which australian state has the highest population
New South Wales currently has the highest population of any Australian state, followed by Victoria and Queensland.
Quick Scoop: Australia’s most populated state
Who’s on top right now?
The answer to “which Australian state has the highest population” is New South Wales (NSW).
It includes Sydney, which is both the country’s largest city and a major driver of NSW’s growth.
- New South Wales is the largest state by population, with more than 8 million residents as of recent estimates.
- Victoria and Queensland are also large and fast‑growing, but still trail NSW in total population.
- Projections out to the 2030s still expect NSW to remain the nation’s most populous state, even as others grow quickly.
In practical terms, if you ask “Where do most Australians live?”, the simple one‑word answer is: NSW.
Quick comparison of big states
| State | Capital city | Population (recent data) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| New South Wales | Sydney | About 8.3 million (June 2023) | Most populated state; includes Australia’s largest city, Sydney. | [1][3][9]
| Victoria | Melbourne | About 6.8 million (June 2023) | Second by population; strong growth, but still behind NSW overall. | [5][3]
| Queensland | Brisbane | About 5.5 million (June 2023) | Third by population; one of the fastest‑growing states. | [7][3]
Why NSW stays number one
Several factors help keep NSW at the top:
- Sydney’s pull
- Major global city, strong job market, big service and finance sectors.
- Continues to attract both overseas migrants and people from other parts of Australia.
- Early growth and infrastructure
- Long history as an economic hub means more established infrastructure, universities, and industries.
- This entrenched base makes population momentum sticky over time.
- Future outlook
- Forecasts suggest Victoria and Queensland may grow faster in percentage terms.
- However, NSW’s head start in total numbers means it is expected to remain the most populous state well into the 2030s.
Forum‑style angle & “trending topic”
If this came up in a forum or group chat, you’d probably see posts like:
“I always thought Victoria might’ve overtaken by now because Melbourne feels huge, but NSW is still on top thanks to Sydney and its long‑standing population base.”
People also discuss future “races” between NSW and Victoria as population growth, housing, and migration trends shift over the next decade.
TL;DR: New South Wales is, and for the foreseeable future is expected to remain, the Australian state with the highest population.
Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.