---
title: Australia's population to hit 24 million | .id blog
description: Australia's population is estimated to reach 24 million at 12:50am (AEDT) tomorrow (16 February 2016)!
image: https://blog.id.com.au/hubfs/ID-Blog-Media-2024/Populations-pic-1.jpg
---

[![id-Master-logo-colour-tight-crop](https://blog.id.com.au/hs-fs/hubfs/Logos/id-Master-logo-colour-tight-crop.png?width=2440&height=881&name=id-Master-logo-colour-tight-crop.png) ![id-Master-logo-colour-tight-crop](https://blog.id.com.au/hs-fs/hubfs/Logos/id-Master-logo-colour-tight-crop.png?width=2440&height=881&name=id-Master-logo-colour-tight-crop.png)](https://home.id.com.au)

- Services 
    - [Services for Local Government](https://home.id.com.au/services/local-government)
    - [Services for Industry](https://home.id.com.au/industry-services)
- [Resources](https://home.id.com.au/demographic-resources)
- [Case studies](https://home.id.com.au/case-studies)
- [Blog](https://blog.id.com.au/)
- [About](https://home.id.com.au/about-us) 
    - [About .id (informed decisions)](https://home.id.com.au/about-us)
    - [Meet our team](https://home.id.com.au/about-us/meet-the-team)
    - [Careers](https://home.id.com.au/about-us/careers)
    - [.id scholarship](https://home.id.com.au/about-us/scholarship)
- [Contact](https://home.id.com.au/contact-us)

[BY INDUSTRY](https://home.id.com.au/#industry-services)

- [Local government](https://home.id.com.au/services/local-government)
- [Financial services](https://home.id.com.au/industries/financial-services)
- [Utilities](https://home.id.com.au/industries/utilities)
- [Education](https://home.id.com.au/industries/education)
- [Retail](https://home.id.com.au/industries/retail)
- [Emergency services](https://home.id.com.au/industries/emergency-services)

[BY EXPERTISE](https://home.id.com.au/services/local-government#streams)

- [Consulting](https://home.id.com.au/consulting-services/local-government)
- [Demographics](https://home.id.com.au/services/local-government/demographics)
- [Forecasting](https://home.id.com.au/forecasting/)
- [Economics](https://home.id.com.au/services/local-government/economics)
- [Housing](https://home.id.com.au/services/local-government/housing)
- [Community views](https://home.id.com.au/community-views)

[DIGITAL PLATFORM](https://home.id.com.au/services/local-government#platform)

- [profile.id](https://home.id.com.au/community-profile)
- [atlas.id](https://home.id.com.au/social-atlas)
- [forecast.id](https://home.id.com.au/forecasting/forecast.id)
- [economy.id](https://home.id.com.au/economic-profile)
- [housing.id](https://home.id.com.au/housing-monitor)
- [views.id](https://home.id.com.au/community-views)

- [About .id (informed decisions)](https://home.id.com.au/about-us)
- [Meet the team](https://home.id.com.au/about-us/meet-the-team)
- [Careers](https://home.id.com.au/about-us/careers)
- [.id scholarship](https://home.id.com.au/about-us/scholarship)
- [Referencing .id as a source](https://home.id.com.au/about-us/referencing-and-sources)

#### [BLOG](https://blog.id.com.au)

# Australia’s population hits 24 million

- [Population](https://home.id.com.au/idinsight/topic/population) 
    - [Demographic analysis](https://home.id.com.au/idinsight/topic/demographic-analysis)
    - [Local area analysis](https://home.id.com.au/idinsight/topic/local-area-analysis)
    - [Population trends](https://home.id.com.au/idinsight/topic/population-trends)
    - [Australian census](https://home.id.com.au/idinsight/topic/australian-census)
    - [New Zealand population and census](https://home.id.com.au/idinsight/topic/new-zealand-population-and-census)
- [Population forecasting](https://home.id.com.au/idinsight/topic/population-forecasting)
- [Economic analysis](https://home.id.com.au/idinsight/topic/economic-analysis)
- [Housing](https://home.id.com.au/idinsight/topic/housing)
- [Community views](https://home.id.com.au/idinsight/topic/community-views)
- [.id news](https://home.id.com.au/idinsight/topic/-id-news) 
    - [Fun stuff](https://home.id.com.au/idinsight/topic/fun-stuff)
- [Online tools](https://home.id.com.au/idinsight/topic/online-tools) 
    - [Community profiles](https://content.id.com.au/community-profiles-australia)
    - [Social atlas](https://content.id.com.au/social-atlases-australia)
    - [Population forecasts](https://content.id.com.au/population-forecast-australia)
    - [Economic profiles](https://content.id.com.au/economic-profiles-australia)
    - [Housing monitors](https://housing.id.com.au/)
    - [Community views](https://views.id.com.au/local_governments)
    - [How to](https://home.id.com.au/idinsight/topic/how-to)
    - [Features and updates](https://home.id.com.au/new-data-and-features)

## Australia’s population hits 24 million

[Georgia Allan](https://blog.id.com.au/author/georgia-allan) 15 Feb, 2016

Australia’s population is estimated to reach 24 million at [12:50am (AEDT) tomorrow (16 February 2016)](https://www.abs.gov.au/)! The[ABS population clock](https://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs%40.nsf/94713ad445ff1425ca25682000192af2/1647509ef7e25faaca2568a900154b63?OpenDocument) is based on assumptions from historical demographic indicators. The current assumptions are:

- one birth every 1 minute and 44 seconds,
- one death every 3 minutes and 24 seconds,
- a net gain of one international migration every 2 minutes and 39 seconds, leading to
- **an overall total population increase of one person every 1 minute and 31 seconds.**

.id would like to welcome the person that tips us over to 24 million, whether they are a new baby or international migrant.

In thinking about the population reaching 24 million, I was wondering how quickly each additional million has been added. Here is a quick table of the year in which each million was reached.

|  | **Year** | **No. of years/million** |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1 million | 1858 | 70 (from settlement in 1788) |
| 2 million | 1877 | 19 |
| 3 million | 1889 | 12 |
| 4 million | 1905 | 16 |
| 5 million | 1918 | 13 |
| 6 million | 1925 | 7 |
| 7 million | 1939 | 14 |
| 8 million | 1949 | 10 |
| 9 million | 1954 | 5 |
| 10 million | 1959 | 5 |
| 11 million | 1963 | 4 |
| 12 million | 1968 | 5 |
| 13 million | 1971 | 3 |
| 14 million | 1976 | 5 |
| 15 million | 1981 | 5 |
| 16 million | 1986 | 5 |
| 17 million | 1990 | 4 |
| 18 million | 1995 | 5 |
| 19 million | 2000 | 5 |
| 20 million | 2004 | 4 |
| 21 million | 2007 | 3 |
| 22 million | 2010 | 3 |
| 23 million | 2013 | 3 |
| 24 million | 2016 | 3 |

Here’s an animation the ABS made to celebrate this milestone: [24 Million Milestone Video (ABS)](https://www.abs.gov.au/videos/360-0216-002/360-0216-002_player.html)

**And 25 million? See you back here on January 3, 2019 (based on current assumptions).**

Tags: [Australian census](https://blog.id.com.au/topic/australian-census) [Population](https://blog.id.com.au/topic/population) [Population trends](https://blog.id.com.au/topic/population-trends)

##### Georgia Allan

Georgia completed a Masters in Population Studies and Demography at Flinders University in Adelaide. At .id, Georgia is a consultant in .id's housing team. She was heavily involved in the creation and continued development of housing.id, the online tool developed to give councils an accessible evidence base for planning and advocacy. Georgia has prepared housing demand and supply analysis for a range of councils, including those in inner-city, middle ring, growth and peri-urban areas. When not in the office, she is likely to be cooking, knitting, crocheting, or buried in a good book.

Previous Story [The story of Gold Coast suburbs – live on radio](https://blog.id.com.au/2016/population/the-story-of-gold-coast-suburbs-live-on-radio)

Next Story [Inside .id: What does an urban economist do?](https://blog.id.com.au/2016/economic-analysis/inside-id-what-does-an-urban-economist-do)

### Related Posts

[Housing](https://blog.id.com.au/topic/housing) [![Targeted Action: How Data Can Close the Gap in Australia’s Housing Ambitions](https://blog.id.com.au/hubfs/Webinar%20%20The%20population%20forecast%20for%20Victoria%20%20Hero.jpg)](https://blog.id.com.au/targeted-action-in-centres) 

28 Apr, 2025 [Targeted Action: How Data Can Close the Gap in Australia’s Housing Ambitions](https://blog.id.com.au/targeted-action-in-centres)

[Population](https://blog.id.com.au/topic/population) [![The top 50 largest cities and towns in Australia, 2024 update](https://blog.id.com.au/hubfs/ID-Blog-Media-2024/Melbourne.jpg)](https://blog.id.com.au/2025/population/population-trends/the-top-50-largest-cities-and-towns-in-australia-2025-update) 

23 Apr, 2025 [The top 50 largest cities and towns in Australia (2025 update)](https://blog.id.com.au/2025/population/population-trends/the-top-50-largest-cities-and-towns-in-australia-2025-update)

[Demographic analysis](https://blog.id.com.au/topic/demographic-analysis) [![Locating hidden disadvantage](https://blog.id.com.au/hubfs/HDA%20blog%20hero.png)](https://blog.id.com.au/hidden-disadvantage-in-otherwise-advantaged-areas) 

21 Feb, 2025 [Locating hidden disadvantage](https://blog.id.com.au/hidden-disadvantage-in-otherwise-advantaged-areas)

### Leave a Reply

[Next Story Inside .id: What does an urban economist do?](https://blog.id.com.au/2016/economic-analysis/inside-id-what-does-an-urban-economist-do) [Previous Story The story of Gold Coast suburbs – live on radio](https://blog.id.com.au/2016/population/the-story-of-gold-coast-suburbs-live-on-radio)

###### Other Resources

[![Visit the demographic resource centrer](https://hubspot-no-cache-ap1-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/cta/default/320463/f7c43e52-b2ce-442a-a924-b8af5f347cc0.png)](https://hubspot-cta-redirect-ap1-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/cta/redirect/320463/f7c43e52-b2ce-442a-a924-b8af5f347cc0) [![1.9 million fewer Australians - how closed borders will impact the future demand for services](https://hubspot-no-cache-ap1-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/cta/default/320463/a7d6bbfd-f9ba-4c83-b6ed-b8e3433ba4ef.png)](https://hubspot-cta-redirect-ap1-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/cta/redirect/320463/a7d6bbfd-f9ba-4c83-b6ed-b8e3433ba4ef) [![Living in place - Things to consider when surveying communities](https://hubspot-no-cache-ap1-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/cta/default/320463/edc7cbe4-2147-4109-804c-c409a6cc4ad4.png)](https://hubspot-cta-redirect-ap1-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/cta/redirect/320463/edc7cbe4-2147-4109-804c-c409a6cc4ad4) [![New Call-to-Action](https://hubspot-no-cache-ap1-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/cta/default/320463/daf7b77f-d989-4d66-964e-394afb2b297c.png)](https://hubspot-cta-redirect-ap1-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/cta/redirect/320463/daf7b77f-d989-4d66-964e-394afb2b297c) [![Living in place - learnings and applications](https://hubspot-no-cache-ap1-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/cta/default/320463/d18ace05-bcc1-4478-a1b4-b01c86d003e9.png)](https://hubspot-cta-redirect-ap1-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/cta/redirect/320463/d18ace05-bcc1-4478-a1b4-b01c86d003e9) [![New Call-to-action](https://hubspot-no-cache-ap1-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/cta/default/320463/afec380f-71d7-4e79-b8b0-5b952ebe12e0.png)](https://hubspot-cta-redirect-ap1-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/cta/redirect/320463/afec380f-71d7-4e79-b8b0-5b952ebe12e0)

![AoC-Australia-sm-1668562151-412x274](https://blog.id.com.au/hubfs/AoC-Australia-sm-1668562151-412x274.webp)

In the spirit of reconciliation .id acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people today.

- [Resources](https://home.id.com.au/demographic-resources)

- [Services](https://home.id.com.au/services)
- [Local Government services](https://home.id.com.au/services/local-government)
- [Industry services](https://home.id.com.au/services/forecasts)

- [About us](https://home.id.com.au/about-us/)
- [Meet the team](https://home.id.com.au/about-us/meet-the-team/)
- [Careers](https://home.id.com.au/about-us/careers/)

- [Case studies](https://home.id.com.au/case-studies/)

- [Contact us](https://home.id.com.au/contact-us/)

10 Easey St   
Collingwood   
Australia

Australian customers   
[+61 3 9417 2205](tel:+61%203%209417%202205)

New Zealand customers   
freecall [0800 955 481](tel:0800%20955%20481)

Email [info@id.com.au](mailto:info@id.com.au)

![ID-PEXA-W](https://blog.id.com.au/hs-fs/hubfs/ID-PEXA-W.png?width=200&height=274&name=ID-PEXA-W.png)

- <https://www.linkedin.com/company/-id-the-population-experts>

All contents copyright 1997 – 2024 .id consulting pty ltd

DISCLAIMER: While all due care has been taken to ensure that the content of this website is accurate and current, there may be errors or omissions in it and no legal responsibility is accepted for the information and opinions in this website. Please view our [Privacy Policy](https://home.id.com.au/privacy-policy/) , [Terms of use](https://home.id.com.au/terms-of-use) and [Legal Notices](https://home.id.com.au/legal-notices)