12 million and rising: how women outnumber men in Australia
The only exceptions are Western Australia and the Northern Territory.
As of the end of 2015, the total number of females in Australia hit 12 million, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics. That continues a long-standing trend: there are more women than men down under.
The chart below shows the number of females and males in Australia over the last decade. Both groups are rising, but women continue to outnumber men. At the end of 2015, Australia's sex ratio was 99 males for every 100 females.
There are exceptions to this rule at the state level, with both Western Australia and the Northern Territory having a higher proportion of women than men, but that doesn't alter the overall trend. (If you want to check the sex ratio at a regional level, you can do that with this handy finder tool.)
That demographic dominance is largely due to women living longer than men. Currently, there are 106 males born for every 100 females. It's not until the age of 28 that the ratios switch.
That larger number doesn't translate into other key metrics: men generally earn more (even though they don't think they do) and are disproportionately represented in positions of power. Men typically work slightly longer hours than women, which in turn reflects more women in casual or part-time roles.
Angus Kidman's Findings column looks at new developments and research that help you save money, make wise decisions and enjoy your life more. It appears Monday through Friday on finder.com.au.
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