Percentage of Australian residents by birthplace and living area 1995-2010

The bar charts illustrate changes in the residential distribution of people born in Australia and those born abroad across cities, towns, and rural areas between 1995 and 2010.

Overall, there was a significant shift towards city living for both groups, while the proportion of people residing in towns and rural areas declined between 1995 and 2010. Notably, city dwellers became the dominant demographic for both groups by the end of the period.

In 1995, 50% of Australian-born residents lived in cities, compared to 60% of those born outside the country. By 2010, these figures rose to 65% and 80%, respectively. Conversely, the percentage of Australian-born people living in towns fell from 20% to 15%, and those in rural areas also dropped from 30% to 15%.

For people born outside Australia, the decline in non-city living was even more pronounced. The proportion living in towns decreased from 12% in 1995 to 8% in 2010, while the rural population plummeted from 40% to just 4%. Consequently, by 2010, the vast majority of overseas-born residents were concentrated in cities, with very few remaining in rural locations.