Annual death rates in people of different ages, by sex in Australia
Australia: Annual death rates in people of different ages, by sex was 3.07 deaths per 1,000 people in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
3.07 deaths per 1,000 people
Change on year
down 20.6%
World rank
202nd
of 236 countries
All-time high
59.99 deaths per 1,000 people
in 1921
All-time low
2.73 deaths per 1,000 people
in 2018
Years of data
103
1921–2023
Annual death rates in people of different ages, by sex in Australia, 1921–2023
Source: Human Mortality Database (2025); UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths per 1,000 people.
Analysis
The most recent figure for annual death rates in people of different ages, by sex in Australia is 3.07 deaths per 1,000 people, measured in 2023.
That represents a change of down 20.6% on the previous year and down 12.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual death rates in people of different ages, by sex in Australia peaked at 59.99 deaths per 1,000 people in 1921 and was at its lowest, 2.73 deaths per 1,000 people, in 2018.
That places Australia 202nd out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Annual death rates in people of different ages, by sex in Australia, year by year
| Year | deaths per 1,000 people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1921 | 59.99 deaths per 1,000 people | — |
| 1922 | 45.94 deaths per 1,000 people | -23.4% |
| 1923 | 55.65 deaths per 1,000 people | +21.1% |
| 1924 | 53.79 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.3% |
| 1925 | 49.51 deaths per 1,000 people | -8.0% |
| 1926 | 47.94 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.2% |
| 1927 | 50.69 deaths per 1,000 people | +5.7% |
| 1928 | 49.59 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.2% |
| 1929 | 44.66 deaths per 1,000 people | -9.9% |
| 1930 | 44.08 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.3% |
| 1931 | 36.44 deaths per 1,000 people | -17.3% |
| 1932 | 36.01 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.2% |
| 1933 | 36.19 deaths per 1,000 people | +0.5% |
| 1934 | 39.86 deaths per 1,000 people | +10.1% |
| 1935 | 36 deaths per 1,000 people | -9.7% |
| 1936 | 39 deaths per 1,000 people | +8.3% |
| 1937 | 35.26 deaths per 1,000 people | -9.6% |
| 1938 | 33.67 deaths per 1,000 people | -4.5% |
| 1939 | 34.23 deaths per 1,000 people | +1.7% |
| 1940 | 35.29 deaths per 1,000 people | +3.1% |
| 1941 | 37.43 deaths per 1,000 people | +6.1% |
| 1942 | 35.57 deaths per 1,000 people | -5.0% |
| 1943 | 34.7 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.4% |
| 1944 | 28.73 deaths per 1,000 people | -17.2% |
| 1945 | 27.06 deaths per 1,000 people | -5.8% |
| 1946 | 27.82 deaths per 1,000 people | +2.8% |
| 1947 | 26.07 deaths per 1,000 people | -6.3% |
| 1948 | 24.18 deaths per 1,000 people | -7.2% |
| 1949 | 22.78 deaths per 1,000 people | -5.8% |
| 1950 | 22.34 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.9% |
| 1951 | 22.98 deaths per 1,000 people | +2.9% |
| 1952 | 21.29 deaths per 1,000 people | -7.4% |
| 1953 | 21.16 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.6% |
| 1954 | 19.82 deaths per 1,000 people | -6.3% |
| 1955 | 19.69 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.7% |
| 1956 | 20.07 deaths per 1,000 people | +1.9% |
| 1957 | 19.59 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.4% |
| 1958 | 18.57 deaths per 1,000 people | -5.2% |
| 1959 | 19.31 deaths per 1,000 people | +4.0% |
| 1960 | 17.99 deaths per 1,000 people | -6.8% |
| 1961 | 17.64 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.9% |
| 1962 | 17.92 deaths per 1,000 people | +1.6% |
| 1963 | 17.46 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.6% |
| 1964 | 16.85 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.5% |
| 1965 | 16.5 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.1% |
| 1966 | 16.17 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.0% |
| 1967 | 15.85 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.0% |
| 1968 | 16.07 deaths per 1,000 people | +1.4% |
| 1969 | 16.1 deaths per 1,000 people | +0.2% |
| 1970 | 16.04 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.4% |
| 1971 | 15.94 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.6% |
| 1972 | 14.43 deaths per 1,000 people | -9.5% |
| 1973 | 13.75 deaths per 1,000 people | -4.7% |
| 1974 | 13.37 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.8% |
| 1975 | 12.17 deaths per 1,000 people | -9.0% |
| 1976 | 12.21 deaths per 1,000 people | +0.3% |
| 1977 | 10.88 deaths per 1,000 people | -10.9% |
| 1978 | 10.76 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.1% |
| 1979 | 9.72 deaths per 1,000 people | -9.7% |
| 1980 | 9.59 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.3% |
| 1981 | 9.04 deaths per 1,000 people | -5.7% |
| 1982 | 8.9 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.5% |
| 1983 | 8.82 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.9% |
| 1984 | 8.2 deaths per 1,000 people | -7.0% |
| 1985 | 8.72 deaths per 1,000 people | +6.3% |
| 1986 | 7.58 deaths per 1,000 people | -13.1% |
| 1987 | 7.92 deaths per 1,000 people | +4.5% |
| 1988 | 7.08 deaths per 1,000 people | -10.6% |
| 1989 | 7.57 deaths per 1,000 people | +6.9% |
| 1990 | 7.12 deaths per 1,000 people | -5.9% |
| 1991 | 6.04 deaths per 1,000 people | -15.2% |
| 1992 | 5.9 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.3% |
| 1993 | 5.33 deaths per 1,000 people | -9.7% |
| 1994 | 5.35 deaths per 1,000 people | +0.4% |
| 1995 | 5.12 deaths per 1,000 people | -4.3% |
| 1996 | 5.06 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.2% |
| 1997 | 5.16 deaths per 1,000 people | +2.0% |
| 1998 | 4.4 deaths per 1,000 people | -14.7% |
| 1999 | 5.04 deaths per 1,000 people | +14.5% |
| 2000 | 4.66 deaths per 1,000 people | -7.5% |
| 2001 | 4.37 deaths per 1,000 people | -6.2% |
| 2002 | 4.71 deaths per 1,000 people | +7.8% |
| 2003 | 4.28 deaths per 1,000 people | -9.1% |
| 2004 | 4.24 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.9% |
| 2005 | 4.73 deaths per 1,000 people | +11.6% |
| 2006 | 4.23 deaths per 1,000 people | -10.6% |
| 2007 | 3.94 deaths per 1,000 people | -6.9% |
| 2008 | 3.78 deaths per 1,000 people | -4.1% |
| 2009 | 3.52 deaths per 1,000 people | -6.9% |
| 2010 | 3.42 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.8% |
| 2011 | 3.4 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.6% |
| 2012 | 3.16 deaths per 1,000 people | -7.1% |
| 2013 | 3.52 deaths per 1,000 people | +11.4% |
| 2014 | 3.33 deaths per 1,000 people | -5.4% |
| 2015 | 2.86 deaths per 1,000 people | -14.1% |
| 2016 | 2.76 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.5% |
| 2017 | 3.12 deaths per 1,000 people | +13.0% |
| 2018 | 2.73 deaths per 1,000 people | -12.5% |
| 2019 | 2.87 deaths per 1,000 people | +5.1% |
| 2020 | 2.76 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.8% |
| 2021 | 3.1 deaths per 1,000 people | +12.3% |
| 2022 | 3.86 deaths per 1,000 people | +24.6% |
| 2023 | 3.07 deaths per 1,000 people | -20.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1920s | 50.86 deaths per 1,000 people | 44.66 deaths per 1,000 people | 59.99 deaths per 1,000 people | 9 |
| 1930s | 37.07 deaths per 1,000 people | 33.67 deaths per 1,000 people | 44.08 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1940s | 29.96 deaths per 1,000 people | 22.78 deaths per 1,000 people | 37.43 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1950s | 20.48 deaths per 1,000 people | 18.57 deaths per 1,000 people | 22.98 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1960s | 16.86 deaths per 1,000 people | 15.85 deaths per 1,000 people | 17.99 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 12.93 deaths per 1,000 people | 9.72 deaths per 1,000 people | 16.04 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 8.34 deaths per 1,000 people | 7.08 deaths per 1,000 people | 9.59 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 5.45 deaths per 1,000 people | 4.4 deaths per 1,000 people | 7.12 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.25 deaths per 1,000 people | 3.52 deaths per 1,000 people | 4.73 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.12 deaths per 1,000 people | 2.73 deaths per 1,000 people | 3.52 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.2 deaths per 1,000 people | 2.76 deaths per 1,000 people | 3.86 deaths per 1,000 people | 4 |
Countries ranked near Australia
More health data for Australia
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.83 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.9072 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 906.6 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 215 deaths (2100)
- Population ages 80 and above, female, per capita 0.0265 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 80 and above, male, annual growth rate 5.91 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 80 and above, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 80 and above, male, per capita 0.0202 units per person (2025)
- Pertussis - number of reported cases, gaps filled 25,277 (2025)
- Pertussis - number of reported cases, per capita 0.0009 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual death rates in people of different ages, by sex in Australia?
- Annual death rates in people of different ages, by sex in Australia was 3.07 deaths per 1,000 people in 2023, according to Human Mortality Database (2025); UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest annual death rates in people of different ages, by sex recorded in Australia?
- The highest recorded value was 59.99 deaths per 1,000 people in 1921.
- What is the lowest annual death rates in people of different ages, by sex recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.73 deaths per 1,000 people in 2018.
- How does Australia rank for annual death rates in people of different ages, by sex?
- Australia ranks 202nd out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is annual death rates in people of different ages, by sex rising or falling in Australia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 12.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Australia data come from?
- The figures come from Human Mortality Database (2025); UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Annual death rates in people of different ages, by sex. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Death rate, calculated as the number of deaths divided by the average number of people alive during the interval.