The latest AusPlay report confirms what many of us already know — Australia is a nation of runners. More than 3.48 million adults aged 15 and over go for a run or jog each year, making it one of the most popular forms of physical activity in the country.
That’s 15.8% of the adult population. But while running is clearly a go-to option for staying active, the data also shows that most people are doing it alone — not through clubs, events or organised groups.
Running Is Big — But Informal
While participation is strong, most Australians run independently:
- 2.95 million run by themselves
- 1.02 million run with friends or family
- Just 530,000 take part in organised events (but these are booming, with major events at capacity)
- Only 153,000 run through a club (but these are also growing at a rate of knots)
Overall, only 28% of running participation is considered organised — and just 4.6% of adults run via a club or formal group.
Who’s Running?
Running skews younger, with strong participation in these age and gender groups:
- Men aged 25–34 represent the largest group of adult runners
- Participation is also high among both males and females aged 15–44
- 56% of runners are male, 43% are female
Running is also more common at higher income levels:
- People earning $200,000+ annually have a 26.1% participation rate
- Participation drops to 15.5% at $70–99K, and just 9.1% at $40–69K
Why Australians Run
Top reasons runners gave for heading out (they could give more than one):
- 50%: To improve or maintain physical fitness
- 45%: To manage or lose weight
- 32%: To enjoy being outdoors or in nature
How Often Are We Running?
Australians run at all kinds of frequencies — from occasional joggers to daily regulars. Here’s how it breaks down:
| Frequency | % of Runners | Estimated Adults |
|---|---|---|
| 1+ times per year | 100.0% | 3,487,466 |
| 1+ times per month | 76.0% | 2,650,526 |
| 1+ times per fortnight | 63.4% | 2,209,370 |
| 1+ times per week | 47.3% | 1,651,296 |
| 2+ times per week | 31.6% | 1,100,696 |
| 3+ times per week | 19.7% | 687,264 |
| 4+ times per week | 11.7% | 409,656 |
| 5+ times per week | 7.9% | 273,831 |
| 6+ times per week | 4.8% | 166,387 |
| Daily (7+/week) | 2.7% | 95,771 |
Nearly 1 in 2 runners lace up and run weekly, and more than 95,000 Australians run daily.
The Running Economy
Despite its low barrier to entry, running still sees major spending:
- 736,000 adults paid for running events, services or programs
- They spent a combined $229 million per year
- That’s an average of $311 per person, with a median spend of $120
Where Australians Run
When it comes to overall numbers:
- NSW (30.4%) and Victoria (26.6%) account for the largest share
- ACT leads in per capita participation
- Remote and metro areas outpace regional areas (both around 17% vs. 12.6%)
Motivated for a run?
- Check out Australia’s favourite running loops
- Find your nearest run club
- Celebrate your favourite parkrun
- Plan your next event
📊 Source: AusPlay Running/Jogging Report, July 2023 onwards.
