# Very Remote Australia vs Remote Australia — 2021 Census comparison

Remoteness Area comparison · about 716 km apart

Remote Australia and Very Remote Australia are both sparsely populated areas, but they differ in their demographics and access to services. Very Remote Australia has a far higher proportion of First Nations people at 31.9% compared to 17.2% in Remote Australia. However, Remote Australia is far more likely to have residents who speak a First Nations language (17.5% versus 2.8%) and has a far higher rate of Year 12 completion (41.7% versus 31.6%). In terms of accessibility, Very Remote Australia has far higher rates of homes within a 15-minute walk of health services, groceries, and schools.

Since 2011, the income gap between the two has narrowed, with typical household weekly incomes now $1,589 in Remote Australia and $1,212 in Very Remote Australia. They share many similarities, such as having almost identical shares of children under 15 and people with bachelor degrees. Both areas also have a very similar proportion of detached houses, sitting around 85%.

## Where they differ most

- Population: 64,643 larger in Remote Australia
- First Nations: 14.7 pts higher in Very Remote Australia
- Family income: $453 higher in Remote Australia
- Household income: $377 higher in Remote Australia
- Participation: 9.5 pts higher in Remote Australia

## Demographics & Identity

| Statistic | Very Remote Australia | Remote Australia | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Population | 6,708 | 71,351 | 64,643 larger in Remote Australia | gap steady |
| Median age | 40 yrs | 37 yrs | 3 yrs older in Very Remote Australia | gap steady |
| First Nations | 31.9% | 17.2% | 14.7 pts higher in Very Remote Australia | gap narrowing |
| Aged 65+ | 17.8% | 14.8% | 2.9 pts higher in Very Remote Australia | gap widening |
| Under 15 | 19.6% | 20.2% | 0.6 pts higher in Remote Australia | gap steady |
| De facto | 16.5% | 16.4% |  | gap steady |

### Age structure

| Category | Very Remote Australia % | Remote Australia % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Older adults (45–64) | 27.5% | 26.4% | +1.1 |
| Young adults (25–44) | 24.3% | 27.2% | -2.8 |
| Children (0–14) | 19.6% | 20.2% | -0.6 |
| Seniors (65+) | 17.8% | 14.8% | +2.9 |
| Youth (15–24) | 10.8% | 11.4% | -0.6 |

### Marital status

| Category | Very Remote Australia % | Remote Australia % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Never married | 46.1% | 41.6% | +4.5 |
| Married | 37.3% | 41.9% | -4.7 |
| Divorced | 7.6% | 8.6% | -1.0 |
| Widowed | 5.4% | 4.3% | +1.1 |
| Separated | 3.7% | 3.6% | +0.1 |

### Age profile

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

| Age band | Very Remote Australia male | Very Remote Australia female | Remote Australia male | Remote Australia female |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 0–4 | 3.5% | 2.8% | 3.5% | 3.2% |
| 5–9 | 3.9% | 3.2% | 3.6% | 3.5% |
| 10–14 | 3.0% | 3.3% | 3.4% | 3.0% |
| 15–19 | 2.9% | 2.6% | 2.8% | 2.4% |
| 20–24 | 2.6% | 2.6% | 3.1% | 3.0% |
| 25–29 | 2.7% | 3.4% | 3.8% | 3.7% |
| 30–34 | 3.1% | 3.8% | 3.7% | 3.6% |
| 35–39 | 2.8% | 3.1% | 3.4% | 3.3% |
| 40–44 | 2.6% | 2.8% | 3.0% | 2.8% |
| 45–49 | 2.7% | 3.1% | 3.3% | 3.0% |
| 50–54 | 3.6% | 3.5% | 3.6% | 3.1% |
| 55–59 | 4.0% | 3.5% | 3.8% | 3.2% |
| 60–64 | 3.8% | 3.4% | 3.6% | 2.9% |
| 65–69 | 3.3% | 2.6% | 2.8% | 2.3% |
| 70–74 | 3.0% | 2.2% | 2.4% | 1.8% |
| 75–79 | 1.9% | 1.5% | 1.5% | 1.2% |
| 80–84 | 0.9% | 0.9% | 0.9% | 0.7% |
| 85+ | 0.6% | 0.8% | 0.5% | 0.6% |

## Ancestry & Birthplace

| Statistic | Very Remote Australia | Remote Australia | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Born overseas | 5.3% | 10.6% | 5.3 pts higher in Remote Australia | gap steady |

### Country of birth

| Category | Very Remote Australia % | Remote Australia % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Australia | 77.3% | 76.7% | +0.6 |
| New Zealand | 0.8% | 2.3% | -1.5 |
| England | 0.7% | 1.4% | -0.8 |
| Philippines | 0.2% | 1.2% | -1.0 |
| India | 0.6% | 0.3% | +0.3 |
| South Africa | 0.1% | 0.6% | -0.5 |
| Nepal | 0.3% | 0.1% | +0.3 |
| Italy | 0.0% | 0.2% | -0.2 |
| China | 0.1% | 0.2% | -0.1 |
| Vietnam | 0.0% | 0.1% | -0.1 |

### Ancestry

| Category | Very Remote Australia % | Remote Australia % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Australian | 31.0% | 35.3% | -4.3 |
| English | 28.0% | 31.8% | -3.8 |
| Irish | 8.8% | 9.4% | -0.6 |
| Scottish | 6.7% | 8.2% | -1.5 |
| German | 2.9% | 4.9% | -2.1 |
| Italian | 0.8% | 3.1% | -2.3 |
| Filipino | 0.2% | 1.6% | -1.4 |
| Dutch | 0.5% | 1.0% | -0.4 |
| Chinese | 0.7% | 0.9% | -0.2 |
| Indian | 0.4% | 0.4% | +0.0 |
| Greek | 0.3% | 0.2% | +0.1 |
| Vietnamese | 0.0% | 0.1% | -0.1 |

## Language

| Statistic | Very Remote Australia | Remote Australia | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Other language | 3.2% | 7.9% | 4.7 pts higher in Remote Australia | gap steady |
| Limited English | 0.3% | 0.6% | 0.2 pts higher in Remote Australia | gap steady |

### Language used at home

| Category | Very Remote Australia % | Remote Australia % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| English only | 80.6% | 79.6% | +1.0 |
| Tagalog | 0.1% | 0.4% | -0.4 |
| Italian | 0.0% | 0.3% | -0.3 |
| Mandarin | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.0 |
| Punjabi | 0.2% | 0.1% | +0.1 |
| Cantonese | 0.1% | 0.1% | +0.0 |
| Hindi | 0.1% | 0.1% | +0.0 |
| Greek | 0.1% | 0.1% | +0.0 |
| Vietnamese | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.0 |
| Arabic | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0 |

## Religion

| Statistic | Very Remote Australia | Remote Australia | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| No religion | 31.1% | 33.4% | 2.3 pts higher in Remote Australia | gap steady |

### Religious affiliation

| Category | Very Remote Australia % | Remote Australia % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Christianity | 49.5% | 51.0% | -1.5 |
| No religion | 31.1% | 33.4% | -2.3 |
| Not stated | 17.9% | 14.2% | +3.7 |
| Hinduism | 0.7% | 0.3% | +0.3 |
| Buddhism | 0.4% | 0.5% | -0.1 |
| Other religions | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.0 |
| Islam | 0.2% | 0.2% | +0.0 |
| Judaism | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0 |

## Education & Qualifications

| Statistic | Very Remote Australia | Remote Australia | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Year 12 | 31.6% | 41.7% | 10.1 pts higher in Remote Australia | gap widening |
| Bachelor+ | 10.8% | 11.3% | 0.6 pts higher in Remote Australia | gap steady |

### Highest year of school

| Category | Very Remote Australia % | Remote Australia % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Year 12 | 31.6% | 41.7% | -10.1 |
| Year 10 | 24.4% | 24.9% | -0.5 |
| Year 9 or below | 17.8% | 11.0% | +6.8 |
| Year 11 | 7.3% | 7.3% | -0.1 |

### Highest qualification level

| Category | Very Remote Australia % | Remote Australia % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Certificate III / IV | 26.9% | 35.3% | -8.5 |
| Bachelor degree | 14.6% | 15.0% | -0.4 |
| Advanced diploma / diploma | 11.0% | 10.9% | +0.2 |
| Postgraduate degree | 3.5% | 2.8% | +0.7 |
| Certificate I / II | 2.8% | 2.7% | +0.1 |
| Graduate diploma / certificate | 1.8% | 2.0% | -0.3 |

### Field of qualification

| Category | Very Remote Australia % | Remote Australia % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Engineering & related | 10.2% | 18.7% | -8.6 |
| Management & commerce | 9.1% | 10.9% | -1.8 |
| Education | 9.1% | 7.5% | +1.6 |
| Health | 8.0% | 8.1% | 0.0 |
| Society & culture | 7.7% | 7.0% | +0.7 |
| Agriculture & environment | 6.1% | 4.6% | +1.5 |
| Food, hospitality & personal services | 4.6% | 5.4% | -0.8 |
| Architecture & building | 3.6% | 4.5% | -0.9 |
| Natural & physical sciences | 1.2% | 1.4% | -0.2 |
| Creative arts | 1.3% | 1.3% | 0.0 |
| Information technology | 0.7% | 0.7% | -0.1 |

## Income

| Statistic | Very Remote Australia | Remote Australia | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Personal income | $694 | $826 | $132 higher in Remote Australia | gap narrowing |
| Household income | $1,212 | $1,589 | $377 higher in Remote Australia | gap narrowing |
| Family income | $1,528 | $1,981 | $453 higher in Remote Australia | gap narrowing |
| High earners | 8.2% | 12.5% | 4.3 pts higher in Remote Australia | gap steady |
| High-income homes | 13.6% | 18.8% | 5.2 pts higher in Remote Australia | gap narrowing |

### Household income distribution

| Category | Very Remote Australia % | Remote Australia % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| $650–$1,499 | 27.5% | 24.5% | +3.0 |
| $1,500–$2,999 | 22.8% | 27.1% | -4.3 |
| Under $650 | 23.3% | 17.8% | +5.5 |
| $4,000 or more | 6.7% | 9.6% | -2.9 |
| $3,000–$3,999 | 6.9% | 9.2% | -2.3 |

### Personal income distribution

| Category | Very Remote Australia % | Remote Australia % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Under $650 | 38.8% | 35.0% | +3.8 |
| $650–$1,499 | 26.6% | 27.2% | -0.6 |
| $1,500–$2,999 | 12.4% | 18.0% | -5.6 |
| $3,000 or more | 3.3% | 4.3% | -1.0 |

## Health & Disability

| Statistic | Very Remote Australia | Remote Australia | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Health condition | 24.2% | 23.0% | 1.1 pts higher in Very Remote Australia |  |
| Mental health | 5.7% | 5.8% | 0.1 pts higher in Remote Australia |  |
| Needs assistance | 4.2% | 3.9% | 0.2 pts higher in Very Remote Australia | gap steady |

### Long-term health conditions reported

| Category | Very Remote Australia % | Remote Australia % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Asthma | 7.8% | 6.9% | +0.9 |
| Arthritis | 7.5% | 6.6% | +0.9 |
| Diabetes | 5.9% | 4.8% | +1.1 |
| Mental health | 5.7% | 5.8% | -0.1 |
| Other condition | 4.7% | 5.4% | -0.6 |
| Heart disease | 4.6% | 3.7% | +0.9 |
| Cancer | 2.2% | 2.3% | -0.1 |
| Lung condition | 1.8% | 1.8% | 0.0 |
| Stroke | 1.1% | 0.8% | +0.3 |
| Dementia | 0.5% | 0.5% | +0.1 |

### Number of long-term health conditions

| Category | Very Remote Australia % | Remote Australia % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| None | 56.7% | 61.9% | -5.2 |
| One condition | 15.9% | 15.7% | +0.2 |
| Two conditions | 4.6% | 4.8% | -0.2 |
| Three or more | 3.7% | 2.5% | +1.1 |

## Community Participation

| Statistic | Very Remote Australia | Remote Australia | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Volunteering | 16.8% | 17.7% | 0.9 pts higher in Remote Australia | gap steady |
| Unpaid carers | 9.0% | 8.9% | 0.1 pts higher in Very Remote Australia | gap narrowing |
| Unpaid child care | 18.9% | 24.4% | 5.6 pts higher in Remote Australia | gap widening |
| Defence service | 2.0% | 2.8% | 0.8 pts higher in Remote Australia |  |
| Housework 15h+ | 17.1% | 19.3% | 2.2 pts higher in Remote Australia | gap steady |

## First Nations

| Statistic | Very Remote Australia | Remote Australia | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| First Nations people | 2,137 | 12,252 | 10,115 larger in Remote Australia |  |
| Median age | 31 yrs | 25 yrs | 6 yrs older in Very Remote Australia |  |
| Year 12 | 18.4% | 31.2% | 12.8 pts higher in Remote Australia |  |
| Unemployment | 10.9% | 15.8% | 4.9 pts higher in Remote Australia |  |
| Median income | $471 | $460 | $11 higher in Very Remote Australia |  |
| Household income | $967 | $1,216 | $249 higher in Remote Australia |  |
| Indigenous language | 2.8% | 17.5% | 14.7 pts higher in Remote Australia |  |

## Family & Households

| Statistic | Very Remote Australia | Remote Australia | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Household size | 2.4 | 2.5 | 0.1 larger in Remote Australia | gap steady |
| One-parent | 22.3% | 16.4% | 5.9 pts higher in Very Remote Australia | gap narrowing |
| Living alone | 35.5% | 29.2% | 6.2 pts higher in Very Remote Australia | gap narrowing |

### Family composition

| Category | Very Remote Australia % | Remote Australia % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Couples with children | 47.6% | 53.6% | -6.0 |
| Couples without children | 28.2% | 28.6% | -0.4 |
| One-parent families | 22.3% | 16.4% | +5.9 |
| Other families | 2.0% | 1.4% | +0.6 |

### Household size

| Category | Very Remote Australia % | Remote Australia % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 person | 35.5% | 29.2% | +6.2 |
| 2 people | 31.3% | 34.4% | -3.1 |
| 3 people | 12.6% | 13.0% | -0.4 |
| 4 people | 10.1% | 12.1% | -2.1 |
| 5 people | 5.4% | 6.7% | -1.3 |
| 6 or more | 4.9% | 4.6% | +0.3 |

## Housing & Dwellings

| Statistic | Very Remote Australia | Remote Australia | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Rent | $165 | $200 | $35 higher in Remote Australia | gap narrowing |
| Mortgage | $1,000 | $1,300 | $300 higher in Remote Australia | gap narrowing |
| People / bedroom | 0.80 | 0.90 | 0.10 higher in Remote Australia | gap steady |
| Renting | 34.5% | 36.0% | 1.5 pts higher in Remote Australia | gap steady |
| Owned outright | 36.0% | 30.9% | 5.1 pts higher in Very Remote Australia | gap steady |
| Separate houses | 85.1% | 85.7% | 0.6 pts higher in Remote Australia | gap narrowing |
| 3+ bedrooms | 68.7% | 70.3% | 1.6 pts higher in Remote Australia | gap widening |

### How homes are owned or rented

| Category | Very Remote Australia % | Remote Australia % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Owned outright | 36.0% | 30.9% | +5.1 |
| Rented | 34.5% | 36.0% | -1.5 |
| Owned with a mortgage | 15.7% | 22.1% | -6.4 |
| Other tenure | 8.3% | 7.5% | +0.8 |
| Not stated | 5.6% | 3.6% | +2.0 |

### Types of homes

| Category | Very Remote Australia % | Remote Australia % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Separate house | 85.1% | 85.7% | -0.6 |
| Townhouse / semi-detached | 3.8% | 6.5% | -2.7 |
| Other dwelling | 4.1% | 3.3% | +0.9 |
| Flat or apartment | 1.3% | 3.1% | -1.7 |

### Bedrooms per home

| Category | Very Remote Australia % | Remote Australia % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 3 bedrooms | 36.5% | 42.3% | -5.8 |
| 4 bedrooms | 24.7% | 21.5% | +3.1 |
| 2 bedrooms | 16.6% | 17.4% | -0.8 |
| 1 bedroom | 8.1% | 7.3% | +0.8 |
| 5 or more | 7.5% | 6.4% | +1.1 |
| Studio / none | 1.2% | 1.5% | -0.3 |

### Weekly rent distribution

| Category | Very Remote Australia % | Remote Australia % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Under $200 | 57.9% | 45.3% | +12.6 |
| $200–$349 | 24.7% | 28.6% | -3.9 |
| $350–$549 | 4.8% | 14.9% | -10.1 |
| $550–$749 | 1.1% | 2.1% | -1.0 |
| $750 or more | 0.9% | 0.5% | +0.4 |

### Monthly mortgage distribution

| Category | Very Remote Australia % | Remote Australia % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Under $1,000 | 44.6% | 29.0% | +15.6 |
| $1,000–$1,799 | 25.8% | 34.3% | -8.5 |
| $1,800–$2,999 | 10.5% | 20.2% | -9.7 |
| $3,000 or more | 9.4% | 8.2% | +1.3 |

## Transport & Vehicles

| Statistic | Very Remote Australia | Remote Australia | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| No car | 13.9% | 7.0% | 6.9 pts higher in Very Remote Australia | gap narrowing |
| Work from home | 17.1% | 11.9% | 5.1 pts higher in Very Remote Australia | gap widening |
| PT commute | 0.3% | 1.9% | 1.7 pts higher in Remote Australia | gap steady |

### How people get to work

| Category | Very Remote Australia % | Remote Australia % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Car (driver) | 45.5% | 55.1% | -9.6 |
| Worked at home | 17.1% | 11.9% | +5.1 |
| Walked | 14.7% | 9.4% | +5.3 |
| Car (passenger) | 5.2% | 5.5% | -0.3 |
| Bicycle | 2.2% | 0.5% | +1.7 |
| Bus | 0.3% | 1.8% | -1.5 |
| Train | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0 |

### Motor vehicles per home

| Category | Very Remote Australia % | Remote Australia % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 vehicle | 37.9% | 33.1% | +4.8 |
| 2 vehicles | 27.4% | 35.8% | -8.4 |
| 3 vehicles | 11.3% | 14.5% | -3.2 |
| No vehicle | 13.9% | 7.0% | +6.9 |
| 4 or more | 9.7% | 9.6% | +0.1 |

## Migration & Movement

| Statistic | Very Remote Australia | Remote Australia | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Recent movers | 25.4% | 35.3% | 9.9 pts higher in Remote Australia | gap widening |
| Recent arrivals | 19.5% | 19.6% | 0.1 pts higher in Remote Australia | gap narrowing |

## Jobs & Industry

| Statistic | Very Remote Australia | Remote Australia | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Unemployment | 4.5% | 4.1% | 0.4 pts higher in Very Remote Australia | gap narrowing |
| Participation | 50.4% | 59.9% | 9.5 pts higher in Remote Australia | gap widening |
| Full-time | 68.4% | 68.3% |  | gap narrowing |

### Industries people work in

| Category | Very Remote Australia % | Remote Australia % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Agriculture, forestry & fishing | 24.4% | 18.3% | +6.1 |
| Mining | 2.6% | 16.2% | -13.6 |
| Public administration & safety | 13.1% | 5.7% | +7.4 |
| Education & training | 13.0% | 7.5% | +5.4 |
| Health care & social assistance | 9.6% | 9.1% | +0.5 |
| Accommodation & food | 8.2% | 8.6% | -0.4 |
| Retail trade | 5.2% | 5.9% | -0.8 |
| Construction | 4.7% | 5.6% | -0.9 |
| Transport & warehousing | 3.1% | 3.5% | -0.4 |
| Other services | 2.4% | 3.0% | -0.6 |
| Manufacturing | 0.9% | 3.0% | -2.1 |
| Administrative & support | 2.9% | 2.7% | +0.3 |

### Occupations people work in

| Category | Very Remote Australia % | Remote Australia % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Managers | 27.5% | 19.0% | +8.5 |
| Technicians & trades | 9.0% | 15.0% | -6.0 |
| Labourers | 14.2% | 13.9% | +0.3 |
| Professionals | 13.6% | 12.3% | +1.3 |
| Community & personal service | 13.5% | 9.6% | +3.9 |
| Machinery operators & drivers | 6.4% | 12.8% | -6.4 |
| Clerical & administrative | 9.6% | 9.6% | 0.0 |
| Sales workers | 3.5% | 5.4% | -1.9 |

## Walkability

| Statistic | Very Remote Australia | Remote Australia | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Walk score | 3.5 | 2.0 | 1.5 higher in Very Remote Australia |  |
| Types ≤15 min | 4.0 | 2.3 | 1.7 more in Very Remote Australia |  |
| 15-min city | 52.0% | 24.2% | 27.8 pts higher in Very Remote Australia |  |
| Walk to shops | 46.1% | 25.5% | 20.6 pts higher in Very Remote Australia |  |
| Walk to transit | 28.4% | 0.0% | 28.4 pts higher in Very Remote Australia |  |
| Walk to school | 50.9% | 38.2% | 12.7 pts higher in Very Remote Australia |  |
| Walk to a park | 60.0% | 50.1% | 9.9 pts higher in Very Remote Australia |  |
| Walk to health | 45.2% | 22.3% | 22.9 pts higher in Very Remote Australia |  |
| Amenities/1k | 46.1 | 22.4 | 23.7 more in Very Remote Australia |  |
| Intersections/km² | 0 | 0 |  |  |
| Mean slope | 2.9% | 5.0% | 2.1 pts higher in Remote Australia |  |

Interactive comparison: https://censusatlas.au/compare/ra/RA14/very-remote-australia/vs/RA33/remote-australia