Sex ratio by age in Australia
Australia: Sex ratio by age was 27.9 males per 100 females in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
27.9 males per 100 females
Change on year
down 3.5%
World rank
76th
of 212 countries
All-time high
50 males per 100 females
in 1955
All-time low
16.08 males per 100 females
in 1996
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Sex ratio by age in Australia, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in males per 100 females.
Analysis
In 2023, sex ratio by age in Australia stood at 27.9 males per 100 females.
That represents a change of down 3.5% on the previous year and up 28.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, sex ratio by age in Australia peaked at 50 males per 100 females in 1955 and was at its lowest, 16.08 males per 100 females, in 1996.
That places Australia 76th out of 212 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 74 years of available data.
Sex ratio by age in Australia, year by year
| Year | males per 100 females | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 42.42 males per 100 females | — |
| 1951 | 42.11 males per 100 females | -0.8% |
| 1952 | 41.86 males per 100 females | -0.6% |
| 1953 | 45.65 males per 100 females | +9.1% |
| 1954 | 47.92 males per 100 females | +5.0% |
| 1955 | 50 males per 100 females | +4.3% |
| 1956 | 46.55 males per 100 females | -6.9% |
| 1957 | 43.75 males per 100 females | -6.0% |
| 1958 | 39.44 males per 100 females | -9.9% |
| 1959 | 37.66 males per 100 females | -4.5% |
| 1960 | 37.8 males per 100 females | +0.4% |
| 1961 | 36.67 males per 100 females | -3.0% |
| 1962 | 34.65 males per 100 females | -5.5% |
| 1963 | 33.95 males per 100 females | -2.0% |
| 1964 | 33.91 males per 100 females | -0.1% |
| 1965 | 32.8 males per 100 females | -3.3% |
| 1966 | 32.06 males per 100 females | -2.3% |
| 1967 | 31.11 males per 100 females | -3.0% |
| 1968 | 31.21 males per 100 females | +0.3% |
| 1969 | 31.54 males per 100 females | +1.1% |
| 1970 | 31.65 males per 100 females | +0.3% |
| 1971 | 30.95 males per 100 females | -2.2% |
| 1972 | 29.61 males per 100 females | -4.3% |
| 1973 | 27.6 males per 100 females | -6.8% |
| 1974 | 26.87 males per 100 females | -2.7% |
| 1975 | 26.05 males per 100 females | -3.0% |
| 1976 | 24.79 males per 100 females | -4.8% |
| 1977 | 23.9 males per 100 females | -3.6% |
| 1978 | 22.78 males per 100 females | -4.7% |
| 1979 | 22.01 males per 100 females | -3.4% |
| 1980 | 21.31 males per 100 females | -3.2% |
| 1981 | 20.31 males per 100 females | -4.7% |
| 1982 | 19.38 males per 100 females | -4.6% |
| 1983 | 19.55 males per 100 females | +0.9% |
| 1984 | 19.59 males per 100 females | +0.2% |
| 1985 | 19.47 males per 100 females | -0.6% |
| 1986 | 19.27 males per 100 females | -1.0% |
| 1987 | 19.09 males per 100 females | -0.9% |
| 1988 | 18.75 males per 100 females | -1.8% |
| 1989 | 18.57 males per 100 females | -0.9% |
| 1990 | 18.61 males per 100 females | +0.2% |
| 1991 | 18.77 males per 100 females | +0.8% |
| 1992 | 17.92 males per 100 females | -4.5% |
| 1993 | 17.32 males per 100 females | -3.4% |
| 1994 | 16.92 males per 100 females | -2.3% |
| 1995 | 16.24 males per 100 females | -4.0% |
| 1996 | 16.08 males per 100 females | -1.0% |
| 1997 | 16.1 males per 100 females | +0.1% |
| 1998 | 16.09 males per 100 females | -0.0% |
| 1999 | 16.15 males per 100 females | +0.4% |
| 2000 | 16.2 males per 100 females | +0.3% |
| 2001 | 16.71 males per 100 females | +3.1% |
| 2002 | 17.5 males per 100 females | +4.8% |
| 2003 | 18.16 males per 100 females | +3.7% |
| 2004 | 18.71 males per 100 females | +3.0% |
| 2005 | 18.77 males per 100 females | +0.3% |
| 2006 | 18.83 males per 100 females | +0.3% |
| 2007 | 19.37 males per 100 females | +2.8% |
| 2008 | 20.37 males per 100 females | +5.2% |
| 2009 | 21.01 males per 100 females | +3.1% |
| 2010 | 21.08 males per 100 females | +0.3% |
| 2011 | 21.1 males per 100 females | +0.1% |
| 2012 | 21.32 males per 100 females | +1.0% |
| 2013 | 21.65 males per 100 females | +1.6% |
| 2014 | 22.01 males per 100 females | +1.7% |
| 2015 | 22.6 males per 100 females | +2.7% |
| 2016 | 23.43 males per 100 females | +3.7% |
| 2017 | 24.25 males per 100 females | +3.5% |
| 2018 | 25.1 males per 100 females | +3.5% |
| 2019 | 26.34 males per 100 females | +5.0% |
| 2020 | 27.55 males per 100 females | +4.6% |
| 2021 | 29.26 males per 100 females | +6.2% |
| 2022 | 28.91 males per 100 females | -1.2% |
| 2023 | 27.9 males per 100 females | -3.5% |
Australia compared with similar countries
- Australia's 27.9 males per 100 females is above the median for high income countries, which is 21.34 males per 100 females, 1.3× the median. (78 countries reporting)
- Australia's 27.9 males per 100 females is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 21.92 males per 100 females, 1.3× the median. (28 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 43.74 males per 100 females | 37.66 males per 100 females | 50 males per 100 females | 10 |
| 1960s | 33.57 males per 100 females | 31.11 males per 100 females | 37.8 males per 100 females | 10 |
| 1970s | 26.62 males per 100 females | 22.01 males per 100 females | 31.65 males per 100 females | 10 |
| 1980s | 19.53 males per 100 females | 18.57 males per 100 females | 21.31 males per 100 females | 10 |
| 1990s | 17.02 males per 100 females | 16.08 males per 100 females | 18.77 males per 100 females | 10 |
| 2000s | 18.56 males per 100 females | 16.2 males per 100 females | 21.01 males per 100 females | 10 |
| 2010s | 22.89 males per 100 females | 21.08 males per 100 females | 26.34 males per 100 females | 10 |
| 2020s | 28.4 males per 100 females | 27.55 males per 100 females | 29.26 males per 100 females | 4 |
Countries ranked near Australia
More gender data for Australia
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 4,759 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth -0.0804 % change on previous year (2030)
- Population 23,430 (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 23,430 (2030)
- Population (UN estimates and projections), annual growth rate 1.02 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 149,630 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 157,746 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 150,777 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 158,898 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 151,066 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is sex ratio by age in Australia?
- Sex ratio by age in Australia was 27.9 males per 100 females in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest sex ratio by age recorded in Australia?
- The highest recorded value was 50 males per 100 females in 1955.
- What is the lowest sex ratio by age recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was 16.08 males per 100 females in 1996.
- How does Australia rank for sex ratio by age?
- Australia ranks 76th out of 212 countries with data for 2023.
- Is sex ratio by age rising or falling in Australia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 28.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- 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 Sex ratio by age. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 74 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Number of males per 100 females at age 100+.