Infant mortality rate in Australia
Australia: Infant mortality rate was 0.309 deaths per 100 live births in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
0.309 deaths per 100 live births
Change on year
down 1.4%
World rank
173rd
of 199 countries
All-time high
2.53 deaths per 100 live births
in 1949
All-time low
0.309 deaths per 100 live births
in 2024
Years of data
76
1949–2024
Infant mortality rate in Australia, 1949–2024
Source: United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths per 100 live births.
Analysis
The most recent figure for infant mortality rate in Australia is 0.309 deaths per 100 live births, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 76 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.4% on the previous year and down 8.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, infant mortality rate in Australia peaked at 2.53 deaths per 100 live births in 1949 and was at its lowest, 0.309 deaths per 100 live births, in 2024.
That places Australia 173rd out of 199 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Infant mortality rate in Australia, year by year
| Year | deaths per 100 live births | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1949 | 2.53 deaths per 100 live births | — |
| 1950 | 2.49 deaths per 100 live births | -1.4% |
| 1951 | 2.46 deaths per 100 live births | -1.6% |
| 1952 | 2.41 deaths per 100 live births | -1.9% |
| 1953 | 2.36 deaths per 100 live births | -2.2% |
| 1954 | 2.3 deaths per 100 live births | -2.3% |
| 1955 | 2.25 deaths per 100 live births | -2.2% |
| 1956 | 2.2 deaths per 100 live births | -2.1% |
| 1957 | 2.16 deaths per 100 live births | -2.0% |
| 1958 | 2.12 deaths per 100 live births | -1.9% |
| 1959 | 2.08 deaths per 100 live births | -1.9% |
| 1960 | 2.04 deaths per 100 live births | -2.0% |
| 1961 | 2 deaths per 100 live births | -2.0% |
| 1962 | 1.95 deaths per 100 live births | -2.1% |
| 1963 | 1.91 deaths per 100 live births | -2.1% |
| 1964 | 1.88 deaths per 100 live births | -1.8% |
| 1965 | 1.85 deaths per 100 live births | -1.4% |
| 1966 | 1.84 deaths per 100 live births | -0.9% |
| 1967 | 1.83 deaths per 100 live births | -0.5% |
| 1968 | 1.82 deaths per 100 live births | -0.3% |
| 1969 | 1.81 deaths per 100 live births | -0.5% |
| 1970 | 1.79 deaths per 100 live births | -1.3% |
| 1971 | 1.75 deaths per 100 live births | -2.2% |
| 1972 | 1.69 deaths per 100 live births | -3.3% |
| 1973 | 1.62 deaths per 100 live births | -4.3% |
| 1974 | 1.53 deaths per 100 live births | -5.3% |
| 1975 | 1.44 deaths per 100 live births | -6.0% |
| 1976 | 1.35 deaths per 100 live births | -6.4% |
| 1977 | 1.27 deaths per 100 live births | -6.2% |
| 1978 | 1.19 deaths per 100 live births | -5.8% |
| 1979 | 1.13 deaths per 100 live births | -5.2% |
| 1980 | 1.08 deaths per 100 live births | -4.5% |
| 1981 | 1.04 deaths per 100 live births | -3.8% |
| 1982 | 1.01 deaths per 100 live births | -3.1% |
| 1983 | 0.9816 deaths per 100 live births | -2.6% |
| 1984 | 0.958 deaths per 100 live births | -2.4% |
| 1985 | 0.9334 deaths per 100 live births | -2.6% |
| 1986 | 0.9062 deaths per 100 live births | -2.9% |
| 1987 | 0.875 deaths per 100 live births | -3.4% |
| 1988 | 0.8397 deaths per 100 live births | -4.0% |
| 1989 | 0.8002 deaths per 100 live births | -4.7% |
| 1990 | 0.7566 deaths per 100 live births | -5.5% |
| 1991 | 0.712 deaths per 100 live births | -5.9% |
| 1992 | 0.6695 deaths per 100 live births | -6.0% |
| 1993 | 0.6318 deaths per 100 live births | -5.6% |
| 1994 | 0.6 deaths per 100 live births | -5.0% |
| 1995 | 0.575 deaths per 100 live births | -4.2% |
| 1996 | 0.556 deaths per 100 live births | -3.3% |
| 1997 | 0.5414 deaths per 100 live births | -2.6% |
| 1998 | 0.5298 deaths per 100 live births | -2.1% |
| 1999 | 0.5199 deaths per 100 live births | -1.9% |
| 2000 | 0.5103 deaths per 100 live births | -1.8% |
| 2001 | 0.5017 deaths per 100 live births | -1.7% |
| 2002 | 0.4948 deaths per 100 live births | -1.4% |
| 2003 | 0.4896 deaths per 100 live births | -1.1% |
| 2004 | 0.4841 deaths per 100 live births | -1.1% |
| 2005 | 0.4761 deaths per 100 live births | -1.7% |
| 2006 | 0.4651 deaths per 100 live births | -2.3% |
| 2007 | 0.4517 deaths per 100 live births | -2.9% |
| 2008 | 0.4361 deaths per 100 live births | -3.5% |
| 2009 | 0.4187 deaths per 100 live births | -4.0% |
| 2010 | 0.3998 deaths per 100 live births | -4.5% |
| 2011 | 0.3807 deaths per 100 live births | -4.8% |
| 2012 | 0.363 deaths per 100 live births | -4.7% |
| 2013 | 0.3477 deaths per 100 live births | -4.2% |
| 2014 | 0.3359 deaths per 100 live births | -3.4% |
| 2015 | 0.3281 deaths per 100 live births | -2.3% |
| 2016 | 0.3239 deaths per 100 live births | -1.3% |
| 2017 | 0.3222 deaths per 100 live births | -0.5% |
| 2018 | 0.3219 deaths per 100 live births | -0.1% |
| 2019 | 0.3219 deaths per 100 live births | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 0.3214 deaths per 100 live births | -0.2% |
| 2021 | 0.3197 deaths per 100 live births | -0.5% |
| 2022 | 0.317 deaths per 100 live births | -0.8% |
| 2023 | 0.3134 deaths per 100 live births | -1.1% |
| 2024 | 0.309 deaths per 100 live births | -1.4% |
Australia compared with similar countries
- Australia's 0.309 deaths per 100 live births is below the median for high income countries, which is 0.3612 deaths per 100 live births, 86% of the median. (65 countries reporting)
- Australia's 0.309 deaths per 100 live births is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 1.39 deaths per 100 live births, 22% of the median. (30 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1940s | 2.53 deaths per 100 live births | 2.53 deaths per 100 live births | 2.53 deaths per 100 live births | 1 |
| 1950s | 2.28 deaths per 100 live births | 2.08 deaths per 100 live births | 2.49 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 1960s | 1.89 deaths per 100 live births | 1.81 deaths per 100 live births | 2.04 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.48 deaths per 100 live births | 1.13 deaths per 100 live births | 1.79 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.9421 deaths per 100 live births | 0.8002 deaths per 100 live births | 1.08 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.6092 deaths per 100 live births | 0.5199 deaths per 100 live births | 0.7566 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.4728 deaths per 100 live births | 0.4187 deaths per 100 live births | 0.5103 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.3445 deaths per 100 live births | 0.3219 deaths per 100 live births | 0.3998 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.3161 deaths per 100 live births | 0.309 deaths per 100 live births | 0.3214 deaths per 100 live births | 5 |
Countries ranked near Australia
- 170 Greece 0.3236 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 171 Belgium 0.3139 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 172 Germany 0.3118 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 174 Hungary 0.3071 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 175 Turks and Caicos Islands 0.3048 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 176 Lithuania 0.2831 deaths per 100 live births compare
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)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2021)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 1.45 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0279 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 1.35 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is infant mortality rate in Australia?
- Infant mortality rate in Australia was 0.309 deaths per 100 live births in 2024, according to United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest infant mortality rate recorded in Australia?
- The highest recorded value was 2.53 deaths per 100 live births in 1949.
- What is the lowest infant mortality rate recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.309 deaths per 100 live births in 2024.
- How does Australia rank for infant mortality rate?
- Australia ranks 173rd out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is infant mortality rate rising or falling in Australia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 8.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Australia data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Infant mortality rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Estimated number of deaths of children aged under one year, per 100 live births .