Preliminary results of the 2021 Population Census released by the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated that the total population of Macao was 682,100 in August 2021, an increase of 23.5% compared to 2011; the average annual growth was 2.1% over the past decade. Total number of households rose by 18.7% from ten years ago to 202,700, and the average household size was 2.98 persons.

Women continued to outnumber men, with females (361,800) and males (320,300) accounting for 53.0% and 47.0% of the total population respectively. The gender ratio was 88.5 males per 100 females.

In comparison with 2011, the youth population (aged 0-14) increased by 50.3% to 99,000 whereas the adult population (aged 15-64) rose by 12.0% to 500,300. The elderly population (aged 65 and above) surged by 107.2% to 82,800.

In view of rising life expectancy, the median age of the total population increased from 37.0 in 2011 to 38.4 in 2021. As population ageing continued, the elderly dependency ratio grew from 8.9% in 2011 to 16.6%.

Analysed by district, the three most populated districts were “Baixa da Taipa” (75,700 persons), “Novos Aterros da Areia Preta (NATAP)” (70,700 persons) and “Areia Preta & Iao Hon” (68,900 persons). Meanwhile, “Coloane”, “Ilha Verde”, “Universidade & Baía de Pac On” and “Pac On & Taipa Grande”, the districts with a relatively high number of new buildings and large public housing estates completed in the past decade, recorded an upsurge of 753.7%, 143.5%, 124.4% and 121.1% respectively in their population.

Total land area of Macao measured 33.0 square kilometres, with an average annual growth of 1.0% over the past ten years, which was smaller than the average annual population growth. As a result, the population density increased from 18,454 persons in 2011 to 20,645 persons per square kilometre.