This page presents an overview of estimates of LGBTI+ populations in South Australia produced by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The full ABS dataset can be found here.
More comprehensive data will be available following the 2026 Census, estimated for release in mid-2027.
ABS estimates are likely to underestimate the true size of the LGBTIQA+ population due to a number of factors, such as reluctance to disclose and other underlying limitations in the data.
3.9%
LGBTI South Australians
Around 3.9% or 56,700 South Australians aged 16 years and over are estimated to be LGBTI+. The proportion of people who are LGBTI+ is highest among young Australians and lowest in older Australians.
3.2%
Sexual orientation
An estimated 47,000 South Australians aged 16 years and over, or 3.2% of the population, report their sexual orientation as gay, lesbian, bisexual or a different term such as asexual, pansexual or queer (LGB+).
0.7%
Trans and Gender Diverse
An estimated 10,200 South Australians aged 16 years and over, or 0.7% of the population, report a gender that is different to their sex recorded at birth (trans and gender diverse).
Variations of sex characteristics
There are no estimates of the number of South Australians 16 years and over who report they know they were born with variations of sex characteristics.
Nationally, the ABS an estimatesd that 63,300 people, or 0.3% of Australians 16 years and over, report they know they were born with variations of sex characteristics. Other research indicates the rate of intersex variations could be as high as 1.7% of the population.
How does South Australia compare nationally?
| South Australia | Australia | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LGBTI+ | 56,700 | 3.9% | 910,600 | 4.5% |
| Sexual orientation | 47,000 | 3.2% | 738,800 | 3.6% |
| Trans and gender diverse | 10,200 | 0.7% | 178,900 | 0.9% |
| Variation of sex characteristics | n/a | 63,300 | 0.3% |