Population aged between 5 and 18 in Australia - Data and Analysis (1971-2034)

IBISWorld forecasts the population aged between five and 18 to increase by 0.4% during 2026-27, to reach 4,681,363 people. The rate of growth in this age group is affected by the number of births five years prior, the number of people turning 19 and net migration of people in this age group. Net migration is expected to be strong, with the number of student visa holders set to increase by 102,800, according to forecasts from the Australian Centre for Population. While many of these student visa holders will be over 18, some will enter as high school student, pushing up the segment's population. However, the number of people turning 19 in 2026-27 is forecast to be over 40,000 people larger than the number of people turning five, limiting growth in the population segment's size.Over the past five years, the population aged between five and 18 has grown consistently. Population growth rates in this age group were much higher between 2021-22 and 2023-24 compared to the growth rates in the 2000s, due to strong birth rates throughout the late 2010s. However, between 2024-25 and 2026-27, this growth rate has slowed somewhat, remaining below 1.0% per annum over this time period. Since 2020-21, net migration has remained above 200,000 persons per year, further contributing to expansions in the population of adolescents in Australia in recent times.The size of this age group is typically boosted by foreign primary and secondary school students that study in Australia. Foreign students are typically attracted to Australia because of its advanced education system and the possibility of becoming a permanent resident after they complete their studies. Prior to the pandemic, foreign student enrolments in primary and secondary education exceeded 16,000. However, these numbers dwindled to a low of 6,498 in 2021-22, as the Australian Government's border restrictions limited the number of foreign students and net migration. Between 2021-22 and 2024-25, the number of foreign students enrolled in primary and secondary education climbed to 12,448. However, 2025-26 saw the first annual decline post-pandemic, with enrolments dropping by 6.1% to 11,684. Overall, IBISWorld forecasts the population aged between five and 18 to grow at a compound annual rate of 0.9% over the five years through 2026-27.