1979
1.65%
High (1971):4.22%
Low (1975):0.99%
1980s1980–1989
1.49%
High (1988):1.78%
Low (1984):1.25%
1990s1990–1999
1.11%
High (1990):1.38%
Low (1993):0.92%
2000s2000–2009
1.46%
High (2008):2.19%
Low (2004):1.10%
2010s2010–2019
1.56%
High (2012):1.80%
Low (2010):1.40%
2020s2020–2026
1.43%
High (2023):2.42%
Low (2020):0.43%
Annual Population Growth Rate - Historical Table (1902–2026)
Unit: % p.a. · Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) (3.3.TOT.AUS.Q)
| Year | Population Growth (%) (% p.a.) | Year Range (Low – High) | Historical Context / Year Snapshot |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 1.43% | 1.43% | The Australian Economy in 2026 → |
| 2025 | 1.46% | 1.46% – 1.53% | Disinflation & monetary policy recalibration |
| 2024 | 1.61% | 1.61% – 2.26% | The Australian Economy in 2024 → |
| 2023 | 2.42% | 2.32% – 2.53% | The Australian Economy in 2023 → |
| 2022 | 2.12% | 1.01% – 2.12% | Post-pandemic inflation surge & rapid RBA tightening cycle |
| 2021 | 0.56% | 0.10% – 0.56% | The Australian Economy in 2021 → |
| 2020 | 0.43% | 0.43% – 1.44% | COVID-19 pandemic shock & 0.10% cash rate floor |
| 2019 | 1.49% | 1.48% – 1.54% | The Australian Economy in 2019 → |
| 2018 | 1.56% | 1.51% – 1.56% | The Australian Economy in 2018 → |
| 2017 | 1.53% | 1.53% – 1.69% | The Australian Economy in 2017 → |
| 2016 | 1.67% | 1.51% – 1.67% | The Australian Economy in 2016 → |
| 2015 | 1.46% | 1.45% – 1.46% | The Australian Economy in 2015 → |
| 2014 | 1.47% | 1.47% – 1.58% | The Australian Economy in 2014 → |
| 2013 | 1.61% | 1.61% – 1.78% | The Australian Economy in 2013 → |
| 2012 | 1.80% | 1.67% – 1.80% | The Australian Economy in 2012 → |
| 2011 | 1.58% | 1.39% – 1.58% | China mining investment & Terms of Trade supercycle peak |
| 2010 | 1.40% | 1.40% – 1.68% | The Australian Economy in 2010 → |
| 2009 | 1.82% | 1.82% – 2.14% | The Australian Economy in 2009 → |
| 2008 | 2.19% | 1.96% – 2.19% | Global Financial Crisis (GFC) & emergency rate cuts |
| 2007 | 1.88% | 1.69% – 1.88% | The Australian Economy in 2007 → |
| 2006 | 1.56% | 1.35% – 1.56% | The Australian Economy in 2006 → |
| 2005 | 1.32% | 1.17% – 1.32% | The Australian Economy in 2005 → |
| 2004 | 1.10% | 1.07% – 1.11% | The Australian Economy in 2004 → |
| 2003 | 1.13% | 1.13% – 1.16% | The Australian Economy in 2003 → |
| 2002 | 1.13% | 1.13% – 1.19% | The Australian Economy in 2002 → |
| 2001 | 1.28% | 1.26% – 1.29% | The Australian Economy in 2001 → |
| 2000 | 1.17% | 1.15% – 1.17% | Introduction of the 10% Goods and Services Tax (GST) |
| 1999 | 1.14% | 1.07% – 1.14% | The Australian Economy in 1999 → |
| 1998 | 1.06% | 1.00% – 1.06% | The Australian Economy in 1998 → |
| 1997 | 0.98% | 0.98% – 1.17% | The Australian Economy in 1997 → |
| 1996 | 1.16% | 1.16% – 1.25% | The Australian Economy in 1996 → |
| 1995 | 1.26% | 1.01% – 1.26% | The Australian Economy in 1995 → |
| 1994 | 0.98% | 0.92% – 0.99% | The Australian Economy in 1994 → |
| 1993 | 0.92% | 0.89% – 0.96% | RBA formalises 2–3% inflation targeting |
| 1992 | 1.03% | 1.03% – 1.18% | The Australian Economy in 1992 → |
| 1991 | 1.22% | 1.22% – 1.36% | Early 1990s recession ("The recession we had to have") |
| 1990 | 1.38% | 1.38% – 1.49% | Monetary tightening peak (17.5% Cash Rate) |
| 1989 | 1.50% | 1.50% – 1.77% | The Australian Economy in 1989 → |
| 1988 | 1.78% | 1.65% – 1.78% | The Australian Economy in 1988 → |
| 1987 | 1.59% | 1.52% – 1.59% | October 1987 sharemarket crash |
| 1986 | 1.50% | 1.43% – 1.50% | The Australian Economy in 1986 → |
| 1985 | 1.42% | 1.32% – 1.42% | The Australian Economy in 1985 → |
| 1984 | 1.25% | 1.21% – 1.25% | The Australian Economy in 1984 → |
| 1983 | 1.27% | 1.27% – 1.48% | Float of the Australian Dollar & Prices and Incomes Accord |
| 1982 | 1.56% | 1.56% – 1.67% | Early 1980s recession & drought |
| 1981 | 1.67% | 1.67% | The Australian Economy in 1981 → |
| 1980 | 1.40% | 1.40% | The Australian Economy in 1980 → |
| 1979 | 1.19% | 1.19% | The Australian Economy in 1979 → |
| 1978 | 1.05% | 1.05% | The Australian Economy in 1978 → |
| 1977 | 1.21% | 1.21% | The Australian Economy in 1977 → |
| 1976 | 1.01% | 1.01% | The Australian Economy in 1976 → |
| 1975 | 0.99% | 0.99% | The Australian Economy in 1975 → |
| 1974 | 1.60% | 1.60% | 1974 wage explosion & stagflation peak |
| 1973 | 1.53% | 1.53% | First OPEC oil shock |
| 1972 | 1.60% | 1.60% | The Australian Economy in 1972 → |
| 1971 | 4.22% | 4.22% | The Australian Economy in 1971 → |
| 1970 | 2.07% | 2.07% | The Australian Economy in 1970 → |
| 1969 | 2.15% | 2.15% | The Australian Economy in 1969 → |
| 1968 | 1.96% | 1.96% | The Australian Economy in 1968 → |
| 1967 | 1.77% | 1.77% | The Australian Economy in 1967 → |
| 1966 | 1.73% | 1.73% | Decimal currency transition (£ to AUD) |
| 1965 | 1.99% | 1.99% | The Australian Economy in 1965 → |
| 1964 | 2.03% | 2.03% | The Australian Economy in 1964 → |
| 1963 | 1.93% | 1.93% | The Australian Economy in 1963 → |
| 1962 | 1.91% | 1.91% | The Australian Economy in 1962 → |
| 1961 | 2.41% | 2.41% | Menzies credit squeeze |
| 1960 | 2.27% | 2.27% | The Australian Economy in 1960 → |
| 1959 | 2.15% | 2.15% | The Australian Economy in 1959 → |
| 1958 | 2.09% | 2.09% | The Australian Economy in 1958 → |
| 1957 | 2.24% | 2.24% | The Australian Economy in 1957 → |
| 1956 | 2.35% | 2.35% | The Australian Economy in 1956 → |
| 1955 | 2.44% | 2.44% | The Australian Economy in 1955 → |
| 1954 | 2.10% | 2.10% | The Australian Economy in 1954 → |
| 1953 | 1.87% | 1.87% | The Australian Economy in 1953 → |
| 1952 | 2.48% | 2.48% | The Australian Economy in 1952 → |
| 1951 | 2.65% | 2.65% | Korean War wool price boom & inflation spike |
| 1950 | 3.26% | 3.26% | The Australian Economy in 1950 → |
| 1949 | 3.25% | 3.25% | - |
| 1948 | 2.02% | 2.02% | - |
| 1947 | 1.60% | 1.60% | - |
| 1946 | 1.18% | 1.18% | - |
| 1945 | 1.13% | 1.13% | - |
| 1944 | 1.06% | 1.06% | - |
| 1943 | 0.95% | 0.95% | - |
| 1942 | 0.80% | 0.80% | - |
| 1941 | 0.93% | 0.93% | - |
| 1940 | 1.04% | 1.04% | - |
| 1939 | 0.99% | 0.99% | - |
| 1938 | 0.94% | 0.94% | - |
| 1937 | 0.90% | 0.90% | - |
| 1936 | 0.81% | 0.81% | - |
| 1935 | 0.72% | 0.72% | - |
| 1934 | 0.76% | 0.76% | - |
| 1933 | 0.80% | 0.80% | - |
| 1932 | 0.78% | 0.78% | - |
| 1931 | 0.80% | 0.80% | Premiers' Plan & Depression deflation trough |
| 1930 | 1.00% | 1.00% | - |
| 1929 | 1.27% | 1.27% | Wall Street Crash & onset of Great Depression |
| 1928 | 1.68% | 1.68% | - |
| 1927 | 2.07% | 2.07% | - |
| 1926 | 2.02% | 2.02% | - |
| 1925 | 2.06% | 2.06% | - |
| 1924 | 2.19% | 2.19% | - |
| 1923 | 2.11% | 2.11% | - |
| 1922 | 2.29% | 2.29% | - |
| 1921 | 1.84% | 1.84% | - |
| 1920 | 2.03% | 2.03% | - |
| 1919 | 4.38% | 4.38% | - |
| 1918 | 1.98% | 1.98% | - |
| 1917 | 1.30% | 1.30% | - |
| 1916 | -1.04% | -1.04% | - |
| 1915 | -0.05% | -0.05% | - |
| 1914 | 1.59% | 1.59% | - |
| 1913 | 3.10% | 3.10% | - |
| 1912 | 3.78% | 3.78% | - |
| 1911 | 3.36% | 3.36% | - |
| 1910 | 2.34% | 2.34% | - |
| 1909 | 2.17% | 2.17% | - |
| 1908 | 1.70% | 1.70% | - |
| 1907 | 1.72% | 1.72% | - |
| 1906 | 1.45% | 1.45% | - |
| 1905 | 1.48% | 1.48% | - |
| 1904 | 1.47% | 1.47% | - |
| 1903 | 1.07% | 1.07% | - |
| 1902 | 1.32% | 1.32% | - |
Related Australian Economic Statistics
Australian Population (Estimated Resident Population)Population & Demographics · 1901–2026
27.92M2026 Q1
Net Overseas Migration (NOM)Population & Demographics · 1981–2026
101.0k2026 Q1
Australian Total Fertility RatePopulation & Demographics · 1975–2024
1.482024
Compare Population Growth (%) against another indicator →
Source Information & Methodology
- Primary Institution:
- Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS)
- Dataset / Publication:
- Estimated Resident Population - Percentage Change Over Previous Year
- Series / Table ID:
- ABS Dataflow ERP_Q (3.3.TOT.AUS.Q)
- Release Frequency:
- Quarterly
• Primary source: Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) - Estimated Resident Population - Percentage Change Over Previous Year (ABS Dataflow ERP_Q).
• Observation frequency: Quarterly. Annual table values represent calendar year-end observations.
• Series coverage spans 1902 to 2026 (125 annual observations).
APA Citation:Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2026). Estimated Resident Population - Percentage Change Over Previous Year (Dataflow ERP_Q: 3.3.TOT.AUS.Q). Retrieved October 2026 from https://data.api.abs.gov.au
Frequently Asked Questions: Annual Population Growth Rate
- What is the current Annual Population Growth Rate?
- As of 2026 Q1, the latest recorded Annual Population Growth Rate is 1.43 (% p.a.), compared with 1.46 in 2025 Q4.
- What is the highest and lowest Annual Population Growth Rate ever recorded in Australia?
- Across the historical series (1902–2026), the highest observation was 4.38 (% p.a.) in 1919, while the lowest was -1.04 (% p.a.) in 1916. The long-run historical average is 1.61.
- Where is the official Annual Population Growth Rate data sourced from?
- This series is compiled from Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) (Estimated Resident Population - Percentage Change Over Previous Year, Series ID: 3.3.TOT.AUS.Q) and is updated on a quarterly basis under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0).