CensusAtlas

Compare

Remote Australia vs Major Cities of Australia

Remoteness Area comparison ≈ 2,234 km apart · Remote Australia profile · Major Cities of Australia profile

Remote Australia Major Cities of Australia

Major Cities of Australia and Remote Australia are vastly different in scale and lifestyle. The cities are far more diverse, with 36.2% of people born overseas and 21.1% using another language at home, compared to just 9.3% and 3.8% in remote areas. Educational and income gaps are also wide; 26.7% of city adults have a bachelor degree or higher, while only 11.9% do in remote areas. The cities are very walkable, with 94.1% of homes within a 10-minute walk of public transport, whereas remote areas are mostly car-dependent, with only 34.2% of homes near transport.

Both areas share a similar proportion of children under 15 and almost identical rental rates. While they have much in common in these areas, other gaps are pulling them apart. The typical resident in Remote Australia is now noticeably older, and the difference in typical household income has widened since 2011 to a gap of $558. At the same time, the gap in volunteering has narrowed, as Remote Australia has a much higher rate of volunteers at 26.2%.

Open map →

Where they differ most

Population: 2,044,075 larger in Major Cities of Australia Born overseas: 26.8 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia Year 12: 21.0 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia Other language: 17.3 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia Limited English: 2.3 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia

Demographics & Identity

Population in Remote Australiain Major Cities of Australia +2,044,075 larger in Major Cities of Australia gap widening
43,592 55th pct 2,087,667 89th pct
Median age in Remote Australiain Major Cities of Australia +7 yrs older in Remote Australia gap widening
44 yrs 72nd pct 37 yrs 25th pct
First Nations in Remote Australiain Major Cities of Australia +1.9 pts higher in Remote Australia gap steady
3.8% 34th pct 2.0% 16th pct
Aged 65+ in Remote Australiain Major Cities of Australia +6.2 pts higher in Remote Australia gap widening
22.0% 80th pct 15.8% 47th pct
Under 15 in Remote Australiain Major Cities of Australia +0.8 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia gap steady
18.2% 59th pct 19.0% 75th pct
De facto in Remote Australiain Major Cities of Australia +2.6 pts higher in Remote Australia gap steady
14.1% 61st pct 11.5% 21st pct

Age structure

23.1% Young adults (25–44) +5.8 pts ▸ 28.9%
27.5% Older adults (45–64) ◂ +3.3 pts 24.2%
22.0% Seniors (65+) ◂ +6.2 pts 15.8%
18.2% Children (0–14) +0.8 pts ▸ 19.0%
9.2% Youth (15–24) +2.9 pts ▸ 12.1%

Marital status

49.0% Married ◂ +1.4 pts 47.6%
32.2% Never married +3.9 pts ▸ 36.1%
9.6% Divorced ◂ +0.8 pts 8.7%
5.9% Widowed ◂ +1.5 pts 4.4%
3.5% Separated ◂ +0.3 pts 3.2%

Age & sex structure

Remote Australia Major Cities of Australia

Bars show the share of each area's own population, so differently sized areas stay comparable.

Ancestry & Birthplace

Born overseas in Remote Australiain Major Cities of Australia +26.8 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia gap steady
9.3% 20th pct 36.2% 100th pct

Country of birth

82.2% Australia ◂ +22.9 pts 59.3%
3.0% England +5.1 pts ▸ 8.0%
1.0% New Zealand +1.8 pts ▸ 2.8%
0.3% India +2.5 pts ▸ 2.8%
0.5% South Africa +1.4 pts ▸ 1.8%
0.8% Philippines +0.7 pts ▸ 1.5%
0.1% China +1.2 pts ▸ 1.3%
0.1% Vietnam +0.8 pts ▸ 0.8%
0.1% Italy +0.6 pts ▸ 0.8%
0.0% Nepal +0.2 pts ▸ 0.2%

Ancestry

42.4% Australian ◂ +14.5 pts 27.9%
41.7% English ◂ +4.7 pts 37.0%
9.4% German ◂ +6.5 pts 2.8%
9.4% Scottish ◂ +0.7 pts 8.7%
8.0% Irish +0.8 pts ▸ 8.8%
1.8% Italian +3.7 pts ▸ 5.5%
0.4% Chinese +5.0 pts ▸ 5.4%
0.3% Indian +3.2 pts ▸ 3.5%
1.6% Dutch +0.4 pts ▸ 2.0%
1.0% Filipino +0.8 pts ▸ 1.8%
0.1% Vietnamese +1.0 pts ▸ 1.1%
0.5% Greek +0.2 pts ▸ 0.7%

Language

Other language in Remote Australiain Major Cities of Australia +17.3 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia gap widening
3.8% 10th pct 21.1% 82nd pct
Limited English in Remote Australiain Major Cities of Australia +2.3 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia gap steady
0.3% 14th pct 2.7% 80th pct

Language used at home

88.2% English only ◂ +14.3 pts 73.9%
0.2% Mandarin +2.2 pts ▸ 2.4%
0.2% Italian +0.9 pts ▸ 1.1%
0.1% Vietnamese +1.0 pts ▸ 1.0%
0.1% Punjabi +0.8 pts ▸ 1.0%
0.1% Cantonese +0.9 pts ▸ 0.9%
0.1% Arabic +0.7 pts ▸ 0.7%
0.3% Tagalog +0.4 pts ▸ 0.7%
0.0% Hindi +0.5 pts ▸ 0.5%
0.2% Greek even 0.2%

Religion

No religion in Remote Australiain Major Cities of Australia +6.4 pts higher in Remote Australia gap widening
48.6% 87th pct 42.2% 56th pct

Religious affiliation

48.6% No religion ◂ +6.4 pts 42.2%
39.7% Christianity +2.1 pts ▸ 41.9%
10.2% Not stated ◂ +3.7 pts 6.5%
0.3% Islam +2.8 pts ▸ 3.0%
0.6% Buddhism +2.0 pts ▸ 2.5%
0.3% Hinduism +2.1 pts ▸ 2.4%
0.4% Other religions +0.9 pts ▸ 1.3%
0.0% Judaism +0.2 pts ▸ 0.3%

Education & Qualifications

Year 12 in Remote Australiain Major Cities of Australia +21.0 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia gap widening
41.0% 55th pct 62.1% 91st pct
Bachelor+ in Remote Australiain Major Cities of Australia +14.8 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia gap widening
11.9% 35th pct 26.7% 87th pct

Highest year of school

41.0% Year 12 +21.0 pts ▸ 62.1%
21.0% Year 11 ◂ +12.9 pts 8.1%
18.3% Year 10 ◂ +0.8 pts 17.5%
10.2% Year 9 or below ◂ +3.9 pts 6.3%

Highest qualification level

38.6% Certificate III / IV ◂ +12.5 pts 26.2%
16.2% Bachelor degree +12.0 pts ▸ 28.2%
13.2% Advanced diploma / diploma +2.0 pts ▸ 15.2%
3.0% Postgraduate degree +6.2 pts ▸ 9.2%
2.4% Graduate diploma / certificate +1.5 pts ▸ 3.9%
3.0% Certificate I / II ◂ +0.7 pts 2.4%

Field of qualification

12.0% Management & commerce +6.9 pts ▸ 18.9%
17.1% Engineering & related ◂ +0.3 pts 16.8%
9.2% Society & culture +2.2 pts ▸ 11.4%
10.5% Health +0.5 pts ▸ 11.0%
9.2% Education ◂ +1.3 pts 7.9%
6.2% Agriculture & environment ◂ +4.7 pts 1.5%
5.9% Food, hospitality & personal services ◂ +0.8 pts 5.1%
5.6% Architecture & building ◂ +0.7 pts 4.9%
1.5% Natural & physical sciences +2.2 pts ▸ 3.8%
1.5% Creative arts +2.0 pts ▸ 3.5%
0.7% Information technology +2.1 pts ▸ 2.8%

Income

Personal income in Remote Australiain Major Cities of Australia +$120 higher in Major Cities of Australia gap narrowing
$740 50th pct $860 72nd pct
Household income in Remote Australiain Major Cities of Australia +$558 higher in Major Cities of Australia gap widening
$1,307 25th pct $1,865 74th pct
Family income in Remote Australiain Major Cities of Australia +$532 higher in Major Cities of Australia gap narrowing
$1,728 41st pct $2,260 83rd pct
High earners in Remote Australiain Major Cities of Australia +6.0 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia gap widening
9.1% 58th pct 15.2% 81st pct
High-income homes in Remote Australiain Major Cities of Australia +11.1 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia gap widening
13.1% 29th pct 24.3% 83rd pct

Household income distribution

30.7% $650–$1,499 ◂ +7.4 pts 23.3%
26.2% $1,500–$2,999 +3.0 pts ▸ 29.1%
20.7% Under $650 ◂ +6.4 pts 14.3%
6.2% $4,000 or more +7.2 pts ▸ 13.5%
6.9% $3,000–$3,999 +3.9 pts ▸ 10.8%

Personal income distribution

40.3% Under $650 ◂ +1.9 pts 38.4%
32.1% $650–$1,499 ◂ +3.0 pts 29.1%
14.2% $1,500–$2,999 +5.8 pts ▸ 20.0%
3.6% $3,000 or more +2.6 pts ▸ 6.2%

Health & Disability

Health condition in Remote Australiain Major Cities of Australia +3.2 pts higher in Remote Australia
29.2% 62nd pct 26.0% 43rd pct
Mental health in Remote Australiain Major Cities of Australia +0.5 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia
7.8% 40th pct 8.4% 44th pct
Needs assistance in Remote Australiain Major Cities of Australia +0.6 pts higher in Remote Australia gap steady
5.3% 52nd pct 4.6% 40th pct

Long-term health conditions reported

9.7% Arthritis ◂ +2.3 pts 7.4%
8.6% Asthma ◂ +1.2 pts 7.3%
7.8% Mental health +0.5 pts ▸ 8.4%
6.7% Other condition +0.8 pts ▸ 7.6%
5.4% Diabetes ◂ +1.1 pts 4.3%
4.5% Heart disease ◂ +0.9 pts 3.5%
3.2% Cancer ◂ +0.5 pts 2.7%
2.1% Lung condition ◂ +0.6 pts 1.5%
1.0% Stroke ◂ +0.2 pts 0.8%
0.8% Dementia ◂ +0.1 pts 0.7%

Number of long-term health conditions

60.5% None +6.0 pts ▸ 66.5%
19.5% One condition ◂ +1.3 pts 18.2%
6.4% Two conditions ◂ +1.1 pts 5.3%
3.3% Three or more ◂ +0.8 pts 2.5%

Community Participation

Volunteering in Remote Australiain Major Cities of Australia +11.1 pts higher in Remote Australia gap narrowing
26.2% 91st pct 15.1% 44th pct
Unpaid carers in Remote Australiain Major Cities of Australia +1.0 pts higher in Remote Australia gap steady
11.8% 64th pct 10.9% 45th pct
Unpaid child care in Remote Australiain Major Cities of Australia +3.3 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia gap widening
25.9% 67th pct 29.2% 89th pct
Defence service in Remote Australiain Major Cities of Australia +0.3 pts higher in Remote Australia
3.1% 48th pct 2.8% 36th pct
Housework 15h+ in Remote Australiain Major Cities of Australia +4.9 pts higher in Remote Australia gap steady
24.6% 89th pct 19.7% 52nd pct

First Nations

First Nations people in Remote Australiain Major Cities of Australia +39,132 larger in Major Cities of Australia
1,674 44th pct 40,806 87th pct
Median age in Remote Australiain Major Cities of Australia even
23 yrs 14th pct 23 yrs 14th pct
Year 12 in Remote Australiain Major Cities of Australia +6.2 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia
34.4% 65th pct 40.6% 85th pct
Unemployment in Remote Australiain Major Cities of Australia +1.0 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia
14.2% 48th pct 15.1% 55th pct
Median income in Remote Australiain Major Cities of Australia +$47 higher in Major Cities of Australia
$553 61st pct $600 75th pct
Household income in Remote Australiain Major Cities of Australia +$365 higher in Major Cities of Australia
$1,288 43rd pct $1,653 78th pct
Indigenous language in Remote Australiain Major Cities of Australia +0.4 pts higher in Remote Australia
8.7% 60th pct 8.3% 59th pct

Family & Households

Household size in Remote Australiain Major Cities of Australia +0.3 larger in Major Cities of Australia gap widening
2.3 22nd pct 2.6 77th pct
One-parent in Remote Australiain Major Cities of Australia +1.5 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia gap steady
11.9% 14th pct 13.4% 27th pct
Living alone in Remote Australiain Major Cities of Australia +6.4 pts higher in Remote Australia gap widening
31.4% 78th pct 25.0% 23rd pct

Family composition

51.7% Couples with children +8.4 pts ▸ 60.0%
35.6% Couples without children ◂ +10.1 pts 25.5%
11.9% One-parent families +1.5 pts ▸ 13.4%
0.8% Other families +0.3 pts ▸ 1.2%

Household size

38.4% 2 people ◂ +5.5 pts 32.9%
31.4% 1 person ◂ +6.4 pts 25.0%
11.1% 4 people +5.3 pts ▸ 16.5%
11.5% 3 people +4.9 pts ▸ 16.4%
5.4% 5 people +1.0 pts ▸ 6.4%
2.1% 6 or more +0.7 pts ▸ 2.8%

Housing & Dwellings

Rent in Remote Australiain Major Cities of Australia +$130 higher in Major Cities of Australia gap narrowing
$220 36th pct $350 79th pct
Mortgage in Remote Australiain Major Cities of Australia +$715 higher in Major Cities of Australia gap narrowing
$1,192 29th pct $1,907 86th pct
People / bedroom in Remote Australiain Major Cities of Australia +0.10 higher in Major Cities of Australia gap widening
0.70 0th pct 0.80 43rd pct
Renting in Remote Australiain Major Cities of Australia +0.2 pts higher in Remote Australia gap narrowing
27.0% 43rd pct 26.8% 43rd pct
Owned outright in Remote Australiain Major Cities of Australia +10.8 pts higher in Remote Australia gap widening
39.2% 71st pct 28.4% 30th pct
Separate houses in Remote Australiain Major Cities of Australia +12.6 pts higher in Remote Australia gap widening
90.1% 67th pct 77.5% 24th pct
3+ bedrooms in Remote Australiain Major Cities of Australia +5.0 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia gap steady
77.4% 68th pct 82.4% 95th pct

How homes are owned or rented

27.8% Owned with a mortgage +14.0 pts ▸ 41.8%
39.2% Owned outright ◂ +10.8 pts 28.4%
27.0% Rented ◂ +0.2 pts 26.8%
3.9% Other tenure ◂ +2.1 pts 1.7%
2.1% Not stated ◂ +0.9 pts 1.2%

Types of homes

90.1% Separate house ◂ +12.6 pts 77.5%
5.4% Townhouse / semi-detached +8.9 pts ▸ 14.3%
2.8% Flat or apartment +4.9 pts ▸ 7.7%
1.2% Other dwelling ◂ +0.9 pts 0.3%

Bedrooms per home

51.1% 3 bedrooms ◂ +14.3 pts 36.8%
22.5% 4 bedrooms +16.7 pts ▸ 39.1%
16.2% 2 bedrooms ◂ +3.5 pts 12.7%
3.8% 5 or more +2.7 pts ▸ 6.4%
4.0% 1 bedroom ◂ +0.4 pts 3.6%
0.5% Studio / none ◂ +0.3 pts 0.2%

Weekly rent distribution

45.0% $200–$349 ◂ +10.7 pts 34.2%
12.0% $350–$549 +31.3 pts ▸ 43.3%
37.5% Under $200 ◂ +27.1 pts 10.4%
0.4% $550–$749 +5.9 pts ▸ 6.4%
0.3% $750 or more +2.2 pts ▸ 2.5%

Monthly mortgage distribution

38.8% $1,000–$1,799 ◂ +8.3 pts 30.5%
36.5% Under $1,000 ◂ +23.8 pts 12.7%
14.4% $1,800–$2,999 +21.0 pts ▸ 35.5%
4.5% $3,000 or more +11.4 pts ▸ 15.9%

Transport & Vehicles

No car in Remote Australiain Major Cities of Australia +0.1 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia gap steady
4.9% 33rd pct 5.0% 43rd pct
Work from home in Remote Australiain Major Cities of Australia +2.3 pts higher in Remote Australia gap narrowing
9.9% 50th pct 7.6% 28th pct
PT commute in Remote Australiain Major Cities of Australia +4.4 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia gap steady
0.8% 31st pct 5.2% 87th pct

How people get to work

63.7% Car (driver) ◂ +1.6 pts 62.1%
9.9% Worked at home ◂ +2.3 pts 7.6%
5.8% Walked ◂ +4.3 pts 1.6%
4.3% Car (passenger) +0.1 pts ▸ 4.4%
0.7% Bus +2.3 pts ▸ 3.0%
0.0% Train +2.1 pts ▸ 2.2%
0.4% Bicycle +0.3 pts ▸ 0.7%

Motor vehicles per home

39.1% 2 vehicles +0.8 pts ▸ 39.9%
32.3% 1 vehicle +2.9 pts ▸ 35.2%
15.2% 3 vehicles ◂ +2.3 pts 12.9%
8.6% 4 or more ◂ +1.6 pts 7.0%
4.9% No vehicle +0.1 pts ▸ 5.0%

Migration & Movement

Recent movers in Remote Australiain Major Cities of Australia +5.6 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia gap widening
33.8% 34th pct 39.4% 62nd pct
Recent arrivals in Remote Australiain Major Cities of Australia +1.8 pts higher in Remote Australia gap narrowing
12.4% 28th pct 10.6% 16th pct

Jobs & Industry

Unemployment in Remote Australiain Major Cities of Australia +1.8 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia gap widening
3.5% 12th pct 5.3% 54th pct
Participation in Remote Australiain Major Cities of Australia +6.9 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia gap widening
58.4% 62nd pct 65.3% 88th pct
Full-time in Remote Australiain Major Cities of Australia +3.4 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia gap widening
56.6% 33rd pct 60.0% 57th pct

Industries people work in

19.6% Agriculture, forestry & fishing ◂ +18.9 pts 0.7%
11.1% Health care & social assistance +3.1 pts ▸ 14.2%
8.8% Retail trade +0.1 pts ▸ 8.9%
8.1% Construction +0.7 pts ▸ 8.8%
7.8% Education & training +1.1 pts ▸ 8.8%
2.7% Professional & technical +5.2 pts ▸ 7.8%
7.1% Mining ◂ +0.5 pts 6.6%
6.9% Accommodation & food ◂ +0.4 pts 6.5%
4.1% Public administration & safety +1.9 pts ▸ 6.0%
3.3% Manufacturing +2.0 pts ▸ 5.3%
4.3% Transport & warehousing +0.2 pts ▸ 4.5%
3.5% Other services +0.4 pts ▸ 3.9%

Occupations people work in

13.1% Professionals +10.7 pts ▸ 23.8%
19.6% Managers ◂ +7.8 pts 11.8%
14.8% Technicians & trades ◂ +0.2 pts 14.6%
13.4% Labourers ◂ +4.8 pts 8.7%
9.7% Clerical & administrative +2.8 pts ▸ 12.5%
11.3% Community & personal service +0.7 pts ▸ 12.0%
8.1% Machinery operators & drivers ◂ +1.1 pts 6.9%
7.9% Sales workers even 8.0%

Walkability

Walk score in Remote Australiain Major Cities of Australia +3.3 higher in Major Cities of Australia
2.8 22nd pct 6.1 86th pct
Types ≤15 min in Remote Australiain Major Cities of Australia +2.8 more in Major Cities of Australia
3.0 22nd pct 5.8 87th pct
15-min city in Remote Australiain Major Cities of Australia +39.1 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia
33.6% 27th pct 72.7% 87th pct
Walk to shops in Remote Australiain Major Cities of Australia +35.8 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia
33.2% 16th pct 69.0% 85th pct
Walk to transit in Remote Australiain Major Cities of Australia +59.9 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia
34.2% 41st pct 94.1% 96th pct
Walk to school in Remote Australiain Major Cities of Australia +47.5 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia
32.5% 22nd pct 80.0% 93rd pct
Walk to a park in Remote Australiain Major Cities of Australia +36.9 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia
59.3% 37th pct 96.1% 91st pct
Walk to health in Remote Australiain Major Cities of Australia +32.7 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia
22.2% 14th pct 54.8% 83rd pct
Amenities/1k in Remote Australiain Major Cities of Australia +21.9 more in Remote Australia
37.3 73rd pct 15.4 27th pct
Intersections/km² in Remote Australiain Major Cities of Australia +104 higher in Major Cities of Australia
0 26th pct 104 91st pct
Mean slope in Remote Australiain Major Cities of Australia +1.2 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia
4.9% 45th pct 6.1% 73rd pct

Compare Remote Australia with nearby areas

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

Compare Major Cities of Australia with nearby areas

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

Cite this page

Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2021). Remote Australia vs Major Cities of Australia [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/compare/ra/RA43/remote-australia/vs/RA50/major-cities-of-australia