Queensland ranked first on relative population growth and relative unemployment. South Australia ranked first on construction work. Western Australia ranked first on relative economic growth.
Between 2011 and 2021, Melbourne had the largest growth (up by 806,800 people), followed by Sydney (650,800) and Brisbane (421,500). Canberra had the highest growth rate (23%), followed by Brisbane and Perth (both 20%).
In 2050, Melbourne would be expected to reach 8.5 million while Sydney's population would have hit 8.3 million under the medium-growth model.
He claimed Melbourne's population is growing faster than Sydney's because the Victorian capital beats its New South Wales counterpart in two ways. "Firstly, affordability — house prices, as steep as they are in Melbourne, are significantly below Sydney's," McCrindle told radio station 3AW.
The largest state by population in Australia is New South Wales. Despite being less than half the size of Western Australia, it has a massive population of over 8.15 million people. The capital of New South Wales is Sydney.
Western Australia ranked first on relative economic growth. Tasmania ranked second on equipment investment and housing finance.
“When looking at annual growth to get a guide on economic momentum, Queensland had annual growth rates that exceeded the national average on five of the eight indicators,” James said.
As a result of the Gold Rush and until the 1890's, Melbourne was Australia's largest city. But back then, Melbourne was a side show to Victoria's growth, home to just one in four Victorians. Today three in four Victorians call Melbourne home. Melbourne will take over Sydney to be Australia's largest city in 2030.
Living in Melbourne
Melbourne is considered by some to be the best city to live in Australia, and has even been ranked as the world's most livable city more than once. It's home to a thriving live music scene, late-night bars and laneways dotted with cafés and coffee shops.
Melbourne is predicted to overtake Sydney by 2031-32, when the Victorian capital is forecast to reach a population of six million, pipping its northern rival by a couple of hundred thousand people, new data from the Centre for Population reveals.
Accounting for almost half of Australia's economic growth, Sydney offers the best job prospects for expats moving to Aus. With an unemployment rate well below the national average at around 3.8%, Sydney has a booming economy in industries such as financial and professional services, construction and manufacturing.
While many people have already moved to Tasmania to escape the heat in other states, some doomsday preppers are weighing up the island state as a post-apocalyptic option. Tasmania scored highly in the report in terms of its climate, electricity supply, agricultural resources and population density.
Canberra is the happiest capital of Australia, according to research.
Queensland claimed the title of the country's happiest state. Savings aspirations among Australians remain very high, with the number of people trying to save rising to 76% overall (73% in Q2), and to 96% among 18 to 29-year-old women. Pets continue to be the biggest contributor to a person's wellbeing.
Canberra is Australia's leading 'smart city', providing its residents with top ratings for a range of quality indicators, including housing affordability, public transport, employment, and community participation, according to new Victoria University research.
Cold Coast
Gold Coast is one of the cheapest places to live in Australia (89th globally). It is known for its high-standard education and academia and its budget-friendly living.
For Melbourne houses, the suburbs recording the biggest gains in house prices in the past 12 months are Keilor East (20.2%), Rosebud (18.7%), Narre Warren South (18.0%), Caroline Springs (17.0%) and Mount Martha (17.0%).
If you've never visited Australia before and are looking for in-your-face classic tourist activities and Instagrammable heaven, then Sydney might be the best choice. But if you're looking for a destination where you have to scratch the surface a little to discover some rich culture, give Melbourne a try.
More recent data sourced from the ABS indicates that the tide is turning and that Melbourne is forecasted to be Australia's fastest-growing city over the next 10 years.
Sydney has traditionally been a significant driver of Australia's economy, accounting for 29.8 per cent of Australia's economic growth in the 1990s. This title was ceded to Melbourne in the 2000s (19.1 per cent), with Sydney accounting for 17.1 per cent of national growth in the 2000s.