Factsheet
New South Wales Population
New South Wales (NSW) was established in 1788 as the site of Britain’s first colony in Australia and remains the nation’s most populous state. Centred on Sydney, Australia’s largest city, NSW has a diverse economy, vibrant cultural life, and strong regional centres stretching from the coast to the inland plains.
Key Figures
1.46
average number of babies per woman in NSW
81.2 / 85.2
life expectancy for men and women in NSW
+96,761
residents gained via net overseas migration over the last year
−26,560
residents lost via net interstate migration over the last year
8,579,200
estimated people currently residing in NSW
NSW Population Pyramid
Population pyramid showing males (left) and females (right) in 2006 (dark shades) and 2021 (light shades)
References
- Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2025, March). National, state and territory population. ABS. https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/people/population/national-state-and-territory-population/latest-release
- Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2023, August 15). Microdata and TableBuilder: Census of Population and Housing. ABS. https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/microdata-tablebuilder/available-microdata-tablebuilder/census-population-and-housing
- Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2024). Births, Australia. ABS. https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/people/population/births-australia/latest-release
- Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2021 to 2023). Life expectancy. ABS. https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/people/population/life-expectancy/latest-release
