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Boulia vs Alice Springs

Name: Boulia vs Alice Springs — 2021 Census comparison
Creator: Australian Bureau of Statistics
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Council (LGA) comparison ≈ 514 km apart · Boulia profile · Alice Springs profile

Boulia Alice Springs

Alice Springs and Boulia are very different places, with Alice Springs being a larger regional hub and Boulia a sparsely populated area. Alice Springs has a much more diverse and highly qualified population; 26.2% of residents were born overseas and 27.2% of adults hold a bachelor degree or higher. In contrast, only 4.6% of Boulia's residents were born overseas, and only 6.9% of adults have a degree. This is reflected in their economies, with Alice Springs having a far higher share of households earning $3,000 or more a week (27.6%) compared to Boulia (14.6%).

Many of these gaps have widened since 2011, particularly regarding education, overseas births, and the use of other languages at home. Despite these diverging trends, the two areas share some similarities in daily life. They have nearly identical unemployment rates—3.5% in Alice Springs and 3.3% in Boulia—and similar shares of adults working or looking for work. Both areas also have a similar number of people per home, averaging around 2.6.

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Where they differ most

Population: 25,454 larger in Alice Springs Rent: $250 higher in Alice Springs Recent arrivals: 25.6 pts higher in Alice Springs Born overseas: 21.6 pts higher in Alice Springs Other language: 20.9 pts higher in Alice Springs

Demographics & Identity

Population in Boulia in Alice Springs +25,454 larger in Alice Springs gap steady

458 6th pct 25,912 63rd pct

Median age in Boulia in Alice Springs +1 yrs older in Alice Springs gap narrowing

33 yrs 11th pct 34 yrs 12th pct

Age structure

27.7% Young adults (25–44) +6.6 pts ▸ 34.3%

22.5% Older adults (45–64) +2.1 pts ▸ 24.6%

23.8% Children (0–14) ◂ +3.0 pts 20.8%

12.4% Seniors (65+) ◂ +2.9 pts 9.6%

11.4% Youth (15–24) ◂ +0.7 pts 10.7%

Marital status

38.3% Never married +8.2 pts ▸ 46.5%

42.1% Married ◂ +2.8 pts 39.2%

9.8% Divorced ◂ +2.2 pts 7.6%

7.8% Separated ◂ +4.2 pts 3.6%

2.3% Widowed +0.7 pts ▸ 3.0%

Age & sex structure

Boulia Alice Springs

Bars show the share of each area's own population, so differently sized areas stay comparable.

Ancestry & Birthplace

Country of birth

81.4% Australia ◂ +14.4 pts 67.1%

0.0% India +3.7 pts ▸ 3.7%

2.2% New Zealand +1.0 pts ▸ 3.2%

2.6% England ◂ +0.2 pts 2.4%

0.0% Philippines +2.3 pts ▸ 2.3%

0.0% Nepal +0.8 pts ▸ 0.8%

0.0% China +0.7 pts ▸ 0.7%

0.0% South Africa +0.6 pts ▸ 0.6%

0.0% Vietnam +0.3 pts ▸ 0.3%

0.0% Italy +0.3 pts ▸ 0.3%

Ancestry

40.4% English ◂ +13.5 pts 26.9%

37.6% Australian ◂ +11.5 pts 26.1%

8.7% Irish +0.5 pts ▸ 9.2%

7.4% Scottish +0.1 pts ▸ 7.6%

3.7% German +1.4 pts ▸ 5.1%

0.0% Indian +3.6 pts ▸ 3.6%

0.0% Filipino +2.8 pts ▸ 2.8%

0.0% Italian +2.3 pts ▸ 2.3%

0.0% Chinese +2.1 pts ▸ 2.1%

0.0% Dutch +1.5 pts ▸ 1.5%

0.0% Vietnamese +0.4 pts ▸ 0.4%

0.0% Greek +0.4 pts ▸ 0.4%

Language

Language used at home

83.8% English only ◂ +15.7 pts 68.1%

0.0% Punjabi +1.6 pts ▸ 1.6%

0.0% Tagalog +1.1 pts ▸ 1.1%

0.0% Mandarin +1.0 pts ▸ 1.0%

0.0% Hindi +0.7 pts ▸ 0.7%

0.0% Arabic +0.4 pts ▸ 0.4%

0.0% Vietnamese +0.4 pts ▸ 0.4%

0.0% Italian +0.3 pts ▸ 0.3%

0.0% Cantonese +0.3 pts ▸ 0.3%

0.0% Greek +0.1 pts ▸ 0.1%

Religion

Religious affiliation

50.9% Christianity ◂ +9.9 pts 41.0%

33.0% No religion +10.0 pts ▸ 42.9%

13.3% Not stated ◂ +4.3 pts 9.0%

0.0% Hinduism +2.4 pts ▸ 2.4%

0.0% Other religions +2.0 pts ▸ 2.0%

0.0% Buddhism +1.5 pts ▸ 1.5%

1.3% Islam ◂ +0.3 pts 1.0%

0.0% Judaism +0.2 pts ▸ 0.2%

Education & Qualifications

Schools in Boulia in Alice Springs +17 more in Alice Springs

1 0th pct 18 71st pct

Schools/1k kids in Boulia in Alice Springs +5.84 more in Boulia

9.17 86th pct 3.33 45th pct

Students in Boulia in Alice Springs +4,640 more in Alice Springs

47 4th pct 4,687 64th pct

Avg size in Boulia in Alice Springs +213 larger in Alice Springs

47 7th pct 260 55th pct

ICSEA in Boulia in Alice Springs +65 higher in Alice Springs

867 13th pct 932 27th pct

Highest year of school

35.8% Year 12 +19.7 pts ▸ 55.5%

27.9% Year 10 ◂ +13.1 pts 14.8%

16.6% Year 9 or below ◂ +6.5 pts 10.1%

8.7% Year 11 +2.2 pts ▸ 11.0%

Highest qualification level

37.1% Certificate III / IV ◂ +11.2 pts 25.8%

10.7% Bachelor degree +15.5 pts ▸ 26.1%

14.0% Advanced diploma / diploma ◂ +1.2 pts 12.8%

2.8% Postgraduate degree +8.2 pts ▸ 11.0%

0.0% Graduate diploma / certificate +4.6 pts ▸ 4.6%

1.7% Certificate I / II +0.1 pts ▸ 1.8%

Field of qualification

15.7% Agriculture & environment ◂ +13.8 pts 1.9%

3.9% Health +11.6 pts ▸ 15.5%

12.4% Management & commerce +2.6 pts ▸ 14.9%

2.8% Society & culture +12.0 pts ▸ 14.8%

14.0% Engineering & related ◂ +2.8 pts 11.2%

10.1% Education ◂ +2.0 pts 8.1%

7.3% Food, hospitality & personal services ◂ +2.0 pts 5.3%

2.8% Architecture & building +1.4 pts ▸ 4.2%

0.0% Creative arts +3.1 pts ▸ 3.1%

0.0% Natural & physical sciences +2.1 pts ▸ 2.1%

0.0% Information technology +1.8 pts ▸ 1.8%

Income

Personal income in Boulia in Alice Springs +$125 higher in Alice Springs gap narrowing

$1,006 86th pct $1,131 89th pct

Household income in Boulia in Alice Springs +$652 higher in Alice Springs gap widening

$1,490 58th pct $2,142 88th pct

Family income in Boulia in Alice Springs +$609 higher in Alice Springs gap narrowing

$1,875 57th pct $2,484 87th pct

Household income distribution

32.6% $650–$1,499 ◂ +12.6 pts 20.0%

25.7% $1,500–$2,999 +6.4 pts ▸ 32.1%

8.3% $4,000 or more +6.0 pts ▸ 14.4%

6.3% $3,000–$3,999 +7.0 pts ▸ 13.2%

11.8% Under $650 ◂ +1.3 pts 10.5%

Personal income distribution

38.0% $650–$1,499 ◂ +5.2 pts 32.8%

25.1% Under $650 +2.6 pts ▸ 27.7%

19.6% $1,500–$2,999 +6.7 pts ▸ 26.3%

5.2% $3,000 or more ◂ +0.4 pts 4.8%

Health & Disability

Long-term health conditions reported

7.6% Asthma ◂ +0.8 pts 6.8%

4.1% Other condition +2.5 pts ▸ 6.6%

6.6% Diabetes ◂ +1.5 pts 5.0%

5.5% Mental health +0.6 pts ▸ 6.0%

4.4% Arthritis +0.6 pts ▸ 4.9%

3.1% Heart disease ◂ +0.1 pts 2.9%

2.6% Cancer ◂ +0.8 pts 1.8%

1.1% Lung condition even 1.1%

0.7% Stroke even 0.7%

0.0% Dementia +0.5 pts ▸ 0.5%

Number of long-term health conditions

61.6% None +7.1 pts ▸ 68.7%

17.7% One condition ◂ +1.7 pts 16.0%

4.1% Two conditions ◂ +0.2 pts 4.0%

1.7% Three or more +0.3 pts ▸ 2.1%

Community Participation

First Nations

First Nations people in Boulia in Alice Springs +5,205 larger in Alice Springs

138 23rd pct 5,343 88th pct

Median age in Boulia in Alice Springs +1 yrs older in Boulia

28 yrs 71st pct 27 yrs 64th pct

Median income in Boulia in Alice Springs +$26 higher in Boulia

$478 28th pct $452 21st pct

Household income in Boulia in Alice Springs +$630 higher in Alice Springs

$725 1st pct $1,355 48th pct

Family & Households

Household size in Boulia in Alice Springs +0.1 larger in Alice Springs gap widening

2.5 71st pct 2.6 79th pct

Family composition

48.6% Couples with children +7.9 pts ▸ 56.5%

26.4% Couples without children ◂ +2.0 pts 24.5%

25.0% One-parent families ◂ +7.5 pts 17.5%

0.0% Other families +1.5 pts ▸ 1.5%

Household size

34.0% 1 person ◂ +6.9 pts 27.1%

29.2% 2 people +0.6 pts ▸ 29.8%

13.9% 3 people +3.6 pts ▸ 17.5%

4.9% 4 people +9.7 pts ▸ 14.5%

9.0% 6 or more ◂ +4.5 pts 4.5%

5.6% 5 people +1.0 pts ▸ 6.6%

Housing & Dwellings

Rent in Boulia in Alice Springs +$250 higher in Alice Springs gap steady

$125 9th pct $375 82nd pct

Mortgage in Boulia in Alice Springs +$780 higher in Alice Springs gap narrowing

$1,020 24th pct $1,800 74th pct

People / bedroom in Boulia in Alice Springs +0.10 higher in Boulia gap steady

1.00 89th pct 0.90 86th pct

How homes are owned or rented

38.9% Rented +4.3 pts ▸ 43.2%

8.3% Owned with a mortgage +27.8 pts ▸ 36.1%

30.6% Owned outright ◂ +14.8 pts 15.7%

14.6% Other tenure ◂ +11.9 pts 2.7%

8.3% Not stated ◂ +6.1 pts 2.2%

Types of homes

79.9% Separate house ◂ +15.7 pts 64.2%

5.6% Townhouse / semi-detached +22.4 pts ▸ 27.9%

4.9% Flat or apartment ◂ +0.6 pts 4.2%

4.9% Other dwelling ◂ +2.9 pts 2.0%

Bedrooms per home

43.1% 3 bedrooms ◂ +1.1 pts 41.9%

20.8% 2 bedrooms +1.2 pts ▸ 22.1%

13.9% 4 bedrooms +5.3 pts ▸ 19.1%

14.6% 1 bedroom ◂ +5.9 pts 8.6%

6.3% 5 or more ◂ +1.9 pts 4.3%

4.2% Studio / none ◂ +2.5 pts 1.6%

Weekly rent distribution

64.3% Under $200 ◂ +45.4 pts 18.9%

0.0% $350–$549 +37.4 pts ▸ 37.4%

8.9% $200–$349 +12.0 pts ▸ 20.9%

0.0% $550–$749 +12.3 pts ▸ 12.3%

0.0% $750 or more +3.3 pts ▸ 3.3%

Monthly mortgage distribution

0.0% $1,800–$2,999 +36.9 pts ▸ 36.9%

33.3% $1,000–$1,799 +1.7 pts ▸ 35.0%

0.0% Under $1,000 +12.4 pts ▸ 12.4%

0.0% $3,000 or more +11.3 pts ▸ 11.3%

Transport & Vehicles

PT stops in Boulia in Alice Springs +99 more in Alice Springs

0 0th pct 99 61st pct

Stops/1k in Boulia in Alice Springs +3.82 more in Alice Springs

0.00 0th pct 3.82 56th pct

Departures/1k in Boulia in Alice Springs +215.4 more in Alice Springs

0.0 0th pct 215.4 61st pct

PT routes in Boulia in Alice Springs +8 more in Alice Springs

0 0th pct 8 52nd pct

Stop walk in Boulia in Alice Springs

— 2 14th pct

How people get to work

35.8% Car (driver) +30.2 pts ▸ 66.0%

24.3% Walked ◂ +19.5 pts 4.8%

18.6% Worked at home ◂ +15.4 pts 3.2%

3.1% Car (passenger) +4.5 pts ▸ 7.6%

0.0% Bicycle +4.0 pts ▸ 4.0%

0.0% Bus +1.5 pts ▸ 1.5%

0.0% Train even 0.0%

Motor vehicles per home

39.3% 1 vehicle ◂ +2.2 pts 37.0%

20.7% 2 vehicles +13.9 pts ▸ 34.6%

15.6% 4 or more ◂ +8.8 pts 6.7%

6.7% 3 vehicles +6.3 pts ▸ 13.0%

12.6% No vehicle ◂ +3.9 pts 8.7%

Migration & Movement

Jobs & Industry

Industries people work in

45.1% Agriculture, forestry & fishing ◂ +44.7 pts 0.4%

1.3% Health care & social assistance +21.2 pts ▸ 22.5%

15.9% Public administration & safety +1.5 pts ▸ 17.4%

6.6% Education & training +2.8 pts ▸ 9.4%

9.3% Construction ◂ +2.1 pts 7.2%

5.3% Retail trade +2.3 pts ▸ 7.6%

4.0% Accommodation & food +1.8 pts ▸ 5.8%

2.2% Professional & technical +2.9 pts ▸ 5.1%

1.3% Other services +3.3 pts ▸ 4.6%

1.8% Transport & warehousing +1.7 pts ▸ 3.5%

1.8% Administrative & support +0.7 pts ▸ 2.5%

0.0% Arts & recreation +2.4 pts ▸ 2.4%

Occupations people work in

26.1% Managers ◂ +13.9 pts 12.3%

5.8% Professionals +19.6 pts ▸ 25.4%

23.9% Labourers ◂ +16.8 pts 7.1%

6.2% Community & personal service +11.4 pts ▸ 17.6%

11.1% Clerical & administrative +1.6 pts ▸ 12.7%

7.1% Technicians & trades +5.6 pts ▸ 12.6%

12.4% Machinery operators & drivers ◂ +8.8 pts 3.6%

3.5% Sales workers +2.6 pts ▸ 6.2%

Economy & Advantage

IRSAD decile in Boulia in Alice Springs +6 higher in Alice Springs

2 14th pct 8 71st pct

IRSD decile in Boulia in Alice Springs +6 higher in Alice Springs

1 0th pct 7 64th pct

IER decile in Boulia in Alice Springs +2 higher in Alice Springs

1 0th pct 3 29th pct

IEO decile in Boulia in Alice Springs +7 higher in Alice Springs

2 14th pct 9 86th pct

IRSAD score in Boulia in Alice Springs +114 higher in Alice Springs

890 14th pct 1,004 77th pct

ERP in Boulia in Alice Springs +30,386 higher in Alice Springs

489 5th pct 30,875 64th pct

Growth in Boulia in Alice Springs +4.4 pts higher in Alice Springs

4.0% 54th pct 8.4% 83rd pct

Businesses in Boulia in Alice Springs +2,086 higher in Alice Springs

60 5th pct 2,146 59th pct

Approvals in Boulia in Alice Springs +20 higher in Alice Springs

0 0th pct 20 35th pct

Environment & Climate

Rainfall in Boulia in Alice Springs +23 higher in Alice Springs

253 8th pct 276 10th pct

Max temp in Boulia in Alice Springs +3.1 higher in Boulia

34.0 97th pct 30.9 88th pct

Min temp in Boulia in Alice Springs +2.9 higher in Boulia

16.6 87th pct 13.7 74th pct

Crime & Safety

Crime rate in Boulia in Alice Springs

15,721 84th pct —

Assault/100k in Boulia in Alice Springs

3,493 87th pct —

Sexual/100k in Boulia in Alice Springs

437 86th pct —

Burglary/100k in Boulia in Alice Springs

1,965 93rd pct —

Theft/100k in Boulia in Alice Springs

437 8th pct —

Property damage/100k in Boulia in Alice Springs

2,402 89th pct —

Drugs/100k in Boulia in Alice Springs

218 24th pct —

5-yr change in Boulia in Alice Springs

2.9% 40th pct —

Walkability

Walk score in Boulia in Alice Springs +1.0 higher in Alice Springs

3.9 55th pct 4.9 72nd pct

Types ≤15 min in Boulia in Alice Springs +0.2 more in Alice Springs

4.5 65th pct 4.8 71st pct

15-min city in Boulia in Alice Springs +8.3 pts higher in Boulia

64.7% 74th pct 56.4% 65th pct

Walk to shops in Boulia in Alice Springs +7.5 pts higher in Boulia

64.6% 74th pct 57.1% 66th pct

Walk to transit in Boulia in Alice Springs +86.4 pts higher in Alice Springs

0.0% 0th pct 86.4% 80th pct

Walk to school in Boulia in Alice Springs +12.7 pts higher in Alice Springs

64.0% 65th pct 76.7% 78th pct

Walk to a park in Boulia in Alice Springs +25.5 pts higher in Alice Springs

65.3% 43rd pct 90.8% 75th pct

Walk to health in Boulia in Alice Springs +30.6 pts higher in Boulia

65.3% 82nd pct 34.7% 44th pct

Amenities/1k in Boulia in Alice Springs +25.4 more in Boulia

39.3 80th pct 13.9 29th pct

Intersections/km² in Boulia in Alice Springs +10 higher in Alice Springs

0 0th pct 10 72nd pct

Mean slope in Boulia in Alice Springs +0.6 pts higher in Alice Springs

2.4% 1st pct 2.9% 15th pct

Compare Boulia with nearby areas

Cloncurry Diamantina Mount Isa Winton McKinlay Burke Barcoo Richmond

Compare Alice Springs with nearby areas

MacDonnell Central Desert Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yunkunytjatjara Barkly Boulia Coober Pedy Diamantina Unincorporated SA

Cite this page

Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2021). Boulia vs Alice Springs [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/compare/lga/LGA30900/boulia/vs/LGA70200/alice-springs