Tasmania is again projected to have the lowest population growth in the nation in 2025-26, according to the 2025 Population Snapshot released earlier this month.
The report projects that Australia’s population will reach 31.5 million by 2035–36. Population growth is expected to slow to 1.3 per cent in 2025–26 and 1.2 per cent from 2026–27 onwards, lower than the average of 1.4 per cent experienced in the 2010s.
Tasmania is also expected to be the slowest growing state over the decade to 2035–36.
The Snapshot also indicates that population ageing is one of the major forces reshaping Australia’s economy. The median age (38.4 years in 2024–25) is expected to reach 40 years over the next decade and grow to 43.7 years by 2065–66. Population ageing will continue to drive demand for health care services and aged care, placing greater pressure on the national budget.
Over time, the gap between the state and territory with the youngest and oldest median age has widened. In 1975–76, the gap between the youngest median age (Northern Territory, 24 years old) and oldest median age (New South Wales, 29.3 years old) was 5.3 years. In 2021–22, the gap between the youngest median age (Northern Territory, 33.4 years old) and oldest median age (Tasmania, 41.7 years old) was 8.2 years. This gap is projected to widen to 10.3 years by 2035–36
The full report can be found here: https://apo.org.au/sites/default/files/resource-files/2026-01/apo-nid333266.pdf
