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Major Cities of Australia vs Outer Regional Australia

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

Remoteness Area comparison ≈ 903 km apart · Major Cities of Australia profile · Outer Regional Australia profile

Major Cities of Australia Outer Regional Australia

Major Cities of Australia and Outer Regional Australia are very different environments. Major Cities of Australia is very walkable, with 96.1% of homes within a 10-minute walk of public transport, while Outer Regional Australia is mostly car-dependent. The cities are far more diverse, with 35.3% of people born overseas and 33.5% using another language at home, compared to 15.0% and 8.6% in the outer regional areas. Educational and income gaps are also stark; 31.7% of city adults hold a bachelor degree or higher and typical weekly household income is $2,009, while in Outer Regional Australia these figures are 14.8% and $1,502.

Both areas share very similar rates of unemployment, which sit at about 5%. They also have nearly identical proportions of children under 15 and people providing unpaid care. While they are similar in these daily rhythms, other gaps are widening. Since 2011, the difference in typical household income has more than doubled, and the gap in people working from home has grown from a nearly equal split to a 27.4% lead for Major Cities of Australia.

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Where they differ most

Work from home: 27.4 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia Other language: 24.9 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia Separate houses: 24.2 pts higher in Outer Regional Australia Population: 5,391,920 larger in Major Cities of Australia Born overseas: 20.4 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia

Demographics & Identity

Population in Major Cities of Australia in Outer Regional Australia +5,391,920 larger in Major Cities of Australia gap widening

6,080,428 100th pct 688,508 82nd pct

Median age in Major Cities of Australia in Outer Regional Australia +3 yrs older in Outer Regional Australia gap widening

37 yrs 25th pct 40 yrs 43rd pct

Age structure

29.8% Young adults (25–44) ◂ +4.4 pts 25.4%

23.9% Older adults (45–64) +2.8 pts ▸ 26.7%

18.3% Children (0–14) +0.5 pts ▸ 18.8%

15.8% Seniors (65+) +1.5 pts ▸ 17.3%

12.2% Youth (15–24) ◂ +0.4 pts 11.8%

Marital status

47.7% Married ◂ +4.5 pts 43.1%

36.5% Never married +1.5 pts ▸ 38.0%

8.1% Divorced +2.0 pts ▸ 10.1%

4.7% Widowed +0.1 pts ▸ 4.8%

3.0% Separated +0.9 pts ▸ 3.9%

Age & sex structure

Major Cities of Australia Outer 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 +15.3 pts ▸ 75.4%

4.0% China ◂ +3.7 pts 0.3%

3.2% India ◂ +2.5 pts 0.7%

2.9% England ◂ +0.2 pts 2.7%

1.6% New Zealand +0.7 pts ▸ 2.3%

1.6% Philippines ◂ +0.6 pts 1.0%

1.6% Vietnam ◂ +1.4 pts 0.1%

1.0% Nepal ◂ +0.9 pts 0.1%

0.7% South Africa ◂ +0.2 pts 0.5%

0.7% Italy ◂ +0.3 pts 0.4%

Ancestry

26.1% English +10.1 pts ▸ 36.2%

24.6% Australian +10.8 pts ▸ 35.5%

8.1% Irish +2.5 pts ▸ 10.6%

6.7% Scottish +3.0 pts ▸ 9.8%

9.3% Chinese ◂ +8.0 pts 1.3%

2.6% German +3.2 pts ▸ 5.8%

4.1% Italian +1.0 pts ▸ 5.1%

4.1% Indian ◂ +3.2 pts 0.9%

2.3% Filipino ◂ +0.9 pts 1.4%

2.2% Greek ◂ +1.7 pts 0.5%

2.0% Vietnamese ◂ +1.8 pts 0.2%

1.0% Dutch +0.3 pts ▸ 1.3%

Language

Language used at home

61.2% English only +20.3 pts ▸ 81.5%

4.4% Mandarin ◂ +4.0 pts 0.4%

3.7% Arabic ◂ +3.6 pts 0.1%

2.4% Cantonese ◂ +2.2 pts 0.2%

1.9% Vietnamese ◂ +1.7 pts 0.2%

1.3% Hindi ◂ +1.2 pts 0.1%

1.3% Greek ◂ +1.1 pts 0.1%

1.0% Italian ◂ +0.4 pts 0.6%

0.8% Tagalog ◂ +0.4 pts 0.4%

0.8% Punjabi ◂ +0.4 pts 0.4%

Religion

Religious affiliation

46.2% Christianity +1.2 pts ▸ 47.4%

32.2% No religion +6.2 pts ▸ 38.4%

6.5% Not stated +5.0 pts ▸ 11.5%

5.6% Islam ◂ +5.2 pts 0.4%

4.3% Hinduism ◂ +3.7 pts 0.6%

3.4% Buddhism ◂ +2.5 pts 0.9%

1.2% Other religions ◂ +0.4 pts 0.8%

0.6% Judaism ◂ +0.6 pts 0.1%

Education & Qualifications

Highest year of school

64.4% Year 12 ◂ +16.8 pts 47.6%

16.5% Year 10 +7.5 pts ▸ 24.0%

8.7% Year 9 or below +1.2 pts ▸ 9.8%

4.2% Year 11 +3.2 pts ▸ 7.5%

Highest qualification level

20.0% Certificate III / IV +15.4 pts ▸ 35.4%

31.8% Bachelor degree ◂ +14.0 pts 17.8%

14.7% Advanced diploma / diploma ◂ +1.4 pts 13.3%

13.4% Postgraduate degree ◂ +9.1 pts 4.3%

3.3% Graduate diploma / certificate ◂ +0.5 pts 2.7%

1.5% Certificate I / II +1.1 pts ▸ 2.7%

Field of qualification

23.7% Management & commerce ◂ +10.1 pts 13.6%

12.5% Engineering & related +4.4 pts ▸ 16.9%

12.2% Society & culture ◂ +1.9 pts 10.3%

9.2% Health +1.0 pts ▸ 10.2%

6.9% Education +1.0 pts ▸ 7.9%

4.1% Food, hospitality & personal services +1.8 pts ▸ 5.9%

5.0% Architecture & building +0.4 pts ▸ 5.4%

4.8% Information technology ◂ +3.7 pts 1.1%

4.6% Creative arts ◂ +2.7 pts 1.9%

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

1.1% Agriculture & environment +1.6 pts ▸ 2.7%

Income

Personal income in Major Cities of Australia in Outer Regional Australia +$93 higher in Major Cities of Australia gap widening

$862 72nd pct $769 58th pct

Household income in Major Cities of Australia in Outer Regional Australia +$507 higher in Major Cities of Australia gap widening

$2,009 81st pct $1,502 53rd pct

Family income in Major Cities of Australia in Outer Regional Australia +$432 higher in Major Cities of Australia gap widening

$2,326 86th pct $1,894 58th pct

Household income distribution

29.2% $1,500–$2,999 ◂ +0.2 pts 29.0%

22.5% $650–$1,499 +5.7 pts ▸ 28.2%

17.2% $4,000 or more ◂ +9.7 pts 7.5%

13.9% Under $650 +3.0 pts ▸ 16.9%

11.5% $3,000–$3,999 ◂ +2.7 pts 8.8%

Personal income distribution

37.9% Under $650 +0.5 pts ▸ 38.3%

29.7% $650–$1,499 +1.3 pts ▸ 31.0%

19.4% $1,500–$2,999 ◂ +3.5 pts 15.8%

6.6% $3,000 or more ◂ +3.5 pts 3.1%

Health & Disability

Long-term health conditions reported

7.3% Arthritis +1.5 pts ▸ 8.8%

7.3% Mental health +1.3 pts ▸ 8.6%

7.6% Other condition ◂ +0.1 pts 7.5%

7.2% Asthma +0.3 pts ▸ 7.5%

4.7% Diabetes even 4.7%

3.5% Heart disease +0.7 pts ▸ 4.2%

2.5% Cancer +0.5 pts ▸ 3.0%

1.4% Lung condition +0.8 pts ▸ 2.1%

0.8% Stroke +0.2 pts ▸ 1.0%

0.7% Dementia even 0.7%

Number of long-term health conditions

67.6% None ◂ +7.4 pts 60.2%

17.4% One condition +0.8 pts ▸ 18.2%

5.0% Two conditions +0.9 pts ▸ 6.0%

2.5% Three or more +0.7 pts ▸ 3.3%

Community Participation

First Nations

First Nations people in Major Cities of Australia in Outer Regional Australia +77,019 larger in Major Cities of Australia

135,921 100th pct 58,902 89th pct

Median age in Major Cities of Australia in Outer 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 Outer Regional Australia +$104 higher in Major Cities of Australia

$652 81st pct $548 58th pct

Household income in Major Cities of Australia in Outer Regional Australia +$325 higher in Major Cities of Australia

$1,746 83rd pct $1,421 59th pct

Family & Households

Household size in Major Cities of Australia in Outer 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 ◂ +9.1 pts 52.2%

23.9% Couples without children +6.4 pts ▸ 30.3%

13.5% One-parent families +2.7 pts ▸ 16.3%

1.2% Other families even 1.2%

Household size

31.3% 2 people +5.3 pts ▸ 36.5%

23.8% 1 person +3.3 pts ▸ 27.1%

17.0% 3 people ◂ +2.5 pts 14.5%

16.9% 4 people ◂ +4.1 pts 12.9%

7.1% 5 people ◂ +1.3 pts 5.7%

3.9% 6 or more ◂ +0.7 pts 3.2%

Housing & Dwellings

Rent in Major Cities of Australia in Outer Regional Australia +$160 higher in Major Cities of Australia gap widening

$450 100th pct $290 64th pct

Mortgage in Major Cities of Australia in Outer Regional Australia +$783 higher in Major Cities of Australia gap widening

$2,300 100th pct $1,517 57th pct

People / bedroom in Major Cities of Australia in Outer Regional Australia +0.10 higher in Major Cities of Australia gap steady

0.90 71st pct 0.80 43rd pct

How homes are owned or rented

35.2% Rented ◂ +2.6 pts 32.5%

33.2% Owned with a mortgage ◂ +1.1 pts 32.1%

28.6% Owned outright +2.6 pts ▸ 31.2%

1.7% Other tenure +0.5 pts ▸ 2.1%

1.3% Not stated +0.7 pts ▸ 2.0%

Types of homes

58.4% Separate house +24.2 pts ▸ 82.6%

27.8% Flat or apartment ◂ +20.4 pts 7.5%

13.1% Townhouse / semi-detached ◂ +4.9 pts 8.2%

0.5% Other dwelling +0.7 pts ▸ 1.2%

Bedrooms per home

32.6% 3 bedrooms +7.7 pts ▸ 40.2%

24.4% 4 bedrooms +4.2 pts ▸ 28.5%

24.9% 2 bedrooms ◂ +7.0 pts 18.0%

8.5% 5 or more ◂ +2.7 pts 5.8%

7.6% 1 bedroom ◂ +2.9 pts 4.6%

0.8% Studio / none even 0.8%

Weekly rent distribution

14.1% $200–$349 +31.4 pts ▸ 45.6%

43.5% $350–$549 ◂ +14.5 pts 29.0%

20.6% $550–$749 ◂ +18.1 pts 2.5%

8.9% Under $200 +9.6 pts ▸ 18.4%

9.7% $750 or more ◂ +9.2 pts 0.5%

Monthly mortgage distribution

18.3% $1,000–$1,799 +22.2 pts ▸ 40.5%

33.3% $1,800–$2,999 ◂ +8.7 pts 24.6%

30.7% $3,000 or more ◂ +23.4 pts 7.4%

11.3% Under $1,000 +10.3 pts ▸ 21.6%

Transport & Vehicles

How people get to work

37.3% Car (driver) +26.4 pts ▸ 63.7%

36.2% Worked at home ◂ +27.4 pts 8.7%

2.7% Car (passenger) +2.7 pts ▸ 5.5%

2.2% Walked +1.2 pts ▸ 3.4%

2.2% Train ◂ +2.2 pts 0.0%

1.1% Bus +0.2 pts ▸ 1.3%

0.4% Bicycle +0.4 pts ▸ 0.8%

Motor vehicles per home

39.6% 1 vehicle ◂ +4.7 pts 34.9%

33.6% 2 vehicles +5.0 pts ▸ 38.6%

10.4% 3 vehicles +3.4 pts ▸ 13.8%

10.6% No vehicle ◂ +5.4 pts 5.2%

5.8% 4 or more +1.6 pts ▸ 7.4%

Migration & Movement

Jobs & Industry

Industries people work in

14.1% Health care & social assistance +0.2 pts ▸ 14.3%

10.2% Professional & technical ◂ +6.4 pts 3.8%

8.9% Retail trade +0.1 pts ▸ 9.0%

8.6% Education & training even 8.6%

8.3% Construction ◂ +0.2 pts 8.1%

5.8% Accommodation & food +2.2 pts ▸ 8.0%

5.8% Public administration & safety +2.0 pts ▸ 7.8%

0.4% Agriculture, forestry & fishing +6.3 pts ▸ 6.7%

6.4% Finance & insurance ◂ +5.3 pts 1.1%

5.4% Manufacturing ◂ +0.7 pts 4.7%

0.5% Mining +4.7 pts ▸ 5.2%

4.9% Transport & warehousing ◂ +0.1 pts 4.8%

Occupations people work in

28.4% Professionals ◂ +12.0 pts 16.4%

11.0% Technicians & trades +4.2 pts ▸ 15.2%

14.5% Managers ◂ +2.0 pts 12.5%

13.6% Clerical & administrative ◂ +2.3 pts 11.3%

9.9% Community & personal service +3.4 pts ▸ 13.3%

7.1% Labourers +4.9 pts ▸ 12.0%

5.7% Machinery operators & drivers +3.2 pts ▸ 8.9%

7.9% Sales workers +0.5 pts ▸ 8.4%

Walkability

Walk score in Major Cities of Australia in Outer Regional Australia +3.7 higher in Major Cities of Australia

7.1 100th pct 3.4 54th pct

Types ≤15 min in Major Cities of Australia in Outer Regional Australia +3.1 more in Major Cities of Australia

6.6 100th pct 3.4 40th pct

15-min city in Major Cities of Australia in Outer Regional Australia +41.1 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia

82.4% 100th pct 41.3% 44th pct

Walk to shops in Major Cities of Australia in Outer Regional Australia +36.0 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia

78.0% 96th pct 42.0% 39th pct

Walk to transit in Major Cities of Australia in Outer Regional Australia +62.1 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia

96.1% 99th pct 34.1% 41st pct

Walk to school in Major Cities of Australia in Outer Regional Australia +41.9 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia

87.0% 100th pct 45.2% 44th pct

Walk to a park in Major Cities of Australia in Outer Regional Australia +29.2 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia

96.8% 93rd pct 67.6% 58th pct

Walk to health in Major Cities of Australia in Outer Regional Australia +34.0 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia

66.3% 97th pct 32.3% 44th pct

Amenities/1k in Major Cities of Australia in Outer Regional Australia +0.6 more in Major Cities of Australia

13.4 8th pct 12.9 3rd pct

Intersections/km² in Major Cities of Australia in Outer Regional Australia +87 higher in Major Cities of Australia

87 88th pct 1 43rd pct

Mean slope in Major Cities of Australia in Outer Regional Australia +1.5 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia

7.0% 86th pct 5.4% 58th 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 Outer Regional Australia with nearby areas

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

Cite this page

Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2021). Major Cities of Australia vs Outer 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/RA32/outer-regional-australia