Overview

• Australia’s fertility rate held at 1.51 children per woman in 2024, matching its near-record low and trailing the 2.1 replacement level.
• Total national births climbed 2.6% to 292,500 over the past year but remain 3.8% below pre-pandemic figures.
• Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane saw further drops in fertility rates, with Melbourne falling to a low of 1.40 children per woman.
• Perth led the recovery with its fertility rebounding to 1.63, recording the only capital-city growth compared with 2019 levels.
• Outer suburbs and regional centres are driving modest birth rebounds as steep living costs continue to deter family formation in major cities.