Population · Sydney · 2026

Published 28 Aug 2026Updated 18 Sept 20265 min read

Sydney population: how many people live in Sydney?

Greater Sydney had 5,638,830 residents at 30 June 2025, making it the largest of Australia's eight capital cities by population, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) Regional population data. The city added 75,230 people in the 2024-25 financial year, and its growth rate of 1.35 per cent was the fifth fastest of the eight capitals. It accounted for 65.6 per cent of the population across New South Wales's two broad regions. About one in five people in Australia lived in Greater Sydney, equivalent to 20.4 per cent of the national population.

Published 28 Aug 2026 · Updated 18 Sept 2026

Sydney population
5,638,830
At 30 June 2025, the largest of the eight capital cities
Growth in 2024-25
+75,230
1.35% over the financial year; the ABS rounds the change to 75,200 (1.4%)
Net overseas migration
+78,403
The largest contributor in 2024-25; net internal migration subtracted 33,282
Living in Greater Sydney
65.6%
5,638,830 of the 8,592,524 people in the state's two regions at 30 June 2025
The state around the cityThe state around the cityGreater Sydney held 65.6 per cent of the people in New South Wales's two broad regions at 30 June 2025. The state page covers New South Wales's own total, its growth and the components behind it.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 Sydney stayed the largest. The cities article ranks growth across Australia's capitals and regional centres.

Section 01 · The headline number

How many people live in Sydney?

Greater Sydney had an estimated resident population of 5,638,830 at 30 June 20251. That was the largest population of the eight capital cities, 203,240 more than Greater Melbourne's 5,435,590. About one in five people in Australia lived in the city, a 20.4 per cent share of the 27,613,654 national total in the ABS data2.

The ABS updates the Greater Sydney population estimate annually, at 30 June, and the 30 June 2025 figures are preliminary and subject to revision. The next release, covering 30 June 2026, is due on 25 March 20271.

Section 02 · The pace

How fast is Sydney's population growing?

Greater Sydney added 75,230 people, or 1.35 per cent, in 2024-252. The ABS data rounds the increase to 75,200 people or 1.4 per cent. The increase was the smallest in three years, after 146,055 or 2.75 per cent in 2022-23 and 104,658 or 1.92 per cent in 2023-24.

Across the 24 financial years from 2001-02 to 2024-25, Greater Sydney's population change ranged from a 0.64 per cent fall to 2.75 per cent growth. The fastest year was 2022-23, when the city added 146,055 people (2.75 per cent), the highest increase and the highest rate over the period. The population fell once, by 33,728 people (0.64 per cent) in 2020-21; the data does not identify the cause. Apart from that year, the slowest growth came in 2003-04, when the city added 22,170 people (0.53 per cent)2.

The fall and the peak were two years apart, a difference of 3.39 percentage points. Growth slowed in each of the two years that followed.

Greater Sydney population growth rate by financial year, 2001-02 to 2024-25Growth in the estimated resident population over each financial year to 30 June, per cent, derived from the year-to-yearchanges in the annual series. Values are shown to two decimal places.ABS Population estimates by SA2 and above, 2001 to 2025, Table 4 (released 31 March 2026)-1%0%1%2%3%Annual growth rate2001-022004-052007-082010-112013-142016-172019-202022-23Financial year
Each year's rate is the change in the estimated resident population between 30 June of consecutive years, divided by the earlier value. 2020-21 is the only negative year in the series; the 30 June 2025 estimates are preliminary.

Section 03 · The drivers

What drives Sydney's population growth?

Sydney's population growth in 2024-25 was driven by net overseas migration and natural increase, partly offset by net internal migration. Net overseas migration added 78,403 people to Greater Sydney, natural increase (births minus deaths) added 30,109, and net internal migration (moves to and from elsewhere in Australia) subtracted 33,2821. The three components sum to 75,230, matching the city's total population growth.

Greater Sydney recorded a net internal migration loss from 2021-22 to 2024-25. The net loss was 42,147 in 2021-22, 39,110 in 2022-23, 40,696 in 2023-24 and 33,282 in 2024-25, the smallest of the four3. The ABS reports that Sydney and Melbourne recorded the largest net internal migration losses among the capital cities, while Brisbane and Perth were the only capitals with net internal migration gains in 2024-251.

Net overseas migration was greater than the net internal migration loss in each of the four years. It peaked at 157,447 people in 2022-23, then fell to 117,024 in 2023-24 and 78,403 in 2024-25, around half the 2022-23 peak3. All eight capitals recorded net overseas migration gains in 2024-25; Sydney's was the second largest, behind Melbourne's 81,1681.

State-to-state flows across all eight states and territories are covered in the interstate migration article.

Components of Greater Sydney population change, 2024-25
ComponentPeopleDerivation
Net overseas migration+78,403160,904 arrivals minus 82,501 departures
Natural increase+30,10961,593 births minus 31,484 deaths
Net internal migration-33,28263,737 arrivals minus 97,019 departures
Total growth+75,230Derived sum; the release's summary rounds it to 75,200

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

Section 04 · The growth areas

Where in Sydney is the population growing fastest?

Sydney's fastest-growing areas in 2024-25 were on the city's western edges. The ABS identified Box Hill - Nelson (up by 3,900 people) and Marsden Park - Shanes Park (3,200), both in Sydney's outer north-west, and Austral - Greendale (3,100) in the outer south-west as the New South Wales areas with the largest population increases in 2024-251. Box Hill - Nelson grew from 22,437 to 26,348 people, Austral - Greendale from 19,453 to 22,535 and Marsden Park - Shanes Park from 27,289 to 30,461 in 2024-25.

Box Hill - Nelson was the only Sydney area in the national top five for either population increase or growth rate in 2024-25. Its 3,911-person increase ranked fourth in Australia, and its 17.4 per cent growth rate ranked fifth. The remaining areas in the national top five for these measures were in Melbourne, and Berrimah in Darwin1. Within New South Wales, Box Hill - Nelson also recorded the largest net internal migration gain, at 3,459 people, while Schofields - East had the largest natural increase, at 527, and Sydney (South) - Haymarket the largest net overseas migration gain, at 1,258.

Every broad region of the city grew in 2024-25. Sydney - South West added 10,537 people and Sydney - Blacktown added 9,288, the two largest increases across Greater Sydney's 15 broad regions. The Northern Beaches recorded the smallest increase at 1,416 people2. The centre of population for Greater Sydney was near the Parramatta River at Rosehill in June 2025 and moved 80 metres west in 2024-251.

Population change by region of Greater Sydney, 2024-25Change in the estimated resident population of each of Greater Sydney's 15 SA4 regions over 2024-25, persons, rankedlargest to smallest. Region names are shown without their Sydney prefix.Top 10 of 15 shownABS Population estimates by SA2 and above, 2001 to 2025, Table 3 (released 31 March 2026)Sydney - South West10,537Sydney - Blacktown9,288Sydney - Parramatta7,724Sydney - Inner South West7,581Sydney - Baulkham Hills and Hawkesbury7,400Sydney - City and Inner South5,861Sydney - Outer South West5,199Sydney - Outer West and Blue Mountains3,805Sydney - Inner West3,556Sydney - Ryde2,828Population change over 2024-25
Statistical Area Level 4 regions on 2021 boundaries; every region's change over 2024-25 was positive. The Central Coast is part of Greater Sydney in the ABS geography.
The three Statistical Areas Level 2 the release names for New South Wales, with exact estimates from the SA2 cube; region names are shown without their Sydney prefix. Growth rates as published in the cube.
The fastest growing areas of Sydney, 2024-25
Area (SA2)Region (SA4)30 June 202430 June 2025ChangeGrowth rate %
Box Hill - NelsonBaulkham Hills and Hawkesbury22,43726,348+3,91117.4
Austral - GreendaleSouth West19,45322,535+3,08215.8
Marsden Park - Shanes ParkBlacktown27,28930,461+3,17211.6

Source · ABS Population estimates and components by SA2, 2024 to 2025, Table 1

Section 05 · The state share

How much of New South Wales's population lives in Sydney?

Greater Sydney accounted for 65.6 per cent of New South Wales's population at 30 June 2025. Greater Sydney had 5,638,830 people at 30 June 2025 and the rest of New South Wales had 2,953,694, a combined population of 8,592,5242. The share was 62.8 per cent at 30 June 2001, when the capital had 4,102,580 of the state's combined population of 6,530,349 across Greater Sydney and the rest of New South Wales.

The gap between the capital and the rest of the state widened from 1,674,811 people at 30 June 2001 to 2,685,136 at 30 June 2025, derived by subtraction. The rest of the state added 25,244 people (0.86 per cent) in 2024-252.

Sydney had the fourth-highest share of a state's population living in its capital city among Australia's six states at 30 June 2025. Perth accounted for 80.6 per cent of its state's two-region total, Adelaide 78.4 per cent and Melbourne 76.8 per cent, while Sydney had 65.6 per cent, Brisbane 50.0 per cent and Hobart 44.3 per cent2.

Population of Greater Sydney and the rest of New South Wales at 30 June, 2001 to2025Estimated resident population of the state's two regions at 30 June each year, persons, on Greater Capital City Statistical Areaboundaries.Greater SydneyRest of New South WalesABS Population estimates by SA2 and above, 2001 to 2025, Table 4 (released 31 March 2026)2M4M6M2001200320052007200920112013201520172019202120232025Year at 30 June
Shares derived by dividing each region's population by the two-region total. The 30 June 2025 estimates are preliminary.

Section 06 · The other capitals

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

Sydney was the largest of the eight capital cities by population at 30 June 2025, with 5,638,830 people, compared with Greater Melbourne's 5,435,590. Brisbane, the third largest at 2,833,524, had just over half Sydney's population2.

Population growth rankings were different from the size rankings in 2024-25. Melbourne recorded the largest increase of the eight capitals over 2024-25, at 105,030 people, followed by Sydney's 75,230, Brisbane's 58,223 and Perth's 58,088. Perth had the highest growth rate, at 2.4 per cent, followed by Brisbane at 2.1 and Melbourne at 2.01. Sydney's growth rate of 1.35 per cent ranked fifth of the eight, behind Darwin's 1.74 and ahead of Canberra's 1.30, Adelaide's 1.27 and Hobart's 0.21.

The eight capitals had a combined population of 18,750,888 people at 30 June 2025, after growing by 324,679 or 1.8 per cent in 2024-25. Sydney accounted for 30.1 per cent of the combined capital city population1.

Melbourne's data is covered in the Melbourne 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 Sydney's population changed since 2001?

Greater Sydney added 1,536,250 people between 30 June 2001 and 30 June 2025, growing from 4,102,580 to 5,638,830, an increase of 37.4 per cent2.

Greater Sydney first exceeded 4.5 million people at 30 June 2010, 5 million at 30 June 2016 and 5.5 million at 30 June 2024. The ABS data begin at 30 June 2001, when the city's population was already above 4 million, at 4,102,5802. It took six years to rise from 4.5 million to 5 million and eight years to rise from 5 million to 5.5 million.

Greater Sydney's only population decline between 2001-02 and 2024-25 occurred in 2020-21. The annual increase fell from 66,483 in 2018-19 to 38,693 in 2019-20, and then the population fell by 33,728 over 2020-212. Growth resumed with an increase of 51,086 in 2021-22, reached 146,055 in 2022-23, and then slowed to 104,658 in 2023-24 and 75,230 in 2024-25.

Greater Sydney estimated resident population at 30 June, 2001 to 2025Estimated resident population at 30 June each year, persons.ABS Population estimates by SA2 and above, 2001 to 2025, Table 4 (released 31 March 2026)2M4M6MGreater Sydney2001200320052007200920112013201520172019202120232025Year
The series shows a single fall, over 2020-21; the 30 June 2025 estimate is preliminary.
Derived milestones: the first 30 June at which the annual estimated resident population series shows Greater Sydney at or above each threshold. The series begins at 30 June 2001, with the city at 4,102,580.
Greater Sydney population milestones in the annual series
MilestoneFirst 30 June at or abovePopulation that year
4.5 million30 June 20104,555,516
5 million30 June 20165,024,923
5.5 million30 June 20245,563,600

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

Section 08

Sydney population: quick answers

How many people live in Sydney?

Greater Sydney had an estimated resident population of 5,638,830 at 30 June 2025, the most recent year in the ABS Regional population data, released 31 March 2026. That was the largest population of Australia's eight capital cities and accounted for 20.4 per cent of the national total of 27,613,654 in the ABS data. The 30 June 2025 estimates are preliminary; the next release, covering 30 June 2026, is due on 25 March 2027.

Is Sydney or Melbourne Australia's largest city?

Sydney had the larger population on ABS Greater Capital City Statistical Area boundaries: Greater Sydney had 5,638,830 residents at 30 June 2025 and Greater Melbourne 5,435,590, a gap of 203,240 people. Melbourne recorded the larger increase over 2024-25, adding 105,030 people compared with Sydney's 75,230.

How fast is Sydney's population growing?

Greater Sydney added 75,230 people, or 1.35 per cent, in 2024-25. The ABS summary rounds the increase to 75,200 (1.4 per cent). The 1.35 per cent rate was the fifth fastest of the eight capital cities. Growth peaked at 146,055 people (2.75 per cent) in 2022-23, and 2020-21 was the only year between 2001-02 and 2024-25 in which the population fell.

What share of New South Wales's population lives in Sydney?

Greater Sydney accounted for 65.6 per cent of the 8,592,524 people in the state's two broad regions at 30 June 2025: 5,638,830 people in the capital and 2,953,694 in the rest of the state. The capital's share was 62.8 per cent at 30 June 2001 on the same boundaries.

When did Sydney's population pass 5 million?

Greater Sydney first exceeded 5 million people at 30 June 2016, when the ABS annual data recorded 5,024,923 residents. The city first exceeded 4.5 million at 30 June 2010 and 5.5 million at 30 June 2024.

Section 09

Australia population statistics

References

  1. ABS Regional population, 2024-25 · Australian Bureau of Statistics ↑ b c d e f g h i j
  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
  4. ABS Regional population methodology, 2024-25 · Australian Bureau of Statistics
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