Population

Published 31 Aug 20265 min read

Canberra population: how many people live in Canberra?

Canberra had 484,630 residents at 30 June 2025, making it the sixth largest of Australia's eight capital cities by population, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) Regional population data. For capital-city statistics, the ABS counts Canberra as the whole Australian Capital Territory. The city added 6,200 people over the 2024-25 financial year, and its growth rate of 1.3 per cent was the sixth fastest of the eight capitals. The territory accounted for 1.8 per cent of Australia's 27,613,654 people, while the wider Canberra - Queanbeyan urban area, which extends into New South Wales, had 521,049 residents.

Published 31 Aug 2026

Canberra population
484,630
At 30 June 2025, the sixth largest of the eight capital cities
Growth in 2024-25
+6,200
1.3% over the financial year, the sixth largest increase of the eight capitals
Net overseas migration
+4,819
The largest of the three components of change in 2024-25; net internal migration subtracted 1,501
Canberra - Queanbeyan urban area
521,049
Residents at 30 June 2025 in the cross-border Significant Urban Area, which includes Queanbeyan in NSW
How other cities compareHow other cities compareMelbourne added the most people of any capital in 2024-25 and Perth grew at the fastest rate, while Canberra ranked sixth on both measures. The cities article ranks growth across Australia's capitals and regional centres.Moves between the states and territoriesMoves between the states and territoriesNet internal migration subtracted 1,501 people from Canberra in 2024-25. The interstate migration article covers the annual state-to-state flows for all eight states and territories.

Section 01 · The headline number

How many people live in Canberra?

Canberra had an estimated resident population of 484,630 at 30 June 20251. That was the sixth- largest population among the eight capital cities. Adelaide, the fifth largest, had 1,491,015 people, and Hobart, the seventh largest, had 255,250. Canberra accounted for 1.8 per cent of the 27,613,654 people counted nationally2.

The ABS updates the city estimate once a year, at 30 June. The 2025 figures are preliminary and subject to revision2. The next release, covering 30 June 2026, is due on 25 March 20271.

Section 02 · The pace

How fast is Canberra's population growing?

Canberra added 6,200 people, or 1.3 per cent, over the 2024-25 financial year. This was the smallest population increase since 2013-14, when the territory added 5,542 people, and the lowest growth rate since 2005-06, when the population grew by 1.14 per cent2.

From 2001-02 to 2024-25, Canberra's annual population growth ranged from 0.48 per cent to 2.96 per cent. The population increased in every year over that period. The fastest growth was in 2016-17, when the territory added 11,942 people or 2.96 per cent. The smallest increase was 1,583 people in 2003-04, when the population grew by 0.48 per cent. Growth stayed above 2 per cent for four consecutive years from 2016-17 to 2019-202.

Growth slowed from 2.18 per cent in 2022-23 to 1.50 per cent in 2023-24 and 1.30 per cent in 2024-252.

Canberra population growth rate by financial year, 2001-02 to 2024-25Growth in the estimated resident population of the Australian Capital Territory over each financial year to 30 June (%), derivedfrom the year-to-year changes in the annual series.ABS Population estimates by SA2 and above, 2001 to 2025, Table 4 (released 31 March 2026)1%2%3%Annual growth rate2.96% in 2016-172001-022004-052007-082010-112013-142016-172019-202022-23Financial year
Values are shown to two decimal places. Each year's rate is the change in the estimated resident population between 30 June of consecutive years, divided by the earlier value. Every year's change in the series is positive; the 30 June 2025 estimates are preliminary.

Section 03 · The drivers

What drives Canberra's population growth?

Net overseas migration was the largest contributor to Canberra's population growth in 2024-25, adding 4,819 people. Natural increase (the excess of births over deaths) added 2,882 people while net internal migration (moves to and from the rest of Australia) subtracted 1,5013. The three sum to 6,200, matching the change in the population series.

Canberra recorded a net internal migration gain of 2,159 people in 2021-22, followed by losses in each of the next three years. The losses were 974 people in 2022-23, 1,567 in 2023-24 and 1,501 in 2024-253. Brisbane and Perth were the only capitals with net internal migration gains in 2024-25, while Sydney and Melbourne recorded the largest losses1.

Net overseas migration was larger than the net internal migration loss in each of those three years. It peaked at 8,408 people in 2022-23, then fell to 5,864 in 2023-24 and 4,819 in 2024-25. All eight capitals recorded net overseas migration gains in 2024-25. Canberra's gain was the sixth largest, behind Adelaide's 17,824 and ahead of Darwin's 2,8473.

Components of Canberra population change, 2024-25
ComponentPeopleDerivation
Net overseas migration+4,81911,007 arrivals minus 6,188 departures
Natural increase+2,8825,351 births minus 2,469 deaths
Net internal migration-1,50119,626 arrivals minus 21,127 departures
Total growth+6,200Derived sum; equals the change published in the release's capital city table

Source · ABS Population components by SA2 and above, 2021-22 to 2024-25, Table 4

Section 04 · The growth areas

Where in Canberra is the population growing fastest?

Canberra's fastest-growing areas in 2024-25 were in its outer north, the Molonglo Valley and Woden. The ABS identifies Taylor (up by 700 people) in Canberra's outer north, Phillip (580), south of the city centre, and Denman Prospect (560) in the Molonglo Valley as the territory's areas with the largest growth in 2024-25. Taylor grew from 4,809 to 5,512 people, Phillip from 6,556 to 7,135 and Denman Prospect from 4,939 to 5,503 over the year4.

The highest growth rates were recorded in Taylor, Strathnairn and Denman Prospect. The ABS reports rates of 15 per cent for Taylor, 14 per cent for Strathnairn and 11 per cent for Denman Prospect1.

Whitlam, in the Molonglo Valley, had the largest net internal migration gain in the territory, at 646 people, and Taylor had the largest natural increase, at 170, while the Belconnen town centre area had the largest net overseas migration gain, at 2424.

Among the territory's ten districts, Molonglo added the most people over 2024-25, at 1,884. It grew by 11.6 per cent, from 16,180 to 18,064, giving it both the largest population increase and the highest growth rate among the districts. Gungahlin added 1,228 people and North Canberra added 963. Belconnen, the most populous district at 110,132 people, added 782. Tuggeranong, with 90,199 people, added 92 people, or 0.1 per cent. Uriarra - Namadgi was unchanged, and Canberra East, down by eight people, was the only district to record a decline2.

The territory's centre of population, the midpoint of where its people live, sat over Lake Burley Griffin, south of Black Mountain, in June 2025. It barely moved over the year, with population growth relatively even across the territory1.

Population change by district of Canberra, 2024-25Change in the estimated resident population of each of the Australian Capital Territory's ten SA3 districts over 2024-25,persons, ranked largest to smallest.ABS Population estimates by SA2 and above, 2001 to 2025, Table 2 (released 31 March 2026)Molonglo1,884Gungahlin1,228North Canberra963Belconnen782Woden Valley743South Canberra363Weston Creek153Tuggeranong92Uriarra - Namadgi0Canberra East-8Population change over 2024-25
Statistical Area Level 3 districts on 2021 boundaries; the ten changes sum to the territory's 6,200 and Canberra East was the only district to decline.
The four Statistical Areas Level 2 the release's Australian Capital Territory commentary names for growth or growth rate, with exact estimates from the SA2 cube. Growth rates as published in the cube.
The fastest growing areas of Canberra, 2024-25
Area (SA2)District (SA3)30 June 202430 June 2025ChangeGrowth rate %
TaylorGungahlin4,8095,512+70314.6
PhillipWoden Valley6,5567,135+5798.8
Denman ProspectMolonglo4,9395,503+56411.4
StrathnairnBelconnen1,9412,208+26713.8

Source · ABS Population estimates and components by SA2, 2024 to 2025, Table 8

Section 05 · The border

Does Canberra's population include Queanbeyan?

The ABS Canberra figure does not include Queanbeyan. The capital city count covers the Australian Capital Territory only, while Queanbeyan sits across the border in New South Wales and is counted in the Queanbeyan district of the ABS Capital Region, the part of New South Wales surrounding the territory. That district had 69,504 residents at 30 June 2025, and added 1,093 people, or 1.6 per cent, in 2024-25. This was a higher growth rate than Canberra's 1.3 per cent. From 30 June 2001 to 30 June 2025, the Queanbeyan district grew 53.7 per cent compared with 50.7 per cent for the ACT2.

Googong, in the Queanbeyan district just outside the territory, grew from 8,496 to 9,323 people in 2024-25, an increase of 9.7 per cent. Net internal migration added 628 people. The ABS identifies Googong as the area with the highest population growth rate outside Australia's capital cities in 2024-254.

The ABS also publishes a cross-border population measure for Canberra and Queanbeyan. Significant Urban Areas represent urban centres of 10,000 people or more and may cross state and territory borders5. Using this measure, the Canberra - Queanbeyan Significant Urban Area had 521,049 residents at 30 June 2025. It added 5,894 people or 1.1 per cent in 2024-25, and had grown from 352,781 residents at 30 June 20016. That is 36,419 more people than the territory count.

Population of the Australian Capital Territory and the Canberra - Queanbeyanurban area at 30 June, 2001 to 2025Estimated resident population at 30 June each year, persons: the Australian Capital Territory (the ABS capital city measure forCanberra) and the Canberra - Queanbeyan Significant Urban Area.Australian Capital TerritoryCanberra - Queanbeyan urban areaABS Population estimates by SA2 and above, 2001 to 2025, Table 4, and Population estimates by LGA,Significant Urban Area, Remoteness Area and electoral division, 2001 to 2025, Table 2 (released 31 March 2026)200K400K600K2001200320052007200920112013201520172019202120232025Year at 30 June
The Canberra - Queanbeyan Significant Urban Area crosses the border into New South Wales. The two measures use different boundaries for the same city; the 30 June 2025 estimates are preliminary.

Section 06 · The other capitals

How does Canberra compare with Australia's other capital cities?

Canberra was the sixth largest of the eight capital city populations at 30 June 2025, with 484,630 people. The five larger capitals were Sydney at 5,638,830, Melbourne at 5,435,590, Brisbane at 2,833,524, Perth at 2,452,765 and Adelaide at 1,491,015. Hobart at 255,250 and Darwin at 159,284 had smaller populations2.

Canberra also ranked sixth for both population increase and growth rate in 2024-25. Its increase of 6,200 people was behind Adelaide's 18,647 and ahead of Darwin's 2,719. Its growth rate of 1.30 per cent was below Sydney's 1.35 per cent and above Adelaide's 1.27 per cent. Perth had the highest growth rate, at 2.43 per cent, followed by Brisbane at 2.10 per cent and Melbourne at 1.97 per cent, and Melbourne recorded the largest increase, at 105,030 people1.

Australia's eight capitals had a combined population of 18,750,888 people at 30 June 2025, after adding 324,679 (1.8 per cent) over the year. Canberra accounted for 2.6 per cent of the combined capital population1.

Adelaide's population data is covered in the Adelaide population article.

Population of Australia's capital cities at 30 June 2025Estimated resident population of each Greater Capital City Statistical Area, persons, ranked largest to smallest.ABS Population estimates by SA2 and above, 2001 to 2025, Table 4 (released 31 March 2026)Sydney5.64MMelbourne5.44MBrisbane2.83MPerth2.45MAdelaide1.49MCanberra484,630Hobart255,250Darwin159,284Estimated resident population
Canberra is the Australian Capital Territory GCCSA and Darwin is Greater Darwin; the other six are the Greater capital areas of their states.
Greater Capital City Statistical Area boundaries; Canberra is the Australian Capital Territory GCCSA and Darwin is Greater Darwin. Growth rates derived from the 30 June 2024 values in the same cube; the release's table rounds the rates to one decimal place.
Population of Australia's capital cities, as at 30 June 2025
Capital cityPopulationChange over 2024-25Growth rate %
Sydney5,638,830+75,2301.35
Melbourne5,435,590+105,0301.97
Brisbane2,833,524+58,2232.10
Perth2,452,765+58,0882.43
Adelaide1,491,015+18,6471.27
Canberra484,630+6,2001.30
Hobart255,250+5420.21
Darwin159,284+2,7191.74
All capital cities18,750,888+324,6791.76

Source · ABS Population estimates by SA2 and above, 2001 to 2025, Table 4

Section 07 · The long run

How has Canberra's population changed since 2001?

Canberra's population grew by 163,092 people between 30 June 2001 and 30 June 2025, rising from 321,538 to 484,630. By 2025, the population was 1.51 times its 2001 level2.

Canberra first exceeded 350,000 people at 30 June 2009, 400,000 at 30 June 2016 and 450,000 at 30 June 20212. The second milestone came seven years after the first, and the third came five years after the second.

Annual population growth has varied in recent years. The increase fell from 9,173 in 2019-20 to 7,605 in 2020-21, then rose to 8,754 in 2021-22 and 10,078 in 2022-23. It then fell to 7,090 in 2023-24 and 6,200 in 2024-252.

Canberra estimated resident population at 30 June, 2001 to 2025Estimated resident population of the Australian Capital Territory at 30 June each year, persons.ABS Population estimates by SA2 and above, 2001 to 2025, Table 4 (released 31 March 2026)100K200K300K400K500KAustralian Capital TerritoryPassed 450,000 at 30 June 20212001200320052007200920112013201520172019202120232025Year at 30 June
The population increased in every year of the series; the 30 June 2025 estimate is preliminary.
Derived milestones: the first 30 June at which the annual estimated resident population series shows the Australian Capital Territory at or above each threshold. The first year in the series is 30 June 2001, when the territory had 321,538 people.
Canberra population milestones in the annual series
MilestoneFirst 30 June at or abovePopulation that year
350,00030 June 2009354,785
400,00030 June 2016403,104
450,00030 June 2021452,508

Source · ABS Population estimates by SA2 and above, 2001 to 2025, Table 4

Section 08

Canberra population: quick answers

How many people live in Canberra?

Canberra had an estimated resident population of 484,630 at 30 June 2025. The figure covers the whole Australian Capital Territory, which is how the ABS defines the capital city. Canberra had the sixth largest population of Australia's eight capital cities and accounted for 1.8 per cent of the national total of 27,613,654 in the same series. The 30 June 2025 estimates are preliminary. The next release, covering 30 June 2026, is due on 25 March 2027.

Is Canberra's population the same as the ACT's population?

Yes. The ABS measures capital cities on Greater Capital City Statistical Area boundaries, and the Australian Capital Territory does not have a rest of state region (the part of a state outside its capital), so the Canberra capital city population and the territory's population are the same. Both were 484,630 people at 30 June 2025.

How fast is Canberra's population growing?

Canberra added 6,200 people, or 1.3 per cent, over the 2024-25 financial year, the territory's lowest growth rate since 2005-06. The rate was the sixth fastest of the eight capital cities. Growth peaked at 11,942 people (2.96 per cent) in 2016-17, and the population increased in every year from 2001-02 to 2024-25.

Does Canberra's population include Queanbeyan?

No. The ABS capital city figure covers the Australian Capital Territory only, while Queanbeyan is counted in regional New South Wales. The Queanbeyan district had 69,504 residents at 30 June 2025. The cross-border Canberra - Queanbeyan Significant Urban Area, which covers urban areas on both sides of the border, had 521,049 residents on the same date.

When did Canberra's population pass 450,000?

Canberra first exceeded 450,000 people at 30 June 2021, when its population reached 452,508 residents. The territory first passed 350,000 at 30 June 2009 and 400,000 at 30 June 2016.

Section 09

Australia population statistics

References

  1. ABS Regional population, 2024-25 · Australian Bureau of Statistics ↑ b c d e f g
  2. ABS Regional population, 2024-25: population estimates by SA2 and above, 2001 to 2025 (datacube 32180DS0003) · Australian Bureau of Statistics ↑ b c d e f g h i j k
  3. ABS Regional population, 2024-25: population components by SA2 and above, 2021-22 to 2024-25 (datacube 32180DS0005) · Australian Bureau of Statistics ↑ b c
  4. ABS Regional population, 2024-25: population estimates and components by SA2, 2024 to 2025 (datacube 32180DS0001) · Australian Bureau of Statistics ↑ b c
  5. ABS Regional population methodology, 2024-25 · Australian Bureau of Statistics ↑
  6. ABS Regional population, 2024-25: population estimates by LGA and Significant Urban Area, 2001 to 2025 (datacube 32180DS0004) · Australian Bureau of Statistics ↑ b
  1. BuildStreet
    2. >
  2. Canberra population: how many people live in Canberra?
Legal

BuildStreet. All rights reserved.