Population

Five year age groups

About this topic

Five year age groups show the population in standard five-year cohorts from early childhood through older age. Because each band covers the same span of years, the topic gives a clear and comparable view of an area's age structure.

This topic is useful for identifying growth or decline in specific cohorts and for comparing age patterns across places and over time. For service planning, it is often read together with service age groups, household types, and dwelling types.

Interpretation notes

  • Age is reported as at Census night, so the counts are a snapshot of the resident age structure at that point in time.
  • Because each band covers the same five-year span, this topic is best for exact cohort comparison rather than service-planning life stages.

Key insight

In 2021, 20 to 24 year olds was the largest age group among residents in Wollongong (C), accounting for 7.4% (15,776 people). This share was higher than Regional NSW (5.4%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in 70 to 74 year olds, which increased by 1,595 people and 0.5 percentage points.

Section overview

Age structure - Five year age groups

Wollongong (C) - Total persons (Usual residence)

This table summarises five year age groups for Wollongong (C) in 2021 for persons, with comparison against Regional NSW and change since 2016.

Age structure - Five year age groups snapshot

2021 distribution by category for Wollongong (C), with comparison markers for Regional NSW.

Wollongong (C)
Regional NSW

0 to 4

2021 count

12,082

% of total

5.6%

Change from 2016

-0.3pp

5 to 9

2021 count

12,688

% of total

5.9%

Change from 2016

-0.3pp

10 to 14

2021 count

12,934

% of total

6.0%

Change from 2016

+0.2pp

15 to 19

2021 count

13,028

% of total

6.1%

Change from 2016

-0.3pp

20 to 24

2021 count

15,776

% of total

7.4%

Change from 2016

-0.2pp

25 to 29

2021 count

14,454

% of total

6.7%

Change from 2016

+0.1pp

30 to 34

2021 count

13,976

% of total

6.5%

Change from 2016

+0.3pp

35 to 39

2021 count

13,577

% of total

6.3%

Change from 2016

+0.2pp

40 to 44

2021 count

13,174

% of total

6.1%

Change from 2016

-0.5pp

45 to 49

2021 count

13,781

% of total

6.4%

Change from 2016

0.0pp

50 to 54

2021 count

13,057

% of total

6.1%

Change from 2016

-0.5pp

55 to 59

2021 count

13,287

% of total

6.2%

Change from 2016

-0.2pp

60 to 64

2021 count

12,779

% of total

6.0%

Change from 2016

+0.5pp

65 to 69

2021 count

10,990

% of total

5.1%

Change from 2016

0.0pp

70 to 74

2021 count

9,935

% of total

4.6%

Change from 2016

+0.5pp

75 to 79

2021 count

7,601

% of total

3.5%

Change from 2016

+0.2pp

80 to 84

2021 count

5,710

% of total

2.7%

Change from 2016

+0.1pp

85 and over

2021 count

5,749

% of total

2.7%

Change from 2016

+0.1pp

Data table

Five year age groups for Wollongong (C). Age structure - Five year age groups. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Regional NSW.

Five year age groups for Wollongong (C). Age structure - Five year age groups. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Regional NSW.
Five year age groups for Wollongong (C). Age structure - Five year age groups. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Regional NSW.
Category20212016Change
Count%Regional NSW%Count%Regional NSW%Countpp
0 to 412,0825.6%5.5%12,0255.9%5.8%+57-0.3pp
5 to 912,6885.9%6.1%12,6466.2%6.4%+42-0.3pp
10 to 1412,9346.0%6.3%11,8835.8%6.1%+1,051+0.2pp
15 to 1913,0286.1%5.7%13,0146.4%6.0%+14-0.3pp
20 to 2415,7767.4%5.4%15,5297.6%5.6%+247-0.2pp
25 to 2914,4546.7%5.7%13,3696.6%5.5%+1,085+0.1pp
30 to 3413,9766.5%5.9%12,6726.2%5.5%+1,304+0.3pp
35 to 3913,5776.3%5.9%12,4506.1%5.4%+1,127+0.2pp
40 to 4413,1746.1%5.6%13,3786.6%6.1%-204-0.5pp
45 to 4913,7816.4%6.1%13,0226.4%6.4%+7590.0pp
50 to 5413,0576.1%6.2%13,4236.6%6.8%-366-0.5pp
55 to 5913,2876.2%6.6%12,9776.4%7.1%+310-0.2pp
60 to 6412,7796.0%6.9%11,2975.5%6.7%+1,482+0.5pp
65 to 6910,9905.1%6.4%10,3465.1%6.4%+6440.0pp
70 to 749,9354.6%5.9%8,3404.1%5.0%+1,595+0.5pp
75 to 797,6013.5%4.3%6,7793.3%3.7%+822+0.2pp
80 to 845,7102.7%2.9%5,2092.6%2.6%+501+0.1pp
85 and over5,7492.7%2.8%5,2542.6%2.7%+495+0.1pp
Total214,564100.0%100.0%203,630100.0%100.0%+10,9340.0pp