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Planning

Changing age profiles

Compared to 2020 there were 55,742 fewer 18 to 30 year-olds living in NSW. This is unprecedented in recent history.

While NSW has long-term structural ageing, the change in median age had been slowing since the late 1990s. In the last 2 years, however, the rate of ageing has quickened, exacerbated by the decline in the number of young people.

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, National, State and Territory Populations – March Quarter 2021
Years Median age Average yearly change in median age
1980's 31.7 0.255
1990's 34.2 0.306
2000's 36.6 0.166
2010-2019 37.6 0.039
2020 37.8 0.308
2021 38.3 0.451