As with just about every country in the work, Australia’s population is growing. The key reason for the population growth is a simple one.. People are living longer. Due to advances in medicine and health care the average age a person will live to in Australia is now 82 years of age. Compared to an average age of just 71 in 1970, a staggering 11 years difference in less than half a century. With this increase in life expectancy comes the potential for more people to spend more of their later years alone.
With the passing of a partner and relationship breakdowns, the thought of finding yourself single and alone in your 60’s or even older is a daunting prospect. This post will look at the spread of senior singles across Australia and where the best place to live is if you want to have the best chance of finding love again.
Number of senior citizens in Australia
Senior citizens (aged 75+) make up approximately 7 percent of the total population of Australia, some 1.6 million senior males and females according to 2016 census data.
Where do they live?
To make more sense of the data we need to understand that the highest concentration of seniors resides in the state capitals. This trend is understandably similar to the population as a whole.
Highest populations by area (source)
Sydney and Melbourne continue to top the list, a long way ahead of even third place. Our two biggest cities, combined, make about 40% of the nation’s population.
| Rank |
City (Significant Urban Area) |
2017 Population |
5-year growth |
5 year growth % |
1 year growth |
1 year growth % |
| 1 |
Sydney |
4,741,874 |
433,750 |
10.1% |
98,079 |
2.1% |
| 2 |
Melbourne |
4,677,157 |
557,346 |
13.5% |
119,975 |
2.6% |
| 3 |
Brisbane |
2,326,656 |
203,040 |
9.6% |
46,366 |
2.0% |
| 4 |
Perth |
2,004,696 |
141,620 |
7.6% |
19,789 |
1.0% |
| 5 |
Adelaide |
1,315,346 |
55,749 |
4.4% |
9,535 |
0.7% |
| 6 |
Gold Coast – Tweed Heads |
663,321 |
68,091 |
11.4% |
16,338 |
2.5% |
| 7 |
Newcastle – Maitland |
481,183 |
23,063 |
5.0% |
4,529 |
1.0% |
| 8 |
Canberra – Queanbeyan |
447,457 |
33,746 |
8.2% |
6,914 |
1.6% |
| 9 |
Central Coast |
329,437 |
12,254 |
3.9% |
2,413 |
0.7% |
| 10 |
Sunshine Coast |
325,399 |
36,616 |
12.7% |
7,995 |
2.5% |
| 11 |
Wollongong |
299,203 |
15,531 |
5.5% |
3,534 |
1.2% |
| 12 |
Geelong |
260,138 |
28,415 |
12.3% |
6,869 |
2.7% |
| 13 |
Hobart |
208,324 |
8,743 |
4.4% |
2,227 |
1.1% |
| 14 |
Townsville |
180,346 |
9,321 |
5.5% |
1,486 |
0.8% |
| 15 |
Cairns |
151,925 |
9,701 |
6.8% |
1,884 |
1.3% |
| 16 |
Toowoomba |
135,631 |
7,056 |
5.5% |
1,594 |
1.2% |
| 17 |
Darwin |
132,708 |
12,281 |
10.2% |
663 |
0.5% |
| 18 |
Ballarat |
103,481 |
8,508 |
9.0% |
1,893 |
1.9% |
| 19 |
Bendigo |
97,096 |
8,148 |
9.2% |
1,509 |
1.6% |
| 20 |
Albury – Wodonga |
91,923 |
6,721 |
7.9% |
1,347 |
1.5% |
| 21 |
Launceston |
86,788 |
863 |
1.0% |
453 |
0.5% |
| 22 |
Mackay |
80,427 |
– 238 |
-0.3% |
– 353 |
-0.4% |
| 23 |
Rockhampton |
78,871 |
1,522 |
2.0% |
76 |
0.1% |
| 24 |
Bunbury |
74,478 |
4,480 |
6.4% |
376 |
0.5% |
| 25 |
Coffs Harbour |
70,857 |
3,599 |
5.4% |
723 |
1.0% |
| 26 |
Bundaberg |
70,578 |
727 |
1.0% |
269 |
0.4% |
| 27 |
Melton |
65,423 |
13,741 |
26.6% |
3,306 |
5.3% |
| 28 |
Wagga Wagga |
56,181 |
1,767 |
3.2% |
221 |
0.4% |
| 29 |
Hervey Bay |
53,492 |
2,935 |
5.8% |
686 |
1.3% |
| 30 |
Mildura – Wentworth |
51,473 |
2,410 |
4.9% |
475 |
0.9% |
| 31 |
Shepparton – Mooroopna |
51,142 |
2,778 |
5.7% |
449 |
0.9% |
| 32 |
Port Macquarie |
46,948 |
3,005 |
6.8% |
701 |
1.5% |
| 33 |
Gladstone – Tannum Sands |
44,984 |
1,290 |
3.0% |
– 102 |
-0.2% |
| 34 |
Tamworth |
42,347 |
1,852 |
4.6% |
369 |
0.9% |
| 35 |
Traralgon – Morwell |
41,626 |
796 |
1.9% |
293 |
0.7% |
| 36 |
Orange |
40,079 |
1,864 |
4.9% |
324 |
0.8% |
| 37 |
Bowral – Mittagong |
39,300 |
2,714 |
7.4% |
538 |
1.4% |
| 38 |
Busselton |
38,289 |
5,156 |
15.6% |
693 |
1.8% |
| 39 |
Geraldton |
37,931 |
269 |
0.7% |
– 358 |
-0.9% |
| 40 |
Dubbo |
37,666 |
2,111 |
5.9% |
541 |
1.5% |
| 41 |
Nowra – Bomaderry |
37,027 |
2,121 |
6.1% |
318 |
0.9% |
| 42 |
Warragul – Drouin |
36,538 |
5,235 |
16.7% |
1,185 |
3.4% |
| 43 |
Bathurst |
36,448 |
2,343 |
6.9% |
435 |
1.2% |
| 44 |
Warrnambool |
34,912 |
1,504 |
4.5% |
294 |
0.8% |
| 45 |
Albany |
34,151 |
1,628 |
5.0% |
236 |
0.7% |
| 46 |
Kalgoorlie – Boulder |
30,541 |
– 1,997 |
-6.1% |
– 141 |
-0.5% |
| 47 |
Devonport |
30,153 |
-73 |
-0.2% |
87 |
0.3% |
| 48 |
Mount Gambier |
29,472 |
871 |
3.0% |
15 |
0.1% |
| 49 |
Lismore |
28,764 |
– 560 |
-1.9% |
-215 |
-0.7% |
| 50 |
Nelson Bay |
27,606 |
1,269 |
4.8% |
246 |
0.9% |
Proportion of these over 65
“In the next decade, one in five people in Australia will be over the age of 65, and in a state like South Australia, an already ageing population is having an impact.”
South Australia has the highest percent of its total population over 65. Unsurprisingly, Adelaide (the largest city in South Australia) has the most people over 65 being the most populated city in Southern Australia, followed by Whyalla and Mount Barker. So, if you are single, over 65 and looking for love, better head South!
