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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 ≈ 332 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 differ sharply in their populations and lifestyles. Major Cities of Australia is far more diverse, with 35.5% of people born overseas and 33.9% using another language at home, compared to 11.1% and 6.7% in Outer Regional Australia. Education and income are also much higher in the cities; 32.7% of adults there hold a bachelor degree or higher, while only 13.2% do in Outer Regional Australia. These cities are very walkable, whereas Outer Regional Australia is mostly car-dependent, with residents there far more likely to live in a separate house (91.1% compared to 68.0%).

Everyday life shares some similarities, such as a similar proportion of one-parent families in both areas. However, the gaps between them are often widening. Since 2011, the age gap has grown, with residents now far older in Outer Regional Australia by 10 years. The divide in housing costs has also increased, as the typical monthly home-loan payment is now $830 higher in Major Cities of Australia.

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Where they differ most

Other language: 27.2 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia Year 12: 27.5 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia Born overseas: 24.4 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia Population: 4,760,733 larger in Major Cities of Australia Separate houses: 23.1 pts higher in Outer Regional Australia

Demographics & Identity

Population in Major Cities of Australia in Outer Regional Australia +4,760,733 larger in Major Cities of Australia gap widening

5,018,415 97th pct 257,682 73rd pct

Median age in Major Cities of Australia in Outer Regional Australia +10 yrs older in Outer Regional Australia gap widening

37 yrs 25th pct 47 yrs 83rd pct

Age structure

31.1% Young adults (25–44) ◂ +10.0 pts 21.1%

23.4% Older adults (45–64) +4.1 pts ▸ 27.6%

15.1% Seniors (65+) +9.9 pts ▸ 25.0%

18.1% Children (0–14) ◂ +1.5 pts 16.6%

12.3% Youth (15–24) ◂ +2.5 pts 9.8%

Marital status

46.8% Married +1.0 pts ▸ 47.7%

38.1% Never married ◂ +6.5 pts 31.6%

7.7% Divorced +2.3 pts ▸ 10.0%

4.6% Widowed +2.3 pts ▸ 6.9%

2.9% Separated +0.9 pts ▸ 3.8%

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

60.2% Australia +20.2 pts ▸ 80.4%

4.9% India ◂ +4.3 pts 0.6%

3.3% China ◂ +3.1 pts 0.2%

2.7% England ◂ +0.5 pts 2.2%

1.8% Vietnam ◂ +1.5 pts 0.3%

1.7% New Zealand ◂ +0.7 pts 0.9%

1.2% Philippines ◂ +0.6 pts 0.7%

1.2% Italy ◂ +0.7 pts 0.4%

0.5% South Africa ◂ +0.3 pts 0.3%

0.4% Nepal ◂ +0.3 pts 0.1%

Ancestry

25.7% English +14.5 pts ▸ 40.1%

23.5% Australian +15.9 pts ▸ 39.4%

7.2% Scottish +3.9 pts ▸ 11.1%

8.4% Irish +2.5 pts ▸ 10.9%

8.2% Chinese ◂ +7.1 pts 1.1%

6.5% Italian ◂ +2.6 pts 3.9%

2.9% German +2.6 pts ▸ 5.4%

5.3% Indian ◂ +4.7 pts 0.6%

3.4% Greek ◂ +2.9 pts 0.6%

2.4% Vietnamese ◂ +2.0 pts 0.4%

1.7% Filipino ◂ +0.9 pts 0.8%

1.5% Dutch +0.2 pts ▸ 1.7%

Language

Language used at home

61.3% English only +24.2 pts ▸ 85.5%

4.3% Mandarin ◂ +3.6 pts 0.7%

2.3% Vietnamese ◂ +1.9 pts 0.4%

2.1% Greek ◂ +1.9 pts 0.2%

2.0% Punjabi ◂ +1.6 pts 0.3%

1.8% Arabic ◂ +1.7 pts 0.1%

1.7% Italian ◂ +1.1 pts 0.6%

1.6% Cantonese ◂ +1.5 pts 0.1%

1.3% Hindi ◂ +1.2 pts 0.1%

0.5% Tagalog ◂ +0.3 pts 0.2%

Religion

Religious affiliation

40.3% Christianity +3.6 pts ▸ 43.9%

37.3% No religion +6.2 pts ▸ 43.5%

6.2% Not stated +3.3 pts ▸ 9.5%

5.2% Islam ◂ +4.4 pts 0.8%

4.1% Hinduism ◂ +3.7 pts 0.4%

3.8% Buddhism ◂ +2.7 pts 1.1%

2.1% Other religions ◂ +1.5 pts 0.6%

0.9% Judaism ◂ +0.9 pts 0.0%

Education & Qualifications

Highest year of school

66.8% Year 12 ◂ +27.5 pts 39.3%

9.6% Year 10 +9.9 pts ▸ 19.5%

8.7% Year 11 +7.6 pts ▸ 16.3%

9.3% Year 9 or below +5.7 pts ▸ 15.0%

Highest qualification level

19.3% Certificate III / IV +16.0 pts ▸ 35.3%

32.4% Bachelor degree ◂ +15.8 pts 16.6%

15.4% Advanced diploma / diploma ◂ +0.2 pts 15.2%

13.6% Postgraduate degree ◂ +10.0 pts 3.5%

4.6% Graduate diploma / certificate ◂ +1.1 pts 3.5%

1.3% Certificate I / II +1.1 pts ▸ 2.3%

Field of qualification

20.8% Management & commerce ◂ +9.1 pts 11.8%

12.3% Engineering & related +1.2 pts ▸ 13.6%

12.5% Society & culture ◂ +2.2 pts 10.3%

10.0% Health +1.1 pts ▸ 11.1%

7.5% Education +1.8 pts ▸ 9.2%

1.2% Agriculture & environment +5.5 pts ▸ 6.7%

5.2% Architecture & building +0.6 pts ▸ 5.8%

4.6% Food, hospitality & personal services +1.2 pts ▸ 5.7%

5.2% Information technology ◂ +4.1 pts 1.0%

4.8% Creative arts ◂ +2.8 pts 2.1%

3.8% Natural & physical sciences ◂ +2.2 pts 1.6%

Income

Personal income in Major Cities of Australia in Outer Regional Australia +$173 higher in Major Cities of Australia gap widening

$838 69th pct $665 32nd pct

Household income in Major Cities of Australia in Outer Regional Australia +$657 higher in Major Cities of Australia gap widening

$1,888 75th pct $1,231 16th pct

Family income in Major Cities of Australia in Outer Regional Australia +$647 higher in Major Cities of Australia gap widening

$2,236 82nd pct $1,589 24th pct

Household income distribution

24.0% $650–$1,499 +8.9 pts ▸ 33.0%

30.9% $1,500–$2,999 ◂ +4.7 pts 26.2%

14.1% Under $650 +7.4 pts ▸ 21.5%

14.0% $4,000 or more ◂ +9.0 pts 5.0%

11.1% $3,000–$3,999 ◂ +5.0 pts 6.1%

Personal income distribution

38.8% Under $650 +5.3 pts ▸ 44.1%

30.7% $650–$1,499 +1.5 pts ▸ 32.2%

18.8% $1,500–$2,999 ◂ +7.3 pts 11.5%

5.5% $3,000 or more ◂ +3.4 pts 2.2%

Health & Disability

Long-term health conditions reported

7.0% Arthritis +5.1 pts ▸ 12.0%

8.2% Mental health +1.4 pts ▸ 9.7%

7.9% Asthma +1.5 pts ▸ 9.5%

7.8% Other condition +0.1 pts ▸ 7.9%

4.5% Diabetes +1.1 pts ▸ 5.6%

3.3% Heart disease +2.0 pts ▸ 5.4%

2.5% Cancer +1.3 pts ▸ 3.8%

1.2% Lung condition +1.5 pts ▸ 2.7%

0.8% Stroke +0.5 pts ▸ 1.3%

0.7% Dementia +0.1 pts ▸ 0.7%

Number of long-term health conditions

67.3% None ◂ +10.8 pts 56.6%

18.0% One condition +3.1 pts ▸ 21.1%

5.2% Two conditions +2.4 pts ▸ 7.6%

2.5% Three or more +1.9 pts ▸ 4.4%

Community Participation

First Nations

First Nations people in Major Cities of Australia in Outer Regional Australia +26,859 larger in Major Cities of Australia

34,553 86th pct 7,694 57th pct

Median age in Major Cities of Australia in Outer Regional Australia +2 yrs older in Major Cities of Australia

25 yrs 43rd pct 23 yrs 14th pct

Median income in Major Cities of Australia in Outer Regional Australia +$178 higher in Major Cities of Australia

$687 86th pct $509 45th pct

Household income in Major Cities of Australia in Outer Regional Australia +$597 higher in Major Cities of Australia

$1,786 86th pct $1,189 29th pct

Family & Households

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

2.6 77th pct 2.3 22nd pct

Family composition

61.8% Couples with children ◂ +12.1 pts 49.7%

23.9% Couples without children +11.6 pts ▸ 35.4%

13.1% One-parent families +0.8 pts ▸ 13.8%

1.3% Other families ◂ +0.2 pts 1.0%

Household size

31.3% 2 people +6.9 pts ▸ 38.2%

25.0% 1 person +6.0 pts ▸ 31.0%

17.1% 4 people ◂ +6.4 pts 10.7%

16.9% 3 people ◂ +4.6 pts 12.3%

6.5% 5 people ◂ +1.2 pts 5.3%

3.2% 6 or more ◂ +0.7 pts 2.4%

Housing & Dwellings

Rent in Major Cities of Australia in Outer Regional Australia +$148 higher in Major Cities of Australia gap steady

$388 86th pct $240 41st pct

Mortgage in Major Cities of Australia in Outer Regional Australia +$830 higher in Major Cities of Australia gap widening

$2,000 89th pct $1,170 27th pct

People / bedroom in Major Cities of Australia in Outer 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

29.6% Owned outright +15.1 pts ▸ 44.7%

36.8% Owned with a mortgage ◂ +8.1 pts 28.7%

30.6% Rented ◂ +9.3 pts 21.3%

1.6% Other tenure +1.4 pts ▸ 3.0%

1.4% Not stated +0.9 pts ▸ 2.2%

Types of homes

68.0% Separate house +23.1 pts ▸ 91.1%

16.3% Townhouse / semi-detached ◂ +11.2 pts 5.1%

15.3% Flat or apartment ◂ +12.9 pts 2.4%

0.3% Other dwelling +0.8 pts ▸ 1.1%

Bedrooms per home

39.7% 3 bedrooms +10.0 pts ▸ 49.7%

26.8% 4 bedrooms ◂ +3.0 pts 23.8%

20.4% 2 bedrooms ◂ +4.3 pts 16.2%

5.8% 1 bedroom ◂ +2.3 pts 3.5%

5.6% 5 or more ◂ +1.3 pts 4.4%

0.3% Studio / none +0.1 pts ▸ 0.4%

Weekly rent distribution

50.6% $350–$549 ◂ +36.1 pts 14.5%

24.4% $200–$349 +23.8 pts ▸ 48.2%

7.2% Under $200 +23.1 pts ▸ 30.3%

9.7% $550–$749 ◂ +9.1 pts 0.6%

4.5% $750 or more ◂ +4.0 pts 0.6%

Monthly mortgage distribution

25.7% $1,000–$1,799 +13.0 pts ▸ 38.7%

13.1% Under $1,000 +23.0 pts ▸ 36.1%

34.7% $1,800–$2,999 ◂ +20.6 pts 14.1%

20.0% $3,000 or more ◂ +15.2 pts 4.8%

Transport & Vehicles

How people get to work

46.8% Car (driver) +15.5 pts ▸ 62.3%

28.5% Worked at home ◂ +15.4 pts 13.2%

2.0% Walked +3.3 pts ▸ 5.3%

3.2% Car (passenger) +1.8 pts ▸ 5.0%

2.0% Train ◂ +2.0 pts 0.0%

0.8% Bicycle ◂ +0.2 pts 0.6%

0.6% Bus ◂ +0.3 pts 0.3%

Motor vehicles per home

37.5% 1 vehicle ◂ +5.3 pts 32.2%

37.0% 2 vehicles +0.4 pts ▸ 37.4%

11.0% 3 vehicles +4.5 pts ▸ 15.4%

5.9% 4 or more +4.3 pts ▸ 10.1%

8.6% No vehicle ◂ +3.8 pts 4.8%

Migration & Movement

Jobs & Industry

Industries people work in

0.6% Agriculture, forestry & fishing +16.4 pts ▸ 17.0%

13.7% Health care & social assistance +0.5 pts ▸ 14.3%

9.5% Professional & technical ◂ +6.3 pts 3.2%

9.5% Retail trade ◂ +0.6 pts 8.8%

9.2% Construction ◂ +1.1 pts 8.0%

8.8% Education & training ◂ +0.9 pts 7.9%

6.8% Manufacturing ◂ +0.9 pts 6.0%

6.1% Accommodation & food +0.6 pts ▸ 6.8%

5.5% Public administration & safety ◂ +0.2 pts 5.3%

4.9% Transport & warehousing ◂ +0.8 pts 4.1%

4.7% Finance & insurance ◂ +3.5 pts 1.1%

3.4% Other services +0.1 pts ▸ 3.5%

Occupations people work in

26.9% Professionals ◂ +12.1 pts 14.8%

13.7% Managers +5.9 pts ▸ 19.6%

7.9% Labourers +6.2 pts ▸ 14.1%

12.1% Technicians & trades +1.1 pts ▸ 13.1%

12.8% Clerical & administrative ◂ +3.3 pts 9.5%

10.6% Community & personal service +1.1 pts ▸ 11.8%

8.3% Sales workers ◂ +0.3 pts 8.0%

5.8% Machinery operators & drivers +1.0 pts ▸ 6.9%

Walkability

Walk score in Major Cities of Australia in Outer Regional Australia +3.5 higher in Major Cities of Australia

7.2 100th pct 3.6 67th pct

Types ≤15 min in Major Cities of Australia in Outer Regional Australia +3.0 more in Major Cities of Australia

6.7 100th pct 3.7 53rd pct

15-min city in Major Cities of Australia in Outer Regional Australia +41.5 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia

83.4% 100th pct 42.0% 48th pct

Walk to shops in Major Cities of Australia in Outer Regional Australia +38.6 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia

82.7% 100th pct 44.1% 51st pct

Walk to transit in Major Cities of Australia in Outer Regional Australia +43.3 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia

92.0% 93rd pct 48.7% 70th pct

Walk to school in Major Cities of Australia in Outer Regional Australia +42.5 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia

87.9% 100th pct 45.4% 45th pct

Walk to a park in Major Cities of Australia in Outer Regional Australia +31.8 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia

98.2% 99th pct 66.4% 55th pct

Walk to health in Major Cities of Australia in Outer Regional Australia +43.0 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia

73.8% 100th pct 30.8% 39th pct

Amenities/1k in Major Cities of Australia in Outer Regional Australia +20.5 more in Outer Regional Australia

14.2 14th pct 34.7 71st pct

Intersections/km² in Major Cities of Australia in Outer Regional Australia +154 higher in Major Cities of Australia

155 99th pct 1 45th pct

Mean slope in Major Cities of Australia in Outer Regional Australia +0.1 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia

4.7% 42nd pct 4.6% 40th pct

Compare Major Cities of Australia with nearby areas

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

Compare Outer Regional Australia with nearby areas

Remote Australia Inner Regional Australia Inner Regional Australia Major Cities of Australia Major Cities of Australia Outer Regional Australia Remote Australia Remote Australia Very Remote Australia Remote Australia Very Remote Australia Inner Regional 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/RA20/major-cities-of-australia/vs/RA22/outer-regional-australia