# Remote Australia vs Major Cities of Australia — 2021 Census comparison

Remoteness Area comparison · about 585 km apart

Major Cities of Australia and Remote Australia are vastly different environments. Major Cities of Australia is very walkable and internationally diverse, with 35.5% of people born overseas and 33.9% using a language other than English at home. It also has a more highly qualified workforce, where 32.7% of adults hold a bachelor degree or higher. In contrast, Remote Australia is mostly car-dependent and has a much stronger First Nations presence, with 16.5% of its population identifying as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander. Housing also differs sharply; 41% of homes in Remote Australia are owned outright, compared to 29.6% in the cities.

Both areas are similar in the share of people who need help with daily activities, which sits around 5%. While they share this commonality, other gaps have widened since 2011. The difference in education has grown, with the gap in Year 12 completion now at 32.4 points. The cost of living has also diverged; the typical monthly mortgage payment in Major Cities of Australia is now $1,042 higher than in Remote Australia.

## Where they differ most

- Population: 4,992,196 larger in Major Cities of Australia
- Born overseas: 29.0 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia
- Other language: 29.9 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia
- Year 12: 32.4 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia
- Rent: $208 higher in Major Cities of Australia

## Demographics & Identity

| Statistic | Remote Australia | Major Cities of Australia | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Population | 26,219 | 5,018,415 | 4,992,196 larger in Major Cities of Australia | gap widening |
| Median age | 41 yrs | 37 yrs | 4 yrs older in Remote Australia | gap widening |
| First Nations | 16.5% | 0.7% | 15.9 pts higher in Remote Australia | gap steady |
| Aged 65+ | 18.9% | 15.1% | 3.8 pts higher in Remote Australia | gap widening |
| Under 15 | 20.0% | 18.1% | 1.9 pts higher in Remote Australia | gap narrowing |
| De facto | 13.9% | 10.8% | 3.1 pts higher in Remote Australia | gap steady |

### Age structure

| Category | Remote Australia % | Major Cities of Australia % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Young adults (25–44) | 23.7% | 31.1% | -7.3 |
| Older adults (45–64) | 27.2% | 23.4% | +3.7 |
| Children (0–14) | 20.0% | 18.1% | +1.9 |
| Seniors (65+) | 18.9% | 15.1% | +3.8 |
| Youth (15–24) | 10.2% | 12.3% | -2.1 |

### Marital status

| Category | Remote Australia % | Major Cities of Australia % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Married | 44.4% | 46.8% | -2.3 |
| Never married | 37.0% | 38.1% | -1.1 |
| Divorced | 8.2% | 7.7% | +0.5 |
| Widowed | 6.4% | 4.6% | +1.8 |
| Separated | 3.9% | 2.9% | +1.1 |

### Age profile

Share of each region's population by age band and sex.

| Age band | Remote Australia male | Remote Australia female | Major Cities of Australia male | Major Cities of Australia female |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 0–4 | 3.4% | 3.3% | 3.0% | 2.9% |
| 5–9 | 3.6% | 3.3% | 3.2% | 3.0% |
| 10–14 | 3.3% | 3.1% | 3.0% | 2.9% |
| 15–19 | 2.7% | 2.7% | 2.9% | 2.7% |
| 20–24 | 2.5% | 2.4% | 3.4% | 3.3% |
| 25–29 | 3.0% | 3.1% | 4.0% | 3.9% |
| 30–34 | 3.3% | 3.3% | 4.0% | 4.2% |
| 35–39 | 2.8% | 2.9% | 4.0% | 4.1% |
| 40–44 | 2.6% | 2.6% | 3.4% | 3.5% |
| 45–49 | 2.8% | 3.0% | 3.2% | 3.3% |
| 50–54 | 3.4% | 3.2% | 3.0% | 3.2% |
| 55–59 | 3.8% | 3.4% | 2.7% | 2.9% |
| 60–64 | 3.9% | 3.6% | 2.4% | 2.6% |
| 65–69 | 3.4% | 2.6% | 2.1% | 2.3% |
| 70–74 | 2.7% | 2.2% | 1.8% | 2.1% |
| 75–79 | 1.8% | 1.7% | 1.3% | 1.5% |
| 80–84 | 1.2% | 1.3% | 0.9% | 1.1% |
| 85+ | 0.9% | 1.2% | 0.8% | 1.3% |

## Ancestry & Birthplace

| Statistic | Remote Australia | Major Cities of Australia | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Born overseas | 6.5% | 35.5% | 29.0 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia | gap widening |

### Country of birth

| Category | Remote Australia % | Major Cities of Australia % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Australia | 76.3% | 60.2% | +16.1 |
| India | 0.6% | 4.9% | -4.3 |
| China | 0.2% | 3.3% | -3.1 |
| England | 0.8% | 2.7% | -1.9 |
| Vietnam | 0.1% | 1.8% | -1.8 |
| New Zealand | 0.8% | 1.7% | -0.9 |
| Philippines | 0.5% | 1.2% | -0.7 |
| Italy | 0.1% | 1.2% | -1.1 |
| South Africa | 0.3% | 0.5% | -0.3 |
| Nepal | 0.1% | 0.4% | -0.3 |

### Ancestry

| Category | Remote Australia % | Major Cities of Australia % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Australian | 38.9% | 23.5% | +15.4 |
| English | 32.5% | 25.7% | +6.8 |
| Irish | 9.9% | 8.4% | +1.5 |
| Scottish | 8.7% | 7.2% | +1.5 |
| Chinese | 0.5% | 8.2% | -7.7 |
| Italian | 1.1% | 6.5% | -5.4 |
| Indian | 0.6% | 5.3% | -4.7 |
| Greek | 0.2% | 3.4% | -3.2 |
| German | 3.2% | 2.9% | +0.3 |
| Vietnamese | 0.1% | 2.4% | -2.3 |
| Filipino | 0.6% | 1.7% | -1.1 |
| Dutch | 0.6% | 1.5% | -1.0 |

## Language

| Statistic | Remote Australia | Major Cities of Australia | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Other language | 4.0% | 33.9% | 29.9 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia | gap widening |
| Limited English | 0.5% | 5.4% | 4.9 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia | gap steady |

### Language used at home

| Category | Remote Australia % | Major Cities of Australia % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| English only | 79.5% | 61.3% | +18.2 |
| Mandarin | 0.2% | 4.3% | -4.0 |
| Vietnamese | 0.1% | 2.3% | -2.2 |
| Greek | 0.1% | 2.1% | -2.0 |
| Punjabi | 0.2% | 2.0% | -1.8 |
| Arabic | 0.1% | 1.8% | -1.7 |
| Italian | 0.1% | 1.7% | -1.6 |
| Cantonese | 0.1% | 1.6% | -1.5 |
| Hindi | 0.0% | 1.3% | -1.3 |
| Tagalog | 0.2% | 0.5% | -0.3 |

## Religion

| Statistic | Remote Australia | Major Cities of Australia | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| No religion | 26.0% | 37.3% | 11.4 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia | gap steady |

### Religious affiliation

| Category | Remote Australia % | Major Cities of Australia % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Christianity | 55.1% | 40.3% | +14.8 |
| No religion | 26.0% | 37.3% | -11.4 |
| Not stated | 17.4% | 6.2% | +11.2 |
| Islam | 0.3% | 5.2% | -4.9 |
| Hinduism | 0.5% | 4.1% | -3.6 |
| Buddhism | 0.4% | 3.8% | -3.4 |
| Other religions | 0.3% | 2.1% | -1.8 |
| Judaism | 0.0% | 0.9% | -0.9 |

## Education & Qualifications

| Statistic | Remote Australia | Major Cities of Australia | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Year 12 | 34.4% | 66.8% | 32.4 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia | gap widening |
| Bachelor+ | 10.5% | 32.7% | 22.2 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia | gap widening |

### Highest year of school

| Category | Remote Australia % | Major Cities of Australia % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Year 12 | 34.4% | 66.8% | -32.4 |
| Year 10 | 26.3% | 9.6% | +16.8 |
| Year 9 or below | 14.0% | 9.3% | +4.7 |
| Year 11 | 6.8% | 8.7% | -1.8 |

### Highest qualification level

| Category | Remote Australia % | Major Cities of Australia % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Bachelor degree | 14.9% | 32.4% | -17.5 |
| Certificate III / IV | 28.7% | 19.3% | +9.4 |
| Advanced diploma / diploma | 11.1% | 15.4% | -4.2 |
| Postgraduate degree | 2.1% | 13.6% | -11.5 |
| Graduate diploma / certificate | 1.9% | 4.6% | -2.7 |
| Certificate I / II | 2.6% | 1.3% | +1.3 |

### Field of qualification

| Category | Remote Australia % | Major Cities of Australia % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Management & commerce | 10.4% | 20.8% | -10.5 |
| Engineering & related | 12.8% | 12.3% | +0.4 |
| Society & culture | 6.9% | 12.5% | -5.7 |
| Health | 8.1% | 10.0% | -1.9 |
| Agriculture & environment | 8.4% | 1.2% | +7.2 |
| Education | 8.2% | 7.5% | +0.7 |
| Architecture & building | 3.3% | 5.2% | -1.9 |
| Information technology | 0.5% | 5.2% | -4.7 |
| Creative arts | 1.0% | 4.8% | -3.8 |
| Food, hospitality & personal services | 3.5% | 4.6% | -1.1 |
| Natural & physical sciences | 1.1% | 3.8% | -2.7 |

## Income

| Statistic | Remote Australia | Major Cities of Australia | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Personal income | $736 | $838 | $102 higher in Major Cities of Australia | gap steady |
| Household income | $1,353 | $1,888 | $535 higher in Major Cities of Australia | gap widening |
| Family income | $1,762 | $2,236 | $474 higher in Major Cities of Australia | gap widening |
| High earners | 8.3% | 13.5% | 5.3 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia | gap widening |
| High-income homes | 14.0% | 25.1% | 11.2 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia | gap widening |

### Household income distribution

| Category | Remote Australia % | Major Cities of Australia % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| $1,500–$2,999 | 26.1% | 30.9% | -4.8 |
| $650–$1,499 | 27.8% | 24.0% | +3.7 |
| Under $650 | 20.7% | 14.1% | +6.6 |
| $4,000 or more | 7.2% | 14.0% | -6.9 |
| $3,000–$3,999 | 6.8% | 11.1% | -4.3 |

### Personal income distribution

| Category | Remote Australia % | Major Cities of Australia % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Under $650 | 37.0% | 38.8% | -1.9 |
| $650–$1,499 | 27.3% | 30.7% | -3.4 |
| $1,500–$2,999 | 13.5% | 18.8% | -5.3 |
| $3,000 or more | 3.1% | 5.5% | -2.4 |

## Health & Disability

| Statistic | Remote Australia | Major Cities of Australia | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Health condition | 27.1% | 25.7% | 1.4 pts higher in Remote Australia |  |
| Mental health | 6.4% | 8.2% | 1.8 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia |  |
| Needs assistance | 4.9% | 5.6% | 0.7 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia | gap steady |

### Long-term health conditions reported

| Category | Remote Australia % | Major Cities of Australia % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Asthma | 9.4% | 7.9% | +1.5 |
| Arthritis | 8.9% | 7.0% | +2.0 |
| Mental health | 6.4% | 8.2% | -1.8 |
| Other condition | 5.2% | 7.8% | -2.6 |
| Diabetes | 5.5% | 4.5% | +1.0 |
| Heart disease | 4.5% | 3.3% | +1.2 |
| Cancer | 2.8% | 2.5% | +0.3 |
| Lung condition | 2.3% | 1.2% | +1.1 |
| Stroke | 1.0% | 0.8% | +0.1 |
| Dementia | 0.7% | 0.7% | 0.0 |

### Number of long-term health conditions

| Category | Remote Australia % | Major Cities of Australia % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| None | 53.7% | 67.3% | -13.6 |
| One condition | 17.4% | 18.0% | -0.6 |
| Two conditions | 6.1% | 5.2% | +0.9 |
| Three or more | 3.7% | 2.5% | +1.2 |

## Community Participation

| Statistic | Remote Australia | Major Cities of Australia | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Volunteering | 19.0% | 12.0% | 6.9 pts higher in Remote Australia | gap narrowing |
| Unpaid carers | 10.9% | 12.6% | 1.6 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia | gap widening |
| Unpaid child care | 22.7% | 26.5% | 3.8 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia | gap widening |
| Defence service | 1.7% | 1.6% | 0.1 pts higher in Remote Australia |  |
| Housework 15h+ | 19.2% | 19.0% | 0.1 pts higher in Remote Australia | gap narrowing |

## First Nations

| Statistic | Remote Australia | Major Cities of Australia | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| First Nations people | 4,339 | 34,553 | 30,214 larger in Major Cities of Australia |  |
| Median age | 27 yrs | 25 yrs | 2 yrs older in Remote Australia |  |
| Year 12 | 26.4% | 49.1% | 22.7 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia |  |
| Unemployment | 11.7% | 8.9% | 2.8 pts higher in Remote Australia |  |
| Median income | $521 | $687 | $166 higher in Major Cities of Australia |  |
| Household income | $1,223 | $1,786 | $563 higher in Major Cities of Australia |  |
| Indigenous language | 2.2% | 6.2% | 4.0 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia |  |

## Family & Households

| Statistic | Remote Australia | Major Cities of Australia | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Household size | 2.4 | 2.6 | 0.2 larger in Major Cities of Australia | gap steady |
| One-parent | 15.6% | 13.1% | 2.6 pts higher in Remote Australia | gap steady |
| Living alone | 31.0% | 25.0% | 6.0 pts higher in Remote Australia | gap steady |

### Family composition

| Category | Remote Australia % | Major Cities of Australia % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Couples with children | 52.3% | 61.8% | -9.5 |
| Couples without children | 30.7% | 23.9% | +6.8 |
| One-parent families | 15.6% | 13.1% | +2.6 |
| Other families | 1.4% | 1.3% | +0.1 |

### Household size

| Category | Remote Australia % | Major Cities of Australia % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2 people | 35.0% | 31.3% | +3.7 |
| 1 person | 31.0% | 25.0% | +6.0 |
| 4 people | 10.9% | 17.1% | -6.2 |
| 3 people | 12.7% | 16.9% | -4.2 |
| 5 people | 6.7% | 6.5% | +0.1 |
| 6 or more | 3.9% | 3.2% | +0.7 |

## Housing & Dwellings

| Statistic | Remote Australia | Major Cities of Australia | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Rent | $180 | $388 | $208 higher in Major Cities of Australia | gap steady |
| Mortgage | $958 | $2,000 | $1,042 higher in Major Cities of Australia | gap widening |
| People / bedroom | 0.80 | 0.90 | 0.10 higher in Major Cities of Australia | gap steady |
| Renting | 26.8% | 30.6% | 3.8 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia | gap narrowing |
| Owned outright | 41.0% | 29.6% | 11.4 pts higher in Remote Australia | gap widening |
| Separate houses | 90.1% | 68.0% | 22.1 pts higher in Remote Australia | gap widening |
| 3+ bedrooms | 76.0% | 72.2% | 3.8 pts higher in Remote Australia | gap widening |

### How homes are owned or rented

| Category | Remote Australia % | Major Cities of Australia % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Owned outright | 41.0% | 29.6% | +11.4 |
| Owned with a mortgage | 21.1% | 36.8% | -15.7 |
| Rented | 26.8% | 30.6% | -3.8 |
| Other tenure | 8.3% | 1.6% | +6.7 |
| Not stated | 2.9% | 1.4% | +1.6 |

### Types of homes

| Category | Remote Australia % | Major Cities of Australia % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Separate house | 90.1% | 68.0% | +22.1 |
| Townhouse / semi-detached | 2.4% | 16.3% | -13.9 |
| Flat or apartment | 2.4% | 15.3% | -12.9 |
| Other dwelling | 2.7% | 0.3% | +2.4 |

### Bedrooms per home

| Category | Remote Australia % | Major Cities of Australia % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 3 bedrooms | 39.3% | 39.7% | -0.4 |
| 4 bedrooms | 28.2% | 26.8% | +1.4 |
| 2 bedrooms | 15.5% | 20.4% | -5.0 |
| 5 or more | 8.4% | 5.6% | +2.8 |
| 1 bedroom | 5.1% | 5.8% | -0.7 |
| Studio / none | 0.7% | 0.3% | +0.4 |

### Weekly rent distribution

| Category | Remote Australia % | Major Cities of Australia % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Under $200 | 51.0% | 7.2% | +43.7 |
| $350–$549 | 3.0% | 50.6% | -47.7 |
| $200–$349 | 34.6% | 24.4% | +10.2 |
| $550–$749 | 0.2% | 9.7% | -9.5 |
| $750 or more | 0.4% | 4.5% | -4.1 |

### Monthly mortgage distribution

| Category | Remote Australia % | Major Cities of Australia % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Under $1,000 | 47.2% | 13.1% | +34.1 |
| $1,800–$2,999 | 10.4% | 34.7% | -24.3 |
| $1,000–$1,799 | 26.1% | 25.7% | +0.4 |
| $3,000 or more | 8.6% | 20.0% | -11.4 |

## Transport & Vehicles

| Statistic | Remote Australia | Major Cities of Australia | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| No car | 5.9% | 8.6% | 2.7 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia | gap widening |
| Work from home | 15.9% | 28.5% | 12.6 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia | gap steady |
| PT commute | 1.1% | 3.5% | 2.4 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia | gap narrowing |

### How people get to work

| Category | Remote Australia % | Major Cities of Australia % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Car (driver) | 57.7% | 46.8% | +10.9 |
| Worked at home | 15.9% | 28.5% | -12.6 |
| Walked | 7.6% | 2.0% | +5.6 |
| Car (passenger) | 4.5% | 3.2% | +1.2 |
| Train | 0.0% | 2.0% | -2.0 |
| Bus | 1.0% | 0.6% | +0.4 |
| Bicycle | 0.4% | 0.8% | -0.4 |

### Motor vehicles per home

| Category | Remote Australia % | Major Cities of Australia % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 vehicle | 31.9% | 37.5% | -5.6 |
| 2 vehicles | 35.3% | 37.0% | -1.7 |
| 3 vehicles | 16.0% | 11.0% | +5.1 |
| 4 or more | 10.9% | 5.9% | +5.0 |
| No vehicle | 5.9% | 8.6% | -2.7 |

## Migration & Movement

| Statistic | Remote Australia | Major Cities of Australia | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Recent movers | 27.3% | 41.1% | 13.8 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia | gap widening |
| Recent arrivals | 27.3% | 15.9% | 11.4 pts higher in Remote Australia | gap widening |

## Jobs & Industry

| Statistic | Remote Australia | Major Cities of Australia | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Unemployment | 3.8% | 5.3% | 1.6 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia | gap widening |
| Participation | 55.5% | 64.1% | 8.6 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia | gap widening |
| Full-time | 67.4% | 60.0% | 7.4 pts higher in Remote Australia | gap widening |

### Industries people work in

| Category | Remote Australia % | Major Cities of Australia % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Agriculture, forestry & fishing | 34.0% | 0.6% | +33.4 |
| Health care & social assistance | 8.9% | 13.7% | -4.8 |
| Education & training | 10.1% | 8.8% | +1.3 |
| Professional & technical | 1.6% | 9.5% | -7.9 |
| Retail trade | 5.2% | 9.5% | -4.3 |
| Construction | 4.4% | 9.2% | -4.8 |
| Mining | 7.3% | 0.2% | +7.1 |
| Manufacturing | 2.1% | 6.8% | -4.8 |
| Accommodation & food | 4.8% | 6.1% | -1.3 |
| Public administration & safety | 5.9% | 5.5% | +0.4 |
| Transport & warehousing | 2.9% | 4.9% | -2.0 |
| Finance & insurance | 0.7% | 4.7% | -4.0 |

### Occupations people work in

| Category | Remote Australia % | Major Cities of Australia % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Managers | 28.9% | 13.7% | +15.3 |
| Professionals | 11.4% | 26.9% | -15.4 |
| Labourers | 14.1% | 7.9% | +6.2 |
| Clerical & administrative | 8.8% | 12.8% | -4.0 |
| Technicians & trades | 10.1% | 12.1% | -1.9 |
| Community & personal service | 10.2% | 10.6% | -0.4 |
| Machinery operators & drivers | 10.3% | 5.8% | +4.5 |
| Sales workers | 4.1% | 8.3% | -4.2 |

## Walkability

| Statistic | Remote Australia | Major Cities of Australia | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Walk score | 3.4 | 7.2 | 3.8 higher in Major Cities of Australia |  |
| Types ≤15 min | 3.8 | 6.7 | 2.9 more in Major Cities of Australia |  |
| 15-min city | 46.6% | 83.4% | 36.9 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia |  |
| Walk to shops | 44.3% | 82.7% | 38.3 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia |  |
| Walk to transit | 22.1% | 92.0% | 69.9 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia |  |
| Walk to school | 46.9% | 87.9% | 40.9 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia |  |
| Walk to a park | 57.9% | 98.2% | 40.3 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia |  |
| Walk to health | 42.1% | 73.8% | 31.8 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia |  |
| Amenities/1k | 28.8 | 14.2 | 14.6 more in Remote Australia |  |
| Intersections/km² | 0 | 155 | 155 higher in Major Cities of Australia |  |
| Mean slope | 3.1% | 4.7% | 1.5 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia |  |

Interactive comparison: https://censusatlas.au/compare/ra/RA13/remote-australia/vs/RA20/major-cities-of-australia