National Forecasting Program
Population and dwelling forecasts
As a subscriber to our National Forecasting Program you have access to new and future forecasts, insights and updates for the 51 priority areas on our forecasting roadmap. This page outlines what's included in the program, what makes our forecasts different, the forecast outputs, the places we forecast, where we're up to our roadmap, and an introduction to the team who will be supporting you.
Core product
Subscribers to the National Forecasting Program can access the following subscriber-only datasets.
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Population forecastsPopulation forecasts
Delivery of .id population forecast data for all current regions plus future regions as they are released on the forecast roadmap.
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Dwelling forecastsDwelling forecasts
Delivery of forecast dwelling for all current regions plus future regions as they are released on the forecast roadmap.
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Residential development forecastsResidential development forecasts
Researching and forecasting the location, timing and sequence of future residential development is an important assumption in our forecasting process that informs the distribution of population data sub-regional (sub-SA4) level.
All NFP subscribers receive access to our Residential Development Forecasts as both a key input into our population forecasting model and a unique dataset in its own right.
Subscriber benefits
Subscribers to our National Forecasting Program also get special access to our experts and insights.
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Ask our expertsAsk our experts
Our experts are available for a two-hour workshop, briefing, or consultation every six months to help you make important strategic decisions.
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Assumptions and insightsAssumptions and insights
With access to the assumptions and key decisions made by our forecasters, you can gain further insight to the future of places and interpret our forecast data with confidence.
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Forecast monitorForecast monitor
Any forecast relies on certain assumptions to predict the future population of a place.
We regularly monitor the most significant assumptions that underpin our forecasts, from federal border policies to demographic shifts and planning policies that impact population and development at a local level.
National Forecast Program subscribers can request a copy of these assumptions and our latest monitoring at any time to provide reassurance that our forecasts remain a robust evidence base for decision making.
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SupportSupport
Our client support team work side-by-side with our forecasters, so we can respond quickly and get you the information you need to get the most out of your subscription. We're not a help-desk - you can reach us directly via email or by calling the .id offices during business hours.
Want to know more about what's included?
Why we're different
Traditionally, population forecasts are published in a big bang: infrequently and for entire jurisdictions. As this model is slow to respond to significant new information, these forecasts become quickly outdated, and decision-makers have to come up with caveats and interpretations of the forecast data, clouding the insights on offer and reducing confidence in decision-making.
We take a different approach. By forecasting a region-at-a-time, we focus on the fastest-changing parts of Australia and regularly release new forecasts and updates to existing ones. This means we can respond quickly to significant new information, providing decision-makers with an up-to-date and detailed analysis of how significant changes in government policy, planned development or black-swan events like the global pandemic are likely to impact their planning and strategy.
Here are a few of the reasons our forecasts are trusted by Australia's largest organisations to mitigate risk and inform significant planning and investment decisions.
A consistent source
We use a consistent, independent methology for all parts of Australia, giving you a reliable evidence base that is comparable across jurisdictions.
Flexible forecasts for custom catchments
Our forecasts are produced for micro-geographic areas that can be aggregated to create forecasts for custom catchments.
Demand-adjusted development forecasts
We comprehensively research planned development and forecast the location, timing and sequence of sites to come online by assessing the demand from the forecast population.
Have your say on our roadmap
We go where our clients are making decisions. As a subscriber, you can provide input to the next locations on our roadmap.
SAFi
Small Area Forecast information (SAFi) is our own custom SA1-derived geography that provides greater detail in future growth areas.
SA1
SA1s are designed to maximise the geographic detail available for Census of Population and Housing data.
SA2
SA2s represent a community that interacts together socially and economically.
SA4
SA4s are the discreet regions for which we forecast population at the sub-state level.
The roadmap
We produce our forecasts a region-at-a-time. So where are we going next?
Our National Forecasting Program is focused on 51 priority regions (SA4s) across Australia that cover the majority of the addressable market for most Australian businesses. By forecasting a region-at-a-time, we can more regularly deliver insights to our subscribers, respond to significant new information and stay up-to-date by focusing on the fastest-changing parts of Australia.
You can register to be notified when forecasts are available in an area of interest to you here.
Region (SA4)
Published
For areas outside the 51 priority regions on our forecasting roadmap, please contact our team to discuss your requirements. For roadmap regions that are on our priority list but are yet to be produced, contact our team or register here to be notified when forecasts for these areas are available.
