Female population aged between 15 and 45

IBISWorld forecasts the Australian female population aged between 15 and 45 to increase by 1.5% during 2025-26, to reach 5,977,892 people. The growth in the demographic's population count is expected to continue diminishing from the strong growth levels witnessed in 2022-23 and 2023-24. During these years, surging migration and the return of international students drove up the female population aged 15 to 45 at a swift rate. Although the demographic's population has continued to trend upwards owing to positive net migration, population growth dynamics will revert to that of an ageing population, indicated by slowing growth in this segment.

Growth in this demographic slowed abruptly in 1991-92 as the first females of the baby boomer generation began to turn 46 and exit this age group. Despite strong birth rates between 1986-87 and 1990-91, growth in the female population aged between 15 and 45 remained subdued until 2006-07 as the number of females turning 46 continued to offset the number turning 15. The number of people in this demographic fell by less than 0.1% during 1992-93 and growth did not exceed 1.0% again until 2006-07.

In more recent times, the female population aged between 15 and 45 has grown strongly. Birth rates were weak during the late 1990s and early-to-mid 2000s, which restricted the number of females that turned 15 during the late 2010s and early 2020s. However, the number of births spiked between 2006-07 and 2010-11, contributing to a strong inflow of females into this demographic as they have turned 15 over the past five years. While this trend was offset by poor migration statistics in 2020-21, the remainder of the period has seen significant growth in the demographic's population. Overall, IBISWorld forecasts the Australian female population aged between 15 and 45 to grow at a compound annual rate of 2.4% over the five years through 2025-26.