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

Remoteness Area comparison · about 496 km apart

Major Cities of Australia and Remote Australia are very different environments. Major Cities of Australia is much more diverse and wealthier, with 35.5% of people born overseas and a typical weekly household income of $1,888. In contrast, Remote Australia has a far older population, with a typical age of 50 compared to 37 in the cities. Housing also differs greatly; 94.1% of homes in Remote Australia are separate houses, while those in Major Cities of Australia are more likely to live in flats or apartments.

Both areas sit near the national figure for the share of one-parent families. However, many other gaps have grown since 2011. Residents in Remote Australia are now far older, and the difference in typical household income has widened to $894. The divide in education has also increased, with the gap in bachelor degree holders widening to 19 percentage points.

## Where they differ most

- Other language: 27.8 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia
- Year 12: 31.7 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia
- Separate houses: 26.1 pts higher in Remote Australia
- Population: 5,009,992 larger in Major Cities of Australia
- Mortgage: $1,200 higher in Major Cities of Australia

## Demographics & Identity

| Statistic | Major Cities of Australia | Remote Australia | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Population | 5,018,415 | 8,423 | 5,009,992 larger in Major Cities of Australia | gap widening |
| Median age | 37 yrs | 50 yrs | 13 yrs older in Remote Australia | gap widening |
| First Nations | 0.7% | 6.5% | 5.8 pts higher in Remote Australia | gap steady |
| Aged 65+ | 15.1% | 25.3% | 10.2 pts higher in Remote Australia | gap widening |
| Under 15 | 18.1% | 13.3% | 4.8 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia | gap widening |
| De facto | 10.8% | 14.8% | 4.0 pts higher in Remote Australia | gap narrowing |

### Age structure

| Category | Major Cities of Australia % | Remote Australia % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Young adults (25–44) | 31.1% | 22.9% | +8.2 |
| Older adults (45–64) | 23.4% | 31.1% | -7.6 |
| Seniors (65+) | 15.1% | 25.3% | -10.2 |
| Children (0–14) | 18.1% | 13.3% | +4.8 |
| Youth (15–24) | 12.3% | 7.5% | +4.8 |

### Marital status

| Category | Major Cities of Australia % | Remote Australia % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Married | 46.8% | 44.0% | +2.8 |
| Never married | 38.1% | 33.3% | +4.8 |
| Divorced | 7.7% | 12.4% | -4.7 |
| Widowed | 4.6% | 6.1% | -1.6 |
| Separated | 2.9% | 4.1% | -1.2 |

### Age profile

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

| Age band | Major Cities of Australia male | Major Cities of Australia female | Remote Australia male | Remote Australia female |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 0–4 | 3.0% | 2.9% | 2.1% | 2.3% |
| 5–9 | 3.2% | 3.0% | 2.5% | 2.1% |
| 10–14 | 3.0% | 2.9% | 2.1% | 2.1% |
| 15–19 | 2.9% | 2.7% | 2.0% | 1.6% |
| 20–24 | 3.4% | 3.3% | 2.1% | 1.8% |
| 25–29 | 4.0% | 3.9% | 3.2% | 3.2% |
| 30–34 | 4.0% | 4.2% | 3.0% | 3.1% |
| 35–39 | 4.0% | 4.1% | 3.0% | 2.7% |
| 40–44 | 3.4% | 3.5% | 2.4% | 2.4% |
| 45–49 | 3.2% | 3.3% | 2.9% | 2.3% |
| 50–54 | 3.0% | 3.2% | 3.9% | 3.4% |
| 55–59 | 2.7% | 2.9% | 4.2% | 4.5% |
| 60–64 | 2.4% | 2.6% | 5.2% | 4.6% |
| 65–69 | 2.1% | 2.3% | 5.0% | 4.2% |
| 70–74 | 1.8% | 2.1% | 4.1% | 3.2% |
| 75–79 | 1.3% | 1.5% | 2.5% | 1.9% |
| 80–84 | 0.9% | 1.1% | 1.3% | 1.2% |
| 85+ | 0.8% | 1.3% | 0.9% | 0.9% |

## Ancestry & Birthplace

| Statistic | Major Cities of Australia | Remote Australia | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Born overseas | 35.5% | 14.4% | 21.1 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia | gap steady |

### Country of birth

| Category | Major Cities of Australia % | Remote Australia % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Australia | 60.2% | 74.6% | -14.4 |
| India | 4.9% | 0.5% | +4.4 |
| England | 2.7% | 3.4% | -0.8 |
| China | 3.3% | 0.4% | +3.0 |
| Vietnam | 1.8% | 0.1% | +1.7 |
| New Zealand | 1.7% | 1.6% | +0.1 |
| Nepal | 0.4% | 1.6% | -1.2 |
| Philippines | 1.2% | 0.5% | +0.7 |
| Italy | 1.2% | 0.2% | +1.0 |
| South Africa | 0.5% | 0.5% | +0.0 |

### Ancestry

| Category | Major Cities of Australia % | Remote Australia % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| English | 25.7% | 42.2% | -16.5 |
| Australian | 23.5% | 38.8% | -15.2 |
| Irish | 8.4% | 10.3% | -1.9 |
| Scottish | 7.2% | 8.3% | -1.1 |
| Chinese | 8.2% | 0.7% | +7.5 |
| Italian | 6.5% | 1.1% | +5.5 |
| Indian | 5.3% | 0.5% | +4.8 |
| German | 2.9% | 4.3% | -1.4 |
| Greek | 3.4% | 0.1% | +3.3 |
| Vietnamese | 2.4% | 0.2% | +2.2 |
| Dutch | 1.5% | 1.7% | -0.2 |
| Filipino | 1.7% | 0.5% | +1.2 |

## Language

| Statistic | Major Cities of Australia | Remote Australia | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Other language | 33.9% | 6.1% | 27.8 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia | gap widening |
| Limited English | 5.4% | 0.3% | 5.1 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia | gap steady |

### Language used at home

| Category | Major Cities of Australia % | Remote Australia % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| English only | 61.3% | 83.8% | -22.5 |
| Mandarin | 4.3% | 0.5% | +3.8 |
| Vietnamese | 2.3% | 0.1% | +2.2 |
| Greek | 2.1% | 0.0% | +2.1 |
| Punjabi | 2.0% | 0.2% | +1.8 |
| Arabic | 1.8% | 0.0% | +1.8 |
| Italian | 1.7% | 0.0% | +1.6 |
| Cantonese | 1.6% | 0.0% | +1.6 |
| Hindi | 1.3% | 0.2% | +1.1 |
| Tagalog | 0.5% | 0.1% | +0.4 |

## Religion

| Statistic | Major Cities of Australia | Remote Australia | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| No religion | 37.3% | 45.2% | 7.8 pts higher in Remote Australia | gap widening |

### Religious affiliation

| Category | Major Cities of Australia % | Remote Australia % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| No religion | 37.3% | 45.2% | -7.8 |
| Christianity | 40.3% | 38.7% | +1.6 |
| Not stated | 6.2% | 11.8% | -5.5 |
| Islam | 5.2% | 0.7% | +4.5 |
| Hinduism | 4.1% | 1.8% | +2.4 |
| Buddhism | 3.8% | 0.9% | +2.9 |
| Other religions | 2.1% | 0.9% | +1.2 |
| Judaism | 0.9% | 0.0% | +0.9 |

## Education & Qualifications

| Statistic | Major Cities of Australia | Remote Australia | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Year 12 | 66.8% | 35.1% | 31.7 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia | gap steady |
| Bachelor+ | 32.7% | 13.8% | 18.9 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia | gap widening |

### Highest year of school

| Category | Major Cities of Australia % | Remote Australia % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Year 12 | 66.8% | 35.1% | +31.7 |
| Year 10 | 9.6% | 31.4% | -21.9 |
| Year 9 or below | 9.3% | 12.7% | -3.4 |
| Year 11 | 8.7% | 9.2% | -0.5 |

### Highest qualification level

| Category | Major Cities of Australia % | Remote Australia % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Certificate III / IV | 19.3% | 34.1% | -14.7 |
| Bachelor degree | 32.4% | 15.7% | +16.7 |
| Advanced diploma / diploma | 15.4% | 13.2% | +2.2 |
| Postgraduate degree | 13.6% | 6.0% | +7.6 |
| Graduate diploma / certificate | 4.6% | 1.9% | +2.6 |
| Certificate I / II | 1.3% | 2.8% | -1.5 |

### Field of qualification

| Category | Major Cities of Australia % | Remote Australia % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Management & commerce | 20.8% | 14.3% | +6.6 |
| Engineering & related | 12.3% | 17.2% | -4.8 |
| Society & culture | 12.5% | 8.8% | +3.7 |
| Health | 10.0% | 7.1% | +2.8 |
| Food, hospitality & personal services | 4.6% | 7.6% | -3.1 |
| Education | 7.5% | 6.7% | +0.8 |
| Architecture & building | 5.2% | 5.7% | -0.4 |
| Information technology | 5.2% | 1.5% | +3.6 |
| Creative arts | 4.8% | 2.4% | +2.5 |
| Agriculture & environment | 1.2% | 4.2% | -3.1 |
| Natural & physical sciences | 3.8% | 1.8% | +2.0 |

## Income

| Statistic | Major Cities of Australia | Remote Australia | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Personal income | $838 | $598 | $240 higher in Major Cities of Australia | gap widening |
| Household income | $1,888 | $994 | $894 higher in Major Cities of Australia | gap widening |
| Family income | $2,236 | $1,383 | $853 higher in Major Cities of Australia | gap widening |
| High earners | 13.5% | 6.4% | 7.2 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia | gap widening |
| High-income homes | 25.1% | 8.2% | 17.0 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia | gap widening |

### Household income distribution

| Category | Major Cities of Australia % | Remote Australia % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| $650–$1,499 | 24.0% | 32.3% | -8.2 |
| $1,500–$2,999 | 30.9% | 22.1% | +8.8 |
| Under $650 | 14.1% | 27.6% | -13.4 |
| $4,000 or more | 14.0% | 3.5% | +10.5 |
| $3,000–$3,999 | 11.1% | 4.7% | +6.5 |

### Personal income distribution

| Category | Major Cities of Australia % | Remote Australia % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Under $650 | 38.8% | 47.1% | -8.2 |
| $650–$1,499 | 30.7% | 27.7% | +3.0 |
| $1,500–$2,999 | 18.8% | 11.1% | +7.7 |
| $3,000 or more | 5.5% | 2.3% | +3.3 |

## Health & Disability

| Statistic | Major Cities of Australia | Remote Australia | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Health condition | 25.7% | 34.6% | 8.9 pts higher in Remote Australia |  |
| Mental health | 8.2% | 10.7% | 2.5 pts higher in Remote Australia |  |
| Needs assistance | 5.6% | 7.7% | 2.1 pts higher in Remote Australia | gap steady |

### Long-term health conditions reported

| Category | Major Cities of Australia % | Remote Australia % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Arthritis | 7.0% | 13.9% | -6.9 |
| Mental health | 8.2% | 10.7% | -2.5 |
| Asthma | 7.9% | 8.6% | -0.7 |
| Other condition | 7.8% | 8.5% | -0.7 |
| Diabetes | 4.5% | 6.2% | -1.7 |
| Heart disease | 3.3% | 5.7% | -2.3 |
| Cancer | 2.5% | 3.9% | -1.4 |
| Lung condition | 1.2% | 3.1% | -1.8 |
| Stroke | 0.8% | 1.1% | -0.3 |
| Dementia | 0.7% | 0.8% | -0.1 |

### Number of long-term health conditions

| Category | Major Cities of Australia % | Remote Australia % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| None | 67.3% | 53.7% | +13.6 |
| One condition | 18.0% | 21.5% | -3.5 |
| Two conditions | 5.2% | 8.1% | -2.9 |
| Three or more | 2.5% | 5.0% | -2.5 |

## Community Participation

| Statistic | Major Cities of Australia | Remote Australia | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Volunteering | 12.0% | 18.7% | 6.6 pts higher in Remote Australia | gap steady |
| Unpaid carers | 12.6% | 11.8% | 0.7 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia | gap steady |
| Unpaid child care | 26.5% | 19.0% | 7.5 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia | gap widening |
| Defence service | 1.6% | 4.3% | 2.7 pts higher in Remote Australia |  |
| Housework 15h+ | 19.0% | 24.1% | 5.1 pts higher in Remote Australia | gap narrowing |

## First Nations

| Statistic | Major Cities of Australia | Remote Australia | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| First Nations people | 34,553 | 548 | 34,005 larger in Major Cities of Australia |  |
| Median age | 25 yrs | 31 yrs | 6 yrs older in Remote Australia |  |
| Year 12 | 49.1% | 27.5% | 21.5 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia |  |
| Unemployment | 8.9% | 8.2% | 0.7 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia |  |
| Median income | $687 | $492 | $195 higher in Major Cities of Australia |  |
| Household income | $1,786 | $1,232 | $554 higher in Major Cities of Australia |  |
| Indigenous language | 6.2% | 2.6% | 3.6 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia |  |

## Family & Households

| Statistic | Major Cities of Australia | Remote Australia | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Household size | 2.6 | 2.0 | 0.6 larger in Major Cities of Australia | gap widening |
| One-parent | 13.1% | 13.6% | 0.5 pts higher in Remote Australia | gap narrowing |
| Living alone | 25.0% | 38.6% | 13.5 pts higher in Remote Australia | gap widening |

### Family composition

| Category | Major Cities of Australia % | Remote Australia % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Couples with children | 61.8% | 40.5% | +21.3 |
| Couples without children | 23.9% | 44.9% | -21.0 |
| One-parent families | 13.1% | 13.6% | -0.5 |
| Other families | 1.3% | 1.0% | +0.3 |

### Household size

| Category | Major Cities of Australia % | Remote Australia % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2 people | 31.3% | 39.8% | -8.5 |
| 1 person | 25.0% | 38.6% | -13.5 |
| 4 people | 17.1% | 7.8% | +9.3 |
| 3 people | 16.9% | 9.4% | +7.5 |
| 5 people | 6.5% | 2.9% | +3.6 |
| 6 or more | 3.2% | 1.5% | +1.6 |

## Housing & Dwellings

| Statistic | Major Cities of Australia | Remote Australia | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Rent | $388 | $180 | $208 higher in Major Cities of Australia | gap widening |
| Mortgage | $2,000 | $800 | $1,200 higher in Major Cities of Australia | gap widening |
| People / bedroom | 0.90 | 0.70 | 0.20 higher in Major Cities of Australia | gap widening |
| Renting | 30.6% | 22.8% | 7.8 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia | gap widening |
| Owned outright | 29.6% | 47.9% | 18.3 pts higher in Remote Australia | gap widening |
| Separate houses | 68.0% | 94.1% | 26.1 pts higher in Remote Australia | gap widening |
| 3+ bedrooms | 72.2% | 69.3% | 2.9 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia | gap widening |

### How homes are owned or rented

| Category | Major Cities of Australia % | Remote Australia % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Owned outright | 29.6% | 47.9% | -18.3 |
| Owned with a mortgage | 36.8% | 22.2% | +14.6 |
| Rented | 30.6% | 22.8% | +7.8 |
| Other tenure | 1.6% | 4.9% | -3.3 |
| Not stated | 1.4% | 2.0% | -0.7 |

### Types of homes

| Category | Major Cities of Australia % | Remote Australia % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Separate house | 68.0% | 94.1% | -26.1 |
| Townhouse / semi-detached | 16.3% | 2.3% | +14.0 |
| Flat or apartment | 15.3% | 1.3% | +14.0 |
| Other dwelling | 0.3% | 1.1% | -0.8 |

### Bedrooms per home

| Category | Major Cities of Australia % | Remote Australia % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 3 bedrooms | 39.7% | 51.8% | -12.1 |
| 4 bedrooms | 26.8% | 14.3% | +12.5 |
| 2 bedrooms | 20.4% | 21.8% | -1.3 |
| 1 bedroom | 5.8% | 5.8% | 0.0 |
| 5 or more | 5.6% | 3.2% | +2.5 |
| Studio / none | 0.3% | 1.1% | -0.8 |

### Weekly rent distribution

| Category | Major Cities of Australia % | Remote Australia % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Under $200 | 7.2% | 52.8% | -45.6 |
| $350–$549 | 50.6% | 6.4% | +44.3 |
| $200–$349 | 24.4% | 33.7% | -9.3 |
| $550–$749 | 9.7% | 0.4% | +9.3 |
| $750 or more | 4.5% | 0.4% | +4.2 |

### Monthly mortgage distribution

| Category | Major Cities of Australia % | Remote Australia % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Under $1,000 | 13.1% | 57.9% | -44.8 |
| $1,800–$2,999 | 34.7% | 7.3% | +27.4 |
| $1,000–$1,799 | 25.7% | 26.5% | -0.8 |
| $3,000 or more | 20.0% | 3.1% | +16.9 |

## Transport & Vehicles

| Statistic | Major Cities of Australia | Remote Australia | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| No car | 8.6% | 6.0% | 2.6 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia | gap steady |
| Work from home | 28.5% | 7.8% | 20.7 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia | gap widening |
| PT commute | 3.5% | 0.3% | 3.2 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia | gap narrowing |

### How people get to work

| Category | Major Cities of Australia % | Remote Australia % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Car (driver) | 46.8% | 58.7% | -11.9 |
| Worked at home | 28.5% | 7.8% | +20.7 |
| Walked | 2.0% | 10.5% | -8.6 |
| Car (passenger) | 3.2% | 5.1% | -1.9 |
| Train | 2.0% | 0.0% | +2.0 |
| Bicycle | 0.8% | 0.6% | +0.2 |
| Bus | 0.6% | 0.3% | +0.4 |

### Motor vehicles per home

| Category | Major Cities of Australia % | Remote Australia % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 vehicle | 37.5% | 39.5% | -2.0 |
| 2 vehicles | 37.0% | 36.1% | +0.9 |
| 3 vehicles | 11.0% | 12.2% | -1.2 |
| No vehicle | 8.6% | 6.0% | +2.6 |
| 4 or more | 5.9% | 6.3% | -0.4 |

## Migration & Movement

| Statistic | Major Cities of Australia | Remote Australia | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Recent movers | 41.1% | 38.5% | 2.6 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia | gap widening |
| Recent arrivals | 15.9% | 17.8% | 1.8 pts higher in Remote Australia | gap narrowing |

## Jobs & Industry

| Statistic | Major Cities of Australia | Remote Australia | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Unemployment | 5.3% | 6.8% | 1.5 pts higher in Remote Australia | gap steady |
| Participation | 64.1% | 49.5% | 14.6 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia | gap widening |
| Full-time | 60.0% | 53.9% | 6.1 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia | gap widening |

### Industries people work in

| Category | Major Cities of Australia % | Remote Australia % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Accommodation & food | 6.1% | 20.0% | -13.9 |
| Health care & social assistance | 13.7% | 6.9% | +6.8 |
| Agriculture, forestry & fishing | 0.6% | 12.8% | -12.2 |
| Mining | 0.2% | 10.8% | -10.6 |
| Professional & technical | 9.5% | 2.4% | +7.1 |
| Retail trade | 9.5% | 7.3% | +2.2 |
| Construction | 9.2% | 5.7% | +3.5 |
| Education & training | 8.8% | 6.4% | +2.5 |
| Manufacturing | 6.8% | 3.5% | +3.3 |
| Public administration & safety | 5.5% | 3.7% | +1.8 |
| Transport & warehousing | 4.9% | 4.4% | +0.5 |
| Finance & insurance | 4.7% | 0.8% | +3.9 |

### Occupations people work in

| Category | Major Cities of Australia % | Remote Australia % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Professionals | 26.9% | 10.3% | +16.6 |
| Labourers | 7.9% | 20.4% | -12.6 |
| Managers | 13.7% | 16.9% | -3.2 |
| Technicians & trades | 12.1% | 13.4% | -1.4 |
| Clerical & administrative | 12.8% | 8.1% | +4.7 |
| Community & personal service | 10.6% | 12.6% | -1.9 |
| Machinery operators & drivers | 5.8% | 10.1% | -4.2 |
| Sales workers | 8.3% | 5.9% | +2.4 |

## Walkability

| Statistic | Major Cities of Australia | Remote Australia | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Walk score | 7.2 | 3.5 | 3.6 higher in Major Cities of Australia |  |
| Types ≤15 min | 6.7 | 3.8 | 2.9 more in Major Cities of Australia |  |
| 15-min city | 83.4% | 43.8% | 39.7 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia |  |
| Walk to shops | 82.7% | 51.0% | 31.6 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia |  |
| Walk to transit | 92.0% | 40.0% | 52.0 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia |  |
| Walk to school | 87.9% | 39.4% | 48.5 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia |  |
| Walk to a park | 98.2% | 60.7% | 37.5 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia |  |
| Walk to health | 73.8% | 41.2% | 32.6 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia |  |
| Amenities/1k | 14.2 | 58.6 | 44.4 more in Remote Australia |  |
| Intersections/km² | 155 | 0 | 155 higher in Major Cities of Australia |  |
| Mean slope | 4.7% | 8.0% | 3.3 pts higher in Remote Australia |  |

Interactive comparison: https://censusatlas.au/compare/ra/RA20/major-cities-of-australia/vs/RA63/remote-australia