Median age in Australia
Australia: Median age was 37.75 years in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
37.75 years
Change on year
up 0.6%
World rank
78th
of 236 countries
All-time high
37.75 years
in 2023
All-time low
26.52 years
in 1971
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Median age in Australia, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in years.
Analysis
Australia recorded 37.75 years for median age in 2023. That is the highest value across all 74 years on record.
The figure is up 0.6% on the previous year and up 4.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, median age in Australia peaked at 37.75 years in 2023 and was at its lowest, 26.52 years, in 1971.
That places Australia 78th out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 74 years of available data.
Median age in Australia, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 29.38 years | — |
| 1951 | 29.29 years | -0.3% |
| 1952 | 29.27 years | -0.1% |
| 1953 | 29.25 years | -0.1% |
| 1954 | 29.21 years | -0.1% |
| 1955 | 29.15 years | -0.2% |
| 1956 | 29.07 years | -0.3% |
| 1957 | 28.99 years | -0.3% |
| 1958 | 28.9 years | -0.3% |
| 1959 | 28.77 years | -0.5% |
| 1960 | 28.58 years | -0.7% |
| 1961 | 28.33 years | -0.9% |
| 1962 | 28.05 years | -1.0% |
| 1963 | 27.77 years | -1.0% |
| 1964 | 27.5 years | -1.0% |
| 1965 | 27.28 years | -0.8% |
| 1966 | 27.09 years | -0.7% |
| 1967 | 26.95 years | -0.5% |
| 1968 | 26.8 years | -0.5% |
| 1969 | 26.65 years | -0.5% |
| 1970 | 26.55 years | -0.4% |
| 1971 | 26.52 years | -0.1% |
| 1972 | 26.55 years | +0.1% |
| 1973 | 26.66 years | +0.4% |
| 1974 | 26.85 years | +0.7% |
| 1975 | 27.12 years | +1.0% |
| 1976 | 27.39 years | +1.0% |
| 1977 | 27.64 years | +0.9% |
| 1978 | 27.88 years | +0.8% |
| 1979 | 28.12 years | +0.9% |
| 1980 | 28.37 years | +0.9% |
| 1981 | 28.62 years | +0.9% |
| 1982 | 28.88 years | +0.9% |
| 1983 | 29.17 years | +1.0% |
| 1984 | 29.47 years | +1.0% |
| 1985 | 29.75 years | +1.0% |
| 1986 | 30.03 years | +0.9% |
| 1987 | 30.3 years | +0.9% |
| 1988 | 30.56 years | +0.9% |
| 1989 | 30.81 years | +0.8% |
| 1990 | 31.07 years | +0.8% |
| 1991 | 31.36 years | +0.9% |
| 1992 | 31.67 years | +1.0% |
| 1993 | 32.01 years | +1.1% |
| 1994 | 32.35 years | +1.1% |
| 1995 | 32.67 years | +1.0% |
| 1996 | 33.01 years | +1.0% |
| 1997 | 33.37 years | +1.1% |
| 1998 | 33.73 years | +1.1% |
| 1999 | 34.07 years | +1.0% |
| 2000 | 34.37 years | +0.9% |
| 2001 | 34.64 years | +0.8% |
| 2002 | 34.88 years | +0.7% |
| 2003 | 35.09 years | +0.6% |
| 2004 | 35.3 years | +0.6% |
| 2005 | 35.49 years | +0.5% |
| 2006 | 35.65 years | +0.4% |
| 2007 | 35.76 years | +0.3% |
| 2008 | 35.84 years | +0.2% |
| 2009 | 35.91 years | +0.2% |
| 2010 | 36.04 years | +0.4% |
| 2011 | 36.18 years | +0.4% |
| 2012 | 36.23 years | +0.2% |
| 2013 | 36.24 years | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 36.25 years | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 36.25 years | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 36.25 years | -0.0% |
| 2017 | 36.27 years | +0.1% |
| 2018 | 36.35 years | +0.2% |
| 2019 | 36.54 years | +0.5% |
| 2020 | 36.9 years | +1.0% |
| 2021 | 37.26 years | +1.0% |
| 2022 | 37.51 years | +0.7% |
| 2023 | 37.75 years | +0.6% |
Australia compared with similar countries
- Australia's 37.75 years is below the median for high income countries, which is 39.36 years, 96% of the median. (85 countries reporting)
- Australia's 37.75 years is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 29.83 years, 1.3× the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 29.13 years | 28.77 years | 29.38 years | 10 |
| 1960s | 27.5 years | 26.65 years | 28.58 years | 10 |
| 1970s | 27.13 years | 26.52 years | 28.12 years | 10 |
| 1980s | 29.6 years | 28.37 years | 30.81 years | 10 |
| 1990s | 32.53 years | 31.07 years | 34.07 years | 10 |
| 2000s | 35.29 years | 34.37 years | 35.91 years | 10 |
| 2010s | 36.26 years | 36.04 years | 36.54 years | 10 |
| 2020s | 37.35 years | 36.9 years | 37.75 years | 4 |
Countries ranked near Australia
More reference data data for Australia
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.21 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 28.02 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 38.41 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 2.55 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 38.41 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 4.07 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 6.14 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 118.71 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 170.29 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 13.9 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is median age in Australia?
- Median age in Australia was 37.75 years in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest median age recorded in Australia?
- The highest recorded value was 37.75 years in 2023.
- What is the lowest median age recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was 26.52 years in 1971.
- How does Australia rank for median age?
- Australia ranks 78th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is median age rising or falling in Australia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 4.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Australia data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Median age. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Age that divides the population into two halves of equal size — half are younger and half are older.