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

Remoteness Area comparison · about 2,234 km apart

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%.

## 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

| Statistic | Remote Australia | Major Cities of Australia | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Population | 43,592 | 2,087,667 | 2,044,075 larger in Major Cities of Australia | gap widening |
| Median age | 44 yrs | 37 yrs | 7 yrs older in Remote Australia | gap widening |
| First Nations | 3.8% | 2.0% | 1.9 pts higher in Remote Australia | gap steady |
| Aged 65+ | 22.0% | 15.8% | 6.2 pts higher in Remote Australia | gap widening |
| Under 15 | 18.2% | 19.0% | 0.8 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia | gap steady |
| De facto | 14.1% | 11.5% | 2.6 pts higher in Remote Australia | gap steady |

### Age structure

| Category | Remote Australia % | Major Cities of Australia % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Young adults (25–44) | 23.1% | 28.9% | -5.8 |
| Older adults (45–64) | 27.5% | 24.2% | +3.3 |
| Seniors (65+) | 22.0% | 15.8% | +6.2 |
| Children (0–14) | 18.2% | 19.0% | -0.8 |
| Youth (15–24) | 9.2% | 12.1% | -2.9 |

### Marital status

| Category | Remote Australia % | Major Cities of Australia % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Married | 49.0% | 47.6% | +1.4 |
| Never married | 32.2% | 36.1% | -3.9 |
| Divorced | 9.6% | 8.7% | +0.8 |
| Widowed | 5.9% | 4.4% | +1.5 |
| Separated | 3.5% | 3.2% | +0.3 |

### 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 | 2.9% | 2.8% | 3.2% | 3.0% |
| 5–9 | 3.2% | 3.0% | 3.3% | 3.2% |
| 10–14 | 3.3% | 3.0% | 3.3% | 3.1% |
| 15–19 | 2.6% | 2.3% | 3.0% | 2.8% |
| 20–24 | 2.2% | 2.1% | 3.2% | 3.1% |
| 25–29 | 2.7% | 2.8% | 3.4% | 3.4% |
| 30–34 | 3.1% | 3.0% | 3.7% | 3.9% |
| 35–39 | 3.2% | 3.0% | 3.8% | 3.9% |
| 40–44 | 2.8% | 2.6% | 3.4% | 3.4% |
| 45–49 | 3.0% | 3.0% | 3.2% | 3.3% |
| 50–54 | 3.5% | 3.2% | 3.2% | 3.2% |
| 55–59 | 3.8% | 3.4% | 2.9% | 3.0% |
| 60–64 | 3.9% | 3.7% | 2.6% | 2.8% |
| 65–69 | 3.6% | 3.2% | 2.3% | 2.5% |
| 70–74 | 3.1% | 2.9% | 2.0% | 2.2% |
| 75–79 | 2.2% | 2.0% | 1.4% | 1.5% |
| 80–84 | 1.3% | 1.2% | 0.9% | 1.1% |
| 85+ | 1.0% | 1.4% | 0.8% | 1.2% |

## Ancestry & Birthplace

| Statistic | Remote Australia | Major Cities of Australia | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Born overseas | 9.3% | 36.2% | 26.8 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia | gap steady |

### Country of birth

| Category | Remote Australia % | Major Cities of Australia % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Australia | 82.2% | 59.3% | +22.9 |
| England | 3.0% | 8.0% | -5.1 |
| New Zealand | 1.0% | 2.8% | -1.8 |
| India | 0.3% | 2.8% | -2.5 |
| South Africa | 0.5% | 1.8% | -1.4 |
| Philippines | 0.8% | 1.5% | -0.7 |
| China | 0.1% | 1.3% | -1.2 |
| Vietnam | 0.1% | 0.8% | -0.8 |
| Italy | 0.1% | 0.8% | -0.6 |
| Nepal | 0.0% | 0.2% | -0.2 |

### Ancestry

| Category | Remote Australia % | Major Cities of Australia % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Australian | 42.4% | 27.9% | +14.5 |
| English | 41.7% | 37.0% | +4.7 |
| German | 9.4% | 2.8% | +6.5 |
| Scottish | 9.4% | 8.7% | +0.7 |
| Irish | 8.0% | 8.8% | -0.8 |
| Italian | 1.8% | 5.5% | -3.7 |
| Chinese | 0.4% | 5.4% | -5.0 |
| Indian | 0.3% | 3.5% | -3.2 |
| Dutch | 1.6% | 2.0% | -0.4 |
| Filipino | 1.0% | 1.8% | -0.8 |
| Vietnamese | 0.1% | 1.1% | -1.0 |
| Greek | 0.5% | 0.7% | -0.2 |

## Language

| Statistic | Remote Australia | Major Cities of Australia | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Other language | 3.8% | 21.1% | 17.3 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia | gap widening |
| Limited English | 0.3% | 2.7% | 2.3 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia | gap steady |

### Language used at home

| Category | Remote Australia % | Major Cities of Australia % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| English only | 88.2% | 73.9% | +14.3 |
| Mandarin | 0.2% | 2.4% | -2.2 |
| Italian | 0.2% | 1.1% | -0.9 |
| Vietnamese | 0.1% | 1.0% | -1.0 |
| Punjabi | 0.1% | 1.0% | -0.8 |
| Cantonese | 0.1% | 0.9% | -0.9 |
| Arabic | 0.1% | 0.7% | -0.7 |
| Tagalog | 0.3% | 0.7% | -0.4 |
| Hindi | 0.0% | 0.5% | -0.5 |
| Greek | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.0 |

## Religion

| Statistic | Remote Australia | Major Cities of Australia | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| No religion | 48.6% | 42.2% | 6.4 pts higher in Remote Australia | gap widening |

### Religious affiliation

| Category | Remote Australia % | Major Cities of Australia % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| No religion | 48.6% | 42.2% | +6.4 |
| Christianity | 39.7% | 41.9% | -2.1 |
| Not stated | 10.2% | 6.5% | +3.7 |
| Islam | 0.3% | 3.0% | -2.8 |
| Buddhism | 0.6% | 2.5% | -2.0 |
| Hinduism | 0.3% | 2.4% | -2.1 |
| Other religions | 0.4% | 1.3% | -0.9 |
| Judaism | 0.0% | 0.3% | -0.2 |

## Education & Qualifications

| Statistic | Remote Australia | Major Cities of Australia | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Year 12 | 41.0% | 62.1% | 21.0 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia | gap widening |
| Bachelor+ | 11.9% | 26.7% | 14.8 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia | gap widening |

### Highest year of school

| Category | Remote Australia % | Major Cities of Australia % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Year 12 | 41.0% | 62.1% | -21.0 |
| Year 11 | 21.0% | 8.1% | +12.9 |
| Year 10 | 18.3% | 17.5% | +0.8 |
| Year 9 or below | 10.2% | 6.3% | +3.9 |

### Highest qualification level

| Category | Remote Australia % | Major Cities of Australia % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Certificate III / IV | 38.6% | 26.2% | +12.5 |
| Bachelor degree | 16.2% | 28.2% | -12.0 |
| Advanced diploma / diploma | 13.2% | 15.2% | -2.0 |
| Postgraduate degree | 3.0% | 9.2% | -6.2 |
| Graduate diploma / certificate | 2.4% | 3.9% | -1.5 |
| Certificate I / II | 3.0% | 2.4% | +0.7 |

### Field of qualification

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

## Income

| Statistic | Remote Australia | Major Cities of Australia | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Personal income | $740 | $860 | $120 higher in Major Cities of Australia | gap narrowing |
| Household income | $1,307 | $1,865 | $558 higher in Major Cities of Australia | gap widening |
| Family income | $1,728 | $2,260 | $532 higher in Major Cities of Australia | gap narrowing |
| High earners | 9.1% | 15.2% | 6.0 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia | gap widening |
| High-income homes | 13.1% | 24.3% | 11.1 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia | gap widening |

### Household income distribution

| Category | Remote Australia % | Major Cities of Australia % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| $650–$1,499 | 30.7% | 23.3% | +7.4 |
| $1,500–$2,999 | 26.2% | 29.1% | -3.0 |
| Under $650 | 20.7% | 14.3% | +6.4 |
| $4,000 or more | 6.2% | 13.5% | -7.2 |
| $3,000–$3,999 | 6.9% | 10.8% | -3.9 |

### Personal income distribution

| Category | Remote Australia % | Major Cities of Australia % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Under $650 | 40.3% | 38.4% | +1.9 |
| $650–$1,499 | 32.1% | 29.1% | +3.0 |
| $1,500–$2,999 | 14.2% | 20.0% | -5.8 |
| $3,000 or more | 3.6% | 6.2% | -2.6 |

## Health & Disability

| Statistic | Remote Australia | Major Cities of Australia | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Health condition | 29.2% | 26.0% | 3.2 pts higher in Remote Australia |  |
| Mental health | 7.8% | 8.4% | 0.5 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia |  |
| Needs assistance | 5.3% | 4.6% | 0.6 pts higher in Remote Australia | gap steady |

### Long-term health conditions reported

| Category | Remote Australia % | Major Cities of Australia % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Arthritis | 9.7% | 7.4% | +2.3 |
| Asthma | 8.6% | 7.3% | +1.2 |
| Mental health | 7.8% | 8.4% | -0.5 |
| Other condition | 6.7% | 7.6% | -0.8 |
| Diabetes | 5.4% | 4.3% | +1.1 |
| Heart disease | 4.5% | 3.5% | +0.9 |
| Cancer | 3.2% | 2.7% | +0.5 |
| Lung condition | 2.1% | 1.5% | +0.6 |
| Stroke | 1.0% | 0.8% | +0.2 |
| Dementia | 0.8% | 0.7% | +0.1 |

### Number of long-term health conditions

| Category | Remote Australia % | Major Cities of Australia % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| None | 60.5% | 66.5% | -6.0 |
| One condition | 19.5% | 18.2% | +1.3 |
| Two conditions | 6.4% | 5.3% | +1.1 |
| Three or more | 3.3% | 2.5% | +0.8 |

## Community Participation

| Statistic | Remote Australia | Major Cities of Australia | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Volunteering | 26.2% | 15.1% | 11.1 pts higher in Remote Australia | gap narrowing |
| Unpaid carers | 11.8% | 10.9% | 1.0 pts higher in Remote Australia | gap steady |
| Unpaid child care | 25.9% | 29.2% | 3.3 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia | gap widening |
| Defence service | 3.1% | 2.8% | 0.3 pts higher in Remote Australia |  |
| Housework 15h+ | 24.6% | 19.7% | 4.9 pts higher in Remote Australia | gap steady |

## First Nations

| Statistic | Remote Australia | Major Cities of Australia | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| First Nations people | 1,674 | 40,806 | 39,132 larger in Major Cities of Australia |  |
| Median age | 23 yrs | 23 yrs |  |  |
| Year 12 | 34.4% | 40.6% | 6.2 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia |  |
| Unemployment | 14.2% | 15.1% | 1.0 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia |  |
| Median income | $553 | $600 | $47 higher in Major Cities of Australia |  |
| Household income | $1,288 | $1,653 | $365 higher in Major Cities of Australia |  |
| Indigenous language | 8.7% | 8.3% | 0.4 pts higher in Remote Australia |  |

## Family & Households

| Statistic | Remote Australia | Major Cities of Australia | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Household size | 2.3 | 2.6 | 0.3 larger in Major Cities of Australia | gap widening |
| One-parent | 11.9% | 13.4% | 1.5 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia | gap steady |
| Living alone | 31.4% | 25.0% | 6.4 pts higher in Remote Australia | gap widening |

### Family composition

| Category | Remote Australia % | Major Cities of Australia % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Couples with children | 51.7% | 60.0% | -8.4 |
| Couples without children | 35.6% | 25.5% | +10.1 |
| One-parent families | 11.9% | 13.4% | -1.5 |
| Other families | 0.8% | 1.2% | -0.3 |

### Household size

| Category | Remote Australia % | Major Cities of Australia % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2 people | 38.4% | 32.9% | +5.5 |
| 1 person | 31.4% | 25.0% | +6.4 |
| 4 people | 11.1% | 16.5% | -5.3 |
| 3 people | 11.5% | 16.4% | -4.9 |
| 5 people | 5.4% | 6.4% | -1.0 |
| 6 or more | 2.1% | 2.8% | -0.7 |

## Housing & Dwellings

| Statistic | Remote Australia | Major Cities of Australia | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Rent | $220 | $350 | $130 higher in Major Cities of Australia | gap narrowing |
| Mortgage | $1,192 | $1,907 | $715 higher in Major Cities of Australia | gap narrowing |
| People / bedroom | 0.70 | 0.80 | 0.10 higher in Major Cities of Australia | gap widening |
| Renting | 27.0% | 26.8% | 0.2 pts higher in Remote Australia | gap narrowing |
| Owned outright | 39.2% | 28.4% | 10.8 pts higher in Remote Australia | gap widening |
| Separate houses | 90.1% | 77.5% | 12.6 pts higher in Remote Australia | gap widening |
| 3+ bedrooms | 77.4% | 82.4% | 5.0 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia | gap steady |

### How homes are owned or rented

| Category | Remote Australia % | Major Cities of Australia % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Owned with a mortgage | 27.8% | 41.8% | -14.0 |
| Owned outright | 39.2% | 28.4% | +10.8 |
| Rented | 27.0% | 26.8% | +0.2 |
| Other tenure | 3.9% | 1.7% | +2.1 |
| Not stated | 2.1% | 1.2% | +0.9 |

### Types of homes

| Category | Remote Australia % | Major Cities of Australia % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Separate house | 90.1% | 77.5% | +12.6 |
| Townhouse / semi-detached | 5.4% | 14.3% | -8.9 |
| Flat or apartment | 2.8% | 7.7% | -4.9 |
| Other dwelling | 1.2% | 0.3% | +0.9 |

### Bedrooms per home

| Category | Remote Australia % | Major Cities of Australia % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 3 bedrooms | 51.1% | 36.8% | +14.3 |
| 4 bedrooms | 22.5% | 39.1% | -16.7 |
| 2 bedrooms | 16.2% | 12.7% | +3.5 |
| 5 or more | 3.8% | 6.4% | -2.7 |
| 1 bedroom | 4.0% | 3.6% | +0.4 |
| Studio / none | 0.5% | 0.2% | +0.3 |

### Weekly rent distribution

| Category | Remote Australia % | Major Cities of Australia % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| $200–$349 | 45.0% | 34.2% | +10.7 |
| $350–$549 | 12.0% | 43.3% | -31.3 |
| Under $200 | 37.5% | 10.4% | +27.1 |
| $550–$749 | 0.4% | 6.4% | -5.9 |
| $750 or more | 0.3% | 2.5% | -2.2 |

### Monthly mortgage distribution

| Category | Remote Australia % | Major Cities of Australia % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| $1,000–$1,799 | 38.8% | 30.5% | +8.3 |
| Under $1,000 | 36.5% | 12.7% | +23.8 |
| $1,800–$2,999 | 14.4% | 35.5% | -21.0 |
| $3,000 or more | 4.5% | 15.9% | -11.4 |

## Transport & Vehicles

| Statistic | Remote Australia | Major Cities of Australia | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| No car | 4.9% | 5.0% | 0.1 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia | gap steady |
| Work from home | 9.9% | 7.6% | 2.3 pts higher in Remote Australia | gap narrowing |
| PT commute | 0.8% | 5.2% | 4.4 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia | gap steady |

### How people get to work

| Category | Remote Australia % | Major Cities of Australia % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Car (driver) | 63.7% | 62.1% | +1.6 |
| Worked at home | 9.9% | 7.6% | +2.3 |
| Walked | 5.8% | 1.6% | +4.3 |
| Car (passenger) | 4.3% | 4.4% | -0.1 |
| Bus | 0.7% | 3.0% | -2.3 |
| Train | 0.0% | 2.2% | -2.1 |
| Bicycle | 0.4% | 0.7% | -0.3 |

### Motor vehicles per home

| Category | Remote Australia % | Major Cities of Australia % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2 vehicles | 39.1% | 39.9% | -0.8 |
| 1 vehicle | 32.3% | 35.2% | -2.9 |
| 3 vehicles | 15.2% | 12.9% | +2.3 |
| 4 or more | 8.6% | 7.0% | +1.6 |
| No vehicle | 4.9% | 5.0% | -0.1 |

## Migration & Movement

| Statistic | Remote Australia | Major Cities of Australia | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Recent movers | 33.8% | 39.4% | 5.6 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia | gap widening |
| Recent arrivals | 12.4% | 10.6% | 1.8 pts higher in Remote Australia | gap narrowing |

## Jobs & Industry

| Statistic | Remote Australia | Major Cities of Australia | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Unemployment | 3.5% | 5.3% | 1.8 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia | gap widening |
| Participation | 58.4% | 65.3% | 6.9 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia | gap widening |
| Full-time | 56.6% | 60.0% | 3.4 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia | gap widening |

### Industries people work in

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

### Occupations people work in

| Category | Remote Australia % | Major Cities of Australia % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Professionals | 13.1% | 23.8% | -10.7 |
| Managers | 19.6% | 11.8% | +7.8 |
| Technicians & trades | 14.8% | 14.6% | +0.2 |
| Labourers | 13.4% | 8.7% | +4.8 |
| Clerical & administrative | 9.7% | 12.5% | -2.8 |
| Community & personal service | 11.3% | 12.0% | -0.7 |
| Machinery operators & drivers | 8.1% | 6.9% | +1.1 |
| Sales workers | 7.9% | 8.0% | 0.0 |

## Walkability

| Statistic | Remote Australia | Major Cities of Australia | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Walk score | 2.8 | 6.1 | 3.3 higher in Major Cities of Australia |  |
| Types ≤15 min | 3.0 | 5.8 | 2.8 more in Major Cities of Australia |  |
| 15-min city | 33.6% | 72.7% | 39.1 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia |  |
| Walk to shops | 33.2% | 69.0% | 35.8 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia |  |
| Walk to transit | 34.2% | 94.1% | 59.9 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia |  |
| Walk to school | 32.5% | 80.0% | 47.5 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia |  |
| Walk to a park | 59.3% | 96.1% | 36.9 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia |  |
| Walk to health | 22.2% | 54.8% | 32.7 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia |  |
| Amenities/1k | 37.3 | 15.4 | 21.9 more in Remote Australia |  |
| Intersections/km² | 0 | 104 | 104 higher in Major Cities of Australia |  |
| Mean slope | 4.9% | 6.1% | 1.2 pts higher in Major Cities of Australia |  |

Interactive comparison: https://censusatlas.au/compare/ra/RA43/remote-australia/vs/RA50/major-cities-of-australia