Economy dashboard · Population
As at 13 October 2026 · official data unless labelled
Population growth, twelve months
1.43%Near its 10-year average▼ 0.03 ptsMarch quarter 2026vs 10-year average 1.49%
What the numbers are telling us
Population growth over twelve months was 1.43% in the March quarter 2026, down 0.03 pts on the previous reading (1.46%).
It is close to its 10-year average of 1.49%.
Why it matters
Population growth adds to demand for housing and services and to the size of the economy, but not to income per person.
What it should be
There is no official target for this measure, so it is judged against its own 10-year average of 1.49%: a higher or lower reading is not in itself better or worse.
Population growth: the last 40 readings
Population growth, twelve months, 2016-Q2 to 2026-Q1
Every figure on this page is calculated from the stored official series (ABS, National, state and territory population: components of change (ERP_COMP_Q)); the summary is written from the numbers, not edited by hand.