Australians are keen to move to the north with new Census figures showing more people moved to Queensland than any other state.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics Census data shows there was a net gain of more than 100,000 people in Queensland in the five years to 2021.

Many of those came from New South Wales, with it recording the biggest net loss of population in Australia of 102,000 people.

At the same time Victoria lost about 10,000 people, while Tasmania increased its population by 15,000 and the ACT by 10,000.

Those who didn’t move states tended to move to regional areas with 160,000 people leaving Australian capital cities, as working from home became easier and more desirable in recent years.

Census program manager Mark Harding says affordability was a big issue.

“This data suggests that people are moving for housing suitability and affordability as well as employment opportunities and then settling down later in life,” Harding says.