The first batch of data from the 2021 Australian Census has been officially released! This is the most important survey for the country as it gives us a comprehensive snapshot of the economic, social and cultural make-up of Australia.

Luckily, we have done the hard work for you and gathered the key facts in this article. If you’re a business owner, it’s vital to take note of these statistics as it holds some interesting insights that may inspire your next marketing strategy. 

Compared to five years ago, Australia looks vastly different. Let’s check out the highlights from the 2021 Census:  

  • Pandemic didn’t completely stop immigration

While the pandemic had impacted the flow of people into Australia, the latest census showed more than one million migrants have arrived in Australia since 2017. 

  • Australia’s millennials have crept up on baby boomers

The number of millennials is increasing through migration, while the number of baby boomers is decreasing. The Millennial generation (25-39 years) has caught up to baby boomers in becoming the largest generation group in Australia which includes more than more than 5.4 million people.

  • Bigger and more diverse than ever 

More than half of Australians (51.5%) reported either being born overseas or having a parent who was. While England remains the number one source of new Australians, India and China are not far behind and growing as the most common countries of birth (refer to figure). In fact, China sits in third place. It’s also noteworthy that Chinese was the top 5 ancestries in Australia.

In terms of languages, Mandarin continues to be the most common language other than English with 685,274 people using Mandarin at home. The top 5 languages used at home, other than English, were Mandarin (2.7 per cent), Arabic (1.4 per cent), Vietnamese (1.3 per cent), Cantonese (1.2 per cent) and Punjabi (0.9 per cent). 

All this data, but what does this point to? Australia is becoming an increasingly diverse country. Your audience is growing and that needs to be reflected in the way you communicate. It’s time to invest in multilingual marketing for your business strategy. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to leverage other markets and position your business as a global player. If you’re ever in doubt on how to begin, please get in contact with us.