Australia is one of the most urbanised nations, with 90 percent of the population living in just 0.22 per cent of the country’s land area and 87 percent living within 50 kilometres of the coast.[1] As at the 2016 Census, more than two-thirds of Australians lived in a capital city, with 40 percent of the population being in the two largest cities of Sydney and Melbourne.[2]
| Rank | Greater Capital City Statistical Area | State/territory | Population (2023)[3] | Land area (km2) |
Density (/km2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Canberra |  Australian Capital Territory
|
466,566 | 814.2 | 573 |
| 2 | Melbourne |  Victoria
|
5,207,145 | 9,993 | 521.08 |
| 3 | Adelaide |  South Australia
|
1,446,380 | 3,259.8 | 443.7 |
| 4 | Sydney |  New South Wales
|
5,450,496 | 12,367.7 | 440.7 |
| 5 | Perth |  Western Australia
|
2,309,338 | 6,417.9 | 359.8 |
| 6 | Brisbane |  Queensland
|
2,706,966 | 15,842 | 170.9 |
| 7 | Hobart |  Tasmania
|
253,654 | 1,758.8 | 144.2 |
| 8 | Darwin |  Northern Territory
|
150,736 | 3,163.8 | 47.6 |
| Rank | Suburb | Metropolitan Area | Population[4] | -Area (km²) |
Inhabitants per km2 |
Inhabitants per mi2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Elizabeth Bay | Sydney | 5,215 | 0.2509 | 20,785 | 53,833 |
| 2 | Chippendale | Sydney | 8,617 | 0.4642 | 18,563 | 48,078 |
| 3 | Rushcutters Bay | Sydney | 2,547 | 0.1574 | 16,182 | 41,910 |
| 4 | Ultimo | Sydney | 8,845 | 0.5588 | 15,829 | 40,996 |
| 5 | Potts Point | Sydney | 9,423 | 0.6204 | 15,189 | 39,338 |
| 6 | Haymarket | Sydney | 7,353 | 0.518 | 14,195 | 36,765 |
| 7 | Pyrmont | Sydney | 12,813 | 0.9325 | 13,740 | 35,588 |
| 8 | Darlinghurst | Sydney | 11,320 | 0.8569 | 13,210 | 34,215 |
| 9 | Waterloo | Sydney | 14,616 | 1.1338 | 12,891 | 33,388 |
| 10 | Zetland | Sydney | 10,078 | 0.8048 | 12,522 | 32,433 |
| 11 | Surry Hills | Sydney | 16,412 | 1.3164 | 12,467 | 32,290 |
| 12 | Wentworth Point | Sydney | 6,994 | 0.5739 | 12,186 | 31,564 |
| 13 | Southbank | Melbourne | 18,709 | 1.5639 | 11,963 | 30,984 |
| 14 | Rhodes | Sydney | 11,906 | 1.0061 | 11,834 | 30,649 |
| 15 | Bondi | Sydney | 10,045 | 0.8648 | 11,615 | 30,084 |
| 16 | Redfern | Sydney | 13,213 | 1.1717 | 11,277 | 29,207 |
| 17 | Milsons Point | Sydney | 2,158 | 0.1982 | 10,888 | 28,200 |
| 18 | Woolloomooloo | Sydney | 4,011 | 0.3722 | 10,776 | 27,911 |
| 19 | Carlton | Melbourne | 18,535 | 1.7488 | 10,599 | 27,451 |
| 20 | Forest Lodge | Sydney | 4,583 | 0.4446 | 10,308 | 26,698 |
| 21 | Hillsdale | Sydney | 5,501 | 0.5462 | 10,071 | 26,085 |
| 22 | Erskineville | Sydney | 8,014 | 0.8077 | 9,922 | 25,698 |
| 23 | Allawah | Sydney | 5,706 | 0.5837 | 9,776 | 25,319 |
| 24 | Liberty Grove | Sydney | 2,254 | 0.2327 | 9,686 | 25,087 |
| 25 | Wolli Creek | Sydney | 6,394 | 0.6614 | 9,667 | 25,038 |
| 26 | Bondi Beach | Sydney | 11,656 | 1.2193 | 9,560 | 24,759 |
| 27 | Newtown | Sydney | 15,029 | 1.5783 | 9,522 | 24,633 |
| 28 | Harris Park | Sydney | 5,799 | 0.6389 | 9,077 | 23,508 |
| 29 | Enmore | Sydney | 3,880 | 0.4422 | 8,774 | 22,725 |
| 30 | Bondi Junction | Sydney | 9,445 | 1.0792 | 8,752 | 22,667 |
| 31 | Kirribilli | Sydney | 3,820 | 0.4376 | 8,729 | 22,609 |
| 32 | Teneriffe | Brisbane | 5,335 | 0.6438 | 8,287 | 21,463 |
| 33 | Neutral Bay | Sydney | 10,488 | 1.2796 | 8,196 | 21,228 |
| 34 | Darlington | Sydney | 3,097 | 0.3808 | 8,133 | 21,064 |
| 35 | Edgecliff | Sydney | 2,580 | 0.3194 | 8,078 | 20,921 |
| 36 | Breakfast Point | Sydney | 4,188 | 0.5242 | 7,989 | 20,692 |
| 37 | Queenscliff | Sydney | 3,376 | 0.4228 | 7,985 | 20,681 |
| 38 | Paddington | Sydney | 12,911 | 1.6266 | 7,937 | 20,558 |
| 39 | Coogee | Sydney | 15,212 | 1.9175 | 7,933 | 20,547 |
| 40 | Waitara | Sydney | 5,941 | 0.7617 | 7,800 | 20,201 |
| 41 | Kingsford | Sydney | 15,482 | 1.9873 | 7,790 | 20,177 |
| 42 | Lakemba | Sydney | 17,023 | 2.1866 | 7,785 | 20,163 |
| 43 | Dolls Point | Sydney | 1,661 | 0.2203 | 7,540 | 19,528 |
| 44 | Wiley Park | Sydney | 10,126 | 1.3622 | 7,434 | 19,253 |
| 45 | Fitzroy | Melbourne | 10,445 | 1.4196 | 7,358 | 19,056 |
| 46 | Campsie | Sydney | 24,541 | 3.3734 | 7,275 | 18,842 |
| 47 | Melbourne CBD | Melbourne | 47,285 | 6.5045 | 7,270 | 18,828 |
| 48 | North Bondi | Sydney | 9,165 | 1.2637 | 7,253 | 18,784 |
| 49 | Waverley | Sydney | 4,346 | 0.6007 | 7,235 | 18,738 |
| 50 | South Yarra | Melbourne | 25,147 | 3.5476 | 7,088 | 18,359 |
Below is a table of the post populated central business districts in Australia. Melbourne has the highest population living in its city centre, mainly due to the large proximity of high rise apartment buildings, while the Adelaide CBD is the second most populated city centre in Australia despite being the fifth-most populous in urban area. Inner-city living is becoming increasingly popular throughout Australia, due to a greater access to employment opportunities, services, and transport.
| Rank | Capital City Central Business District | State/territory | CBD Population (2021) | Area (km2) |
Density (/km2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Melbourne | Victoria
|
54,941[5] | 6.5 | 8452.5 |
| 2 | Adelaide | South Australia
|
18,202[6] | 10.5 | 1733.5 |
| 3 | Sydney | New South Wales
|
16,667[7] | 2.94 | 5669.04 |
| 4 | Perth | Western Australia
|
13,670[8] | 4.6 | 2971.7 |
| 5 | Brisbane | Queensland
|
12,587[9] | 2.5 | 5034.8 |
| 6 | Darwin | Northern Territory
|
7,149[10] | 1.9 | 3762.6 |
| 7 | Canberra | Australian Capital Territory
|
4,835[11] | 1.5 | 3453.6 |
| 8 | Hobart | Tasmania
|
3,390[12] | 1.9 | 1784.2 |
