The population of Singleton

On Census night, 7th August 2001, Singleton had an population of 20,384 people who spent the night here (including visitors but excluding residents away that night). This was an increase of 251 since 1996, so Singleton's annual change over 1996–2001 was 0.2% a year, less than NSW's growth of 1.1% pa. If it continued to grow at the same rate, the overnight population of Singleton would reach about 20,600 by mid 2006.

Singleton's population was 0.3% of NSW's 6,371,745. With an area of 4900 sq.km., Singleton had a population density of 0.04 people per hectare or 4.2 per sq.km., which was 52% of NSW.

The population of Singleton on Census night consisted of:
* 20,290 Australian residents (ie excluding overseas visitors),
* 19,159 permanent residents (ie excluding all visitors),
* 13,129 citizens of voting age,
* 441 indigenous people,
* 1,422 people born overseas (not counting overseas visitors),
* 879 people in non-private dwellings (eg hotels, nursing homes, hospitals, boarding houses).

The estimated resident population of Singleton on Census night 2001 was 21,230. This was 4.2% more than the population counted on Census night. The difference consists of the people missed by the Census, the exclusion of those who were just visiting Singleton on Census night, and the inclusion of usual residents who were away on Census night. At the 1996–2001 population growth rate, the resident population of Singleton would be about 21,500 in mid-2006.

Total

Australian residents

20,290

overseas visitor

20,384

at home on Census night

19,159

Australian visitor

1,135

overseas visitors

20,388

in private dwelling

19,505

in institution/hotel

879

20,384

adults, aged 15+

15,340

children under 15

5,044

20,384

Australian citizens

18,706

foreign citizens

1,584

overseas visitors

20,384

voting age citizens

13,129

citizens under 18

5,577

foreign citizens/visitors

1,678

20,384

speaks English at home

19,068

speaks other language

293

OS visitor or unstated

1,023

20,384

born in Australia

17,716

born overseas

1,422

OS visitors & not stated

1,246

20,384

not indigenous

19,849

indigenous

441

overseas visitors

20,384

In this report, the population most commonly used was the Australian resident population, which excludes overseas visitors but includes Australian visitors. Note that where the number of people in a Census table is in low single figures (eg the number of men aged 100+), the number has been randomly changed to protect privacy, generally to become 0 or 3. This means very small numbers are not accurate and some columns may not add up exactly.

Singleton's changing age profile

The core working people in any community are the baby-boomers (aged 40–54 in 2001) and Generation X (aged 25–39). In 2001, Singleton had 4,517 baby-boomers, 22% of its population, and 4,554 of Generation X, another 22%. Together, they formed a similar proportion to average across NSW, where 21% of people were baby-boomers and 22% were Generation X. The number of baby-boomers rose by 457 since 1996 while the Generation X population fell by 403.

Singleton also had 2,603 mature-aged people aged 55–74, the generation going through retirement. Their number had risen by 303 since 1996. They made up 13% of the population, which was one-fifth smaller than NSW's proportion. Over 1996 to 2001, their proportion rose by 0.4% (across NSW it rose by 1.4%). Another 796 or 4% people were older, aged 75+, a rise of 122 and up by 0.6% of the population since 1996 (up by 0.8% across NSW). Their proportion less than NSW's 6%.

Singleton also had 1,589 pre-school-aged children under five (down 216 since 1996) and 2,463 primary-aged children (5–11 years), up 21. Pre-school and primary-aged children constituted 7.8% and 12.1% of the population, compared with 6.7% and 9.9% across NSW. Their shares of the population had fallen by 1.2% and remained stable respectively since 1996 (down 0.4% and down 0.1% in NSW).

The high-school age group (12–17 years) in Singleton numbered 1,979 in 2001, up 40 since 1996. They contributed 9.8% of the population compared with 8.4% for NSW. There were 1,788 young adults aged 18–24, down 128, constituting 9% of the population (9% across NSW). The population share of high-school aged rose by 0.1%; that of young adults fell by 0.7%.

Size & change of age groups

Singleton

Proportion of population

Sing'n's rel. size

number

diff. 96–01

in 2001

diff. 96–01

NSW

diff. 96–01

infants

(0–4)

1,589

(216 less)

down 1.2%

down 0.4%

17% more

primary school

(5–11)

2,463

(21 more)

12%

down 0.0%

10%

down 0.1%

22% more

high school

(12–17)

1,979

(40 more)

10%

up 0.1%

down 0.1%

16% more

young adults

(18–24)

1,788

(128 less)

down 0.7%

down 0.8%

4% fewer

Gen-X adults

(25–39)

4,554

(403 less)

22%

down 2.2%

22%

down 1.1%

1% more

'boomer' adults

(40–54)

4,517

(457 more)

22%

up 2.1%

21%

up 1.3%

5% more

mature adults

(55–74)

2,603

(303 more)

13%

up 1.4%

16%

up 0.4%

22% fewer

older persons

(75+)

796

(122 more)

up 0.6%

up 0.8%

35% fewer

all people

20,289

(196 more)

100%

'Sing'n's rel. size' is the ratio of the proportion in an age-group in Singleton compared with NSW. For example, 15% in Singleton and 10% in NSW means that Singleton's proportion is 50% larger; but 10% in Singleton and 15% in NSW means Singleton's is 33% smaller. Overseas visitors are excluded.

Singleton's age pyramid

The age profile of a community can be illustrated by an 'age pyramid'. The size of each level on the pyramid represents the number of people in a five-year age group or 'cohort'. Higher levels on the pyramid represent older people. Singleton's age pyramid is shown below (the dark layers) compared with NSW (the light layers).

Normally, an Australian community's age profile will look like a spiked column that bulges slightly in the middle (the 'baby-boomer' age group) and tapers to a point at the top, the 100+ age group. Newer communities tend to have bulges in the 'young family' age groups (say 25–39 and 0–14 years old). More established communities with older families have bulges amongst the 45–59 and 15–24 age groups. Maturing communities tend to have relative bulges in the population aged 65+, while renewing communities have this 'ageing' bulge plus others showing the incoming younger families.

The longest levels of the pyramid represent the relatively large numbers of people – in Singleton, these were the age groups 5–9 (some 1,800 people in 2001), 40–44 (1,670), and 10–14 (1,650).

Singleton's age profile is slightly different from NSW. Age groups which were proportionally larger in Singleton were 5–9 years old (8.9% of the local population but 7.1% of NSW, or 26% larger); 0–4 years old (17% larger); and 10–14 years old (15% larger). Age groups which were noticeably smaller were 80–84 years old (39% smaller); 75–79 years old (35% smaller); and 85–89 years old (35% smaller).

age group

Singleton

NSW

Sing'n

no. in 2001

diff. 96–01

% of pop'n

in 2001

in 1996

100+

steady

0.0%

95–99*

(up 4)

0.1%

0.0%

90–94

(up 23)

0.3%

0.4%

0.2%

85–89

129

(up 19)

0.6%

1.0%

0.5%

80–84

224

(down 1)

1.1%

1.8%

1.1%

75–79

372

(up 77)

1.8%

2.8%

1.5%

70–74

498

(up 83)

2.5%

3.4%

2.1%

65–69

555

(up 4)

2.7%

3.6%

2.7%

60–64

679

(up 77)

3.3%

4.2%

3.0%

55–59

871

(up 139)

4.3%

5.2%

3.6%

50–54

1,344

(up 353)

6.6%

6.5%

4.9%

45–49

1,506

(up 69)

7.4%

6.9%

7.1%

40–44

1,667

(up 35)

8.2%

7.6%

8.1%

35–39

1,641

(down 109)

8.1%

7.7%

8.7%

30–34

1,549

(down 157)

7.6%

7.4%

8.5%

25–29

1,364

(down 137)

6.7%

7.1%

7.4%

20–24

1,181

(down 155)

5.8%

6.5%

6.6%

15–19

1,601

(up 109)

7.9%

6.9%

7.4%

10–14

1,648

(down 32)

8.1%

7.1%

8.3%

5–9

1,800

(up 11)

8.9%

7.1%

8.9%

0–4

1,589

(down 216)

7.8%

6.7%

8.9%

20,289

(up 196)

100%

[Note: In 1996, oldest age groups were 95-98 and 99+; Overseas visitors excluded]

Percentages notably higher than NSW's are shaded light green, percentages that are lower are shaded darker orange.

Singleton's gender balance

In most large communities, there are slightly more women than men because men, on average, die younger than women due to weaker health and greater risk-taking. In 2001, Singleton had 93 women for every 100 men, a ratio which was much less than the NSW average (103 women per 100 men.) A significant imbalance towards males usually indicates some special attraction to the area, such as male-dominated industries or institutions or gay populations.

In 1996, the gender balance was 92 women per 100 men. From then to 2001, the number of women increased by 188 or 2% while the number of men increased by 8 or 0%.

The male–female imbalance is generally most evident among very old people, and communities with significantly more women tend to have older populations. The biggest imbalance in Singleton was among older people aged 75+ where 64% were women. This means there were 1.8 women for each man. This was greater than NSW's rate of 1.6 women for each man.

Relative to NSW, the biggest gender differences occurred among those aged 18–24 (41% of Singleton's young adults were female versus 49% of NSW's) and those aged 40–54 (47% of baby boomers were female, compared with 50% for NSW).

Females and males in Singleton

Sing'n 2001

change 1996–2001

% females

males

females

males

females

Sing'n

NSW

difference

pre-schoolers

0–4

809

780

down 99

down 117

49%

0% higher

primary students

5–11

1,262

1,201

down 11

up 32

49%

0% higher

high school students

12–17

1,030

949

up 20

48%

49%

1% lower

young adults

18–24

1,052

736

down 69

down 59

41%

49%

8% lower

Generation X

25–39

2,347

2,207

down 231

down 172

48%

51%

2% lower

baby boomers

40–54

2,389

2,128

up 177

up 280

47%

50%

3% lower

mature adults

55–74

1,322

1,281

up 166

up 137

49%

51%

2% lower

older people

75+

289

507

up 55

up 67

64%

61%

3% higher

Singleton

10,500

9,789

(up 8)

(up 188)

48%

51%

2% lower

Percentages notably higher than NSW's are shaded light green, percentages that are lower are shaded darker orange. Overseas visitors were excluded.