Understanding how people move between cities and regions in Australia is crucial for good planning. Policymakers especially need accurate data for fast-growing areas in order to support population increases with transport, health and education infrastructure as well as new homes.

This research investigates different ways to predict local population growth and change. It looks at what drives people to move between urban and regional Australia and what this migration means for planning infrastructure and housing to support population growth and change. 

Key findings

• By exploring household-level patterns of migration to and from capital cities and regional areas, the research identified place-based attributes as well as government policy settings that attract and retain regional populations.
• The findings highlight interactions between migration dynamics and housing market impacts that have important implications for more accurate and timely population projections.
• The findings also point to the need to address housing market impacts of regional migration through forward planning for new and diverse housing supply, targeted subsidies and potential restrictions on short-term rentals.