Emerging Australian demographic trends

The "20-something" age group is flat-lining: 2.83 million in 1999, 2.84 million in 2000, and expected to be 2.93 million in 2021. They are the Junee of the age groups. If you have a product to pitch at this age group, your market won't grow in the next 20 years.

By contrast, the "50-something" age group is growing steadily: 2.04 million in 1999, 2.12 million in 2000 and projected to be 2.96 million in 2021. There will be more people in middle age than people in youth (people in their twenties). It will be trendy to be 50.

The generations are described as:

• born 1931-1946 - pre-boomers
• born 1946-1961 - baby boomers
• born 1961-1976 - generation X-ers
• born 1976-1991 - dot.coms
• born 1991-2006 - Z's

Commuter cities: there's a commute belt 50-60km beyond the boundaries of every capital city, up to 90 minutes travel time from the city - e.g. Maleny and Esk outside Brisbane, places like Macedon and Woodend around Melbourne. Our cities are spreading out and then there's a leap-frog to pleasant environments up in the hills.