Compare

Major Cities of Australia vs Inner Regional Australia

Name: Major Cities of Australia vs Inner Regional Australia — 2021 Census comparison
Creator: Australian Bureau of Statistics
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Remoteness Area comparison ≈ 654 km apart · Major Cities of Australia profile · Inner Regional Australia profile

Major Cities of Australia Inner Regional Australia

Major Cities of Australia and Inner Regional Australia are very different in their makeup and layout. Major Cities of Australia is far more diverse, with 35.3% of people born overseas and 33.5% using a language other than English at home, compared to 11.5% and 5.8% in Inner Regional Australia. The cities also have a better-qualified workforce, with 31.7% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher, while the figure is 18.3% in Inner Regional Australia. Life in the cities is more walkable and urban, with 82.4% of homes in a 15-minute-city walkshed and a walkability score of 7.1 (very walkable), whereas Inner Regional Australia is more car-dependent with a score of 4.3 (somewhat walkable).

Both areas are almost identical in their share of children under 15, at around 18%. However, other gaps are widening. Inner Regional Australia is becoming older, with a typical resident aged 43 compared to 37 in the cities. Home ownership and housing also diverge more each year; Inner Regional Australia has far more separate houses (91.0%) and a higher share of outright home ownership (39.3%). Meanwhile, Major Cities of Australia has seen a sharp increase in people working from home, with 36.2% now doing so compared to 15.7% in Inner Regional Australia.

Open map →

Where they differ most

Other language: 27.7 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia Separate houses: 32.7 pts higher in Inner Regional Australia Born overseas: 23.8 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia Work from home: 20.5 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia 3+ bedrooms: 15.3 pts higher in Inner Regional Australia

Demographics & Identity

Population in Major Cities of Australia in Inner Regional Australia +4,865,463 larger in Major Cities of Australia gap widening

6,080,428 100th pct 1,214,965 87th pct

Median age in Major Cities of Australia in Inner Regional Australia +6 yrs older in Inner Regional Australia gap widening

37 yrs 25th pct 43 yrs 68th pct

Age structure

29.8% Young adults (25–44) ◂ +7.1 pts 22.7%

23.9% Older adults (45–64) +2.7 pts ▸ 26.6%

15.8% Seniors (65+) +6.4 pts ▸ 22.2%

18.3% Children (0–14) ◂ +0.5 pts 17.9%

12.2% Youth (15–24) ◂ +1.6 pts 10.7%

Marital status

47.7% Married ◂ +0.6 pts 47.0%

36.5% Never married ◂ +3.0 pts 33.5%

8.1% Divorced +1.8 pts ▸ 9.9%

4.7% Widowed +1.3 pts ▸ 6.0%

3.0% Separated +0.6 pts ▸ 3.6%

Age & sex structure

Major Cities of Australia Inner Regional Australia

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

Ancestry & Birthplace

Country of birth

60.1% Australia +21.8 pts ▸ 81.9%

4.0% China ◂ +3.7 pts 0.3%

3.2% India ◂ +2.5 pts 0.8%

2.9% England ◂ +0.1 pts 2.8%

1.6% Philippines ◂ +1.1 pts 0.5%

1.6% New Zealand ◂ +0.5 pts 1.1%

1.6% Vietnam ◂ +1.4 pts 0.1%

1.0% Nepal ◂ +0.9 pts 0.1%

0.7% South Africa ◂ +0.4 pts 0.3%

0.7% Italy ◂ +0.3 pts 0.4%

Ancestry

26.1% English +15.4 pts ▸ 41.5%

24.6% Australian +15.3 pts ▸ 40.0%

8.1% Irish +5.2 pts ▸ 13.3%

6.7% Scottish +5.2 pts ▸ 11.9%

9.3% Chinese ◂ +8.3 pts 1.0%

2.6% German +1.8 pts ▸ 4.4%

4.1% Italian ◂ +0.3 pts 3.8%

4.1% Indian ◂ +3.2 pts 0.8%

1.0% Dutch +1.4 pts ▸ 2.4%

2.3% Filipino ◂ +1.6 pts 0.7%

2.2% Greek ◂ +1.6 pts 0.6%

2.0% Vietnamese ◂ +1.8 pts 0.2%

Language

Language used at home

61.2% English only +26.6 pts ▸ 87.8%

4.4% Mandarin ◂ +3.9 pts 0.4%

3.7% Arabic ◂ +3.4 pts 0.2%

2.4% Cantonese ◂ +2.3 pts 0.1%

1.9% Vietnamese ◂ +1.8 pts 0.1%

1.3% Hindi ◂ +1.2 pts 0.1%

1.3% Greek ◂ +1.1 pts 0.2%

1.0% Italian ◂ +0.5 pts 0.5%

0.8% Tagalog ◂ +0.6 pts 0.2%

0.8% Punjabi ◂ +0.4 pts 0.4%

Religion

Religious affiliation

32.2% No religion +14.2 pts ▸ 46.5%

46.2% Christianity ◂ +3.5 pts 42.7%

6.5% Not stated +1.6 pts ▸ 8.1%

5.6% Islam ◂ +4.9 pts 0.7%

4.3% Hinduism ◂ +3.8 pts 0.5%

3.4% Buddhism ◂ +2.7 pts 0.8%

1.2% Other religions ◂ +0.5 pts 0.6%

0.6% Judaism ◂ +0.6 pts 0.1%

Education & Qualifications

Highest year of school

64.4% Year 12 ◂ +18.0 pts 46.4%

16.5% Year 10 +1.6 pts ▸ 18.1%

4.2% Year 11 +11.0 pts ▸ 15.3%

8.7% Year 9 or below +3.7 pts ▸ 12.4%

Highest qualification level

20.0% Certificate III / IV +13.5 pts ▸ 33.5%

31.8% Bachelor degree ◂ +11.6 pts 20.3%

14.7% Advanced diploma / diploma +0.9 pts ▸ 15.6%

13.4% Postgraduate degree ◂ +7.7 pts 5.7%

3.3% Graduate diploma / certificate +1.2 pts ▸ 4.5%

1.5% Certificate I / II +0.5 pts ▸ 2.0%

Field of qualification

23.7% Management & commerce ◂ +10.5 pts 13.3%

12.5% Engineering & related +1.6 pts ▸ 14.1%

12.2% Society & culture ◂ +0.2 pts 11.9%

9.2% Health +2.8 pts ▸ 11.9%

6.9% Education +3.0 pts ▸ 9.9%

5.0% Architecture & building +1.6 pts ▸ 6.6%

4.1% Food, hospitality & personal services +1.2 pts ▸ 5.3%

4.8% Information technology ◂ +3.3 pts 1.5%

4.6% Creative arts ◂ +1.6 pts 3.0%

1.1% Agriculture & environment +2.6 pts ▸ 3.7%

3.3% Natural & physical sciences ◂ +1.2 pts 2.1%

Income

Personal income in Major Cities of Australia in Inner Regional Australia +$140 higher in Major Cities of Australia gap widening

$862 72nd pct $722 45th pct

Household income in Major Cities of Australia in Inner Regional Australia +$587 higher in Major Cities of Australia gap widening

$2,009 81st pct $1,422 40th pct

Family income in Major Cities of Australia in Inner Regional Australia +$479 higher in Major Cities of Australia gap widening

$2,326 86th pct $1,847 53rd pct

Household income distribution

22.5% $650–$1,499 +7.6 pts ▸ 30.1%

29.2% $1,500–$2,999 ◂ +0.8 pts 28.4%

13.9% Under $650 +4.8 pts ▸ 18.7%

17.2% $4,000 or more ◂ +9.8 pts 7.4%

11.5% $3,000–$3,999 ◂ +3.3 pts 8.2%

Personal income distribution

37.9% Under $650 +4.2 pts ▸ 42.0%

29.7% $650–$1,499 +2.3 pts ▸ 32.0%

19.4% $1,500–$2,999 ◂ +4.8 pts 14.5%

6.6% $3,000 or more ◂ +3.5 pts 3.1%

Health & Disability

Long-term health conditions reported

7.3% Arthritis +4.0 pts ▸ 11.3%

7.3% Mental health +3.5 pts ▸ 10.9%

7.2% Asthma +2.7 pts ▸ 9.9%

7.6% Other condition +1.1 pts ▸ 8.7%

4.7% Diabetes +0.5 pts ▸ 5.2%

3.5% Heart disease +1.5 pts ▸ 5.0%

2.5% Cancer +1.1 pts ▸ 3.6%

1.4% Lung condition +1.0 pts ▸ 2.4%

0.8% Stroke +0.4 pts ▸ 1.2%

0.7% Dementia +0.1 pts ▸ 0.8%

Number of long-term health conditions

67.6% None ◂ +10.0 pts 57.6%

17.4% One condition +4.3 pts ▸ 21.7%

5.0% Two conditions +2.5 pts ▸ 7.5%

2.5% Three or more +1.6 pts ▸ 4.1%

Community Participation

First Nations

First Nations people in Major Cities of Australia in Inner Regional Australia +113,037 larger in Major Cities of Australia

135,921 100th pct 22,884 78th pct

Median age in Major Cities of Australia in Inner Regional Australia +1 yrs older in Major Cities of Australia

24 yrs 29th pct 23 yrs 14th pct

Median income in Major Cities of Australia in Inner Regional Australia +$76 higher in Major Cities of Australia

$652 81st pct $576 72nd pct

Household income in Major Cities of Australia in Inner Regional Australia +$341 higher in Major Cities of Australia

$1,746 83rd pct $1,405 57th pct

Family & Households

Household size in Major Cities of Australia in Inner Regional Australia +0.3 larger in Major Cities of Australia gap widening

2.7 86th pct 2.4 43rd pct

Family composition

61.4% Couples with children ◂ +7.6 pts 53.8%

23.9% Couples without children +7.1 pts ▸ 31.0%

13.5% One-parent families +0.8 pts ▸ 14.3%

1.2% Other families ◂ +0.3 pts 0.9%

Household size

31.3% 2 people +5.2 pts ▸ 36.5%

23.8% 1 person +4.5 pts ▸ 28.3%

17.0% 3 people ◂ +3.4 pts 13.6%

16.9% 4 people ◂ +3.9 pts 13.1%

7.1% 5 people ◂ +1.1 pts 5.9%

3.9% 6 or more ◂ +1.3 pts 2.6%

Housing & Dwellings

Rent in Major Cities of Australia in Inner Regional Australia +$165 higher in Major Cities of Australia gap widening

$450 100th pct $285 62nd pct

Mortgage in Major Cities of Australia in Inner Regional Australia +$800 higher in Major Cities of Australia gap narrowing

$2,300 100th pct $1,500 55th pct

People / bedroom in Major Cities of Australia in Inner Regional Australia +0.20 higher in Major Cities of Australia gap widening

0.90 71st pct 0.70 0th pct

How homes are owned or rented

28.6% Owned outright +10.7 pts ▸ 39.3%

35.2% Rented ◂ +13.3 pts 21.9%

33.2% Owned with a mortgage +1.9 pts ▸ 35.1%

1.7% Other tenure +0.2 pts ▸ 1.9%

1.3% Not stated +0.5 pts ▸ 1.8%

Types of homes

58.4% Separate house +32.7 pts ▸ 91.0%

27.8% Flat or apartment ◂ +26.3 pts 1.6%

13.1% Townhouse / semi-detached ◂ +6.6 pts 6.5%

0.5% Other dwelling +0.3 pts ▸ 0.8%

Bedrooms per home

32.6% 3 bedrooms +14.3 pts ▸ 46.9%

24.4% 4 bedrooms +4.4 pts ▸ 28.8%

24.9% 2 bedrooms ◂ +10.4 pts 14.5%

8.5% 5 or more ◂ +3.4 pts 5.1%

7.6% 1 bedroom ◂ +4.8 pts 2.8%

0.8% Studio / none ◂ +0.5 pts 0.3%

Weekly rent distribution

14.1% $200–$349 +35.0 pts ▸ 49.1%

43.5% $350–$549 ◂ +18.1 pts 25.4%

20.6% $550–$749 ◂ +18.7 pts 1.9%

8.9% Under $200 +9.9 pts ▸ 18.7%

9.7% $750 or more ◂ +9.1 pts 0.6%

Monthly mortgage distribution

18.3% $1,000–$1,799 +21.0 pts ▸ 39.3%

33.3% $1,800–$2,999 ◂ +9.7 pts 23.6%

30.7% $3,000 or more ◂ +22.3 pts 8.5%

11.3% Under $1,000 +11.4 pts ▸ 22.7%

Transport & Vehicles

How people get to work

37.3% Car (driver) +24.2 pts ▸ 61.4%

36.2% Worked at home ◂ +20.5 pts 15.7%

2.7% Car (passenger) +1.5 pts ▸ 4.3%

2.2% Walked +0.8 pts ▸ 3.0%

2.2% Train ◂ +2.0 pts 0.2%

1.1% Bus ◂ +0.8 pts 0.3%

0.4% Bicycle +0.1 pts ▸ 0.5%

Motor vehicles per home

39.6% 1 vehicle ◂ +7.0 pts 32.6%

33.6% 2 vehicles +5.2 pts ▸ 38.8%

10.4% 3 vehicles +4.4 pts ▸ 14.8%

10.6% No vehicle ◂ +6.3 pts 4.3%

5.8% 4 or more +3.7 pts ▸ 9.5%

Migration & Movement

Jobs & Industry

Industries people work in

14.1% Health care & social assistance +1.7 pts ▸ 15.8%

8.3% Construction +2.6 pts ▸ 10.8%

10.2% Professional & technical ◂ +5.6 pts 4.7%

8.9% Retail trade +0.4 pts ▸ 9.3%

8.6% Education & training +0.1 pts ▸ 8.7%

5.4% Manufacturing +2.5 pts ▸ 7.9%

6.4% Finance & insurance ◂ +4.5 pts 1.9%

5.8% Public administration & safety +0.6 pts ▸ 6.4%

5.8% Accommodation & food +0.6 pts ▸ 6.4%

0.4% Agriculture, forestry & fishing +5.6 pts ▸ 6.0%

4.9% Transport & warehousing ◂ +1.1 pts 3.8%

3.3% Other services +0.5 pts ▸ 3.8%

Occupations people work in

28.4% Professionals ◂ +9.7 pts 18.8%

11.0% Technicians & trades +4.2 pts ▸ 15.1%

14.5% Managers ◂ +0.3 pts 14.2%

13.6% Clerical & administrative ◂ +2.4 pts 11.2%

9.9% Community & personal service +2.7 pts ▸ 12.5%

7.1% Labourers +4.6 pts ▸ 11.6%

7.9% Sales workers +0.5 pts ▸ 8.4%

5.7% Machinery operators & drivers +0.5 pts ▸ 6.2%

Walkability

Walk score in Major Cities of Australia in Inner Regional Australia +2.8 higher in Major Cities of Australia

7.1 100th pct 4.3 75th pct

Types ≤15 min in Major Cities of Australia in Inner Regional Australia +2.3 more in Major Cities of Australia

6.6 100th pct 4.2 74th pct

15-min city in Major Cities of Australia in Inner Regional Australia +34.4 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia

82.4% 100th pct 48.0% 71st pct

Walk to shops in Major Cities of Australia in Inner Regional Australia +29.1 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia

78.0% 96th pct 48.9% 66th pct

Walk to transit in Major Cities of Australia in Inner Regional Australia +34.0 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia

96.1% 99th pct 62.2% 76th pct

Walk to school in Major Cities of Australia in Inner Regional Australia +32.7 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia

87.0% 100th pct 54.3% 68th pct

Walk to a park in Major Cities of Australia in Inner Regional Australia +19.3 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia

96.8% 93rd pct 77.5% 74th pct

Walk to health in Major Cities of Australia in Inner Regional Australia +30.2 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia

66.3% 97th pct 36.1% 56th pct

Amenities/1k in Major Cities of Australia in Inner Regional Australia +4.1 more in Inner Regional Australia

13.4 8th pct 17.5 36th pct

Intersections/km² in Major Cities of Australia in Inner Regional Australia +84 higher in Major Cities of Australia

87 88th pct 3 69th pct

Mean slope in Major Cities of Australia in Inner Regional Australia +2.0 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia

7.0% 86th pct 5.0% 48th pct

Compare Major Cities of Australia with nearby areas

Inner Regional Australia Inner Regional Australia Major Cities of Australia Outer Regional Australia Inner Regional Australia Remote Australia Inner Regional Australia Major Cities of Australia Very Remote Australia Inner Regional Australia Major Cities of Australia Very Remote Australia

Compare Inner Regional Australia with nearby areas

Major Cities of Australia Outer Regional Australia Remote Australia Remote Australia Inner Regional Australia Very Remote Australia Major Cities of Australia Remote Australia Outer Regional Australia Inner Regional Australia Inner Regional Australia Very Remote Australia

Cite this page

Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2021). Major Cities of Australia vs Inner Regional Australia [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/compare/ra/RA10/major-cities-of-australia/vs/RA21/inner-regional-australia