Overview

• Australia’s fertility rate in 2024 remained at 1.51 children per woman, with total births rising 2.6% to 292,500 but still 3.8% below pre-pandemic levels.
• Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane each recorded further declines in births per woman last year as families face elevated housing and childcare costs.
• Perth bucked the national trend by increasing its fertility rate to 1.63 and recording higher birth numbers than in 2019.
• Regional areas and outer suburbs have driven national birth gains as families relocate for greater affordability and larger housing.
• Demographers warn that sustained sub-replacement fertility could lead to population decline, labour shortages and heavier reliance on migration without targeted policy support.