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1 million or more vs 500 or more

Section of State Range comparison ≈ 527 km apart · 1 million or more profile · 500 or more profile

1 million or more 500 or more

1 million or more and 500 or more are very different places located over 500 km apart. 1 million or more is a very walkable area where people are more likely to be born overseas (28.3%) and have a bachelor degree or higher (28.3%). In contrast, 500 or more is mostly car-dependent and has a much older population, with a typical age of 45 compared to 36 in 1 million or more. Residents in 500 or more are also more likely to own their homes outright, with 38.9% of homes held this way, while 36.6% of homes in 1 million or more are rented.

Both areas are similar in their share of children under 15, and the typical number of people per home is nearly identical at about 2.6. However, many other gaps have grown since 2011. The difference in typical ages has widened to 9 years, and the gap in high school completion has increased to 25 percentage points. The divide in wealth has also grown, with the gap in typical weekly family income now sitting at $643.

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Where they differ most

Year 12: 25.0 pts higher in 1 million or more Population: 2,190,545 larger in 1 million or more Separate houses: 22.2 pts higher in 500 or more Bachelor+: 16.5 pts higher in 1 million or more Rent: $149 higher in 1 million or more

Demographics & Identity

Population in 1 million or morein 500 or more +2,190,545 larger in 1 million or more gap widening
2,287,896 92nd pct 97,351 58th pct
Median age in 1 million or morein 500 or more +9 yrs older in 500 or more gap widening
36 yrs 14th pct 45 yrs 71st pct
First Nations in 1 million or morein 500 or more +9.4 pts higher in 500 or more gap widening
2.9% 29th pct 12.3% 84th pct
Aged 65+ in 1 million or morein 500 or more +7.5 pts higher in 500 or more gap widening
14.1% 27th pct 21.5% 69th pct
Under 15 in 1 million or morein 500 or more +0.6 pts higher in 1 million or more gap narrowing
19.2% 74th pct 18.6% 65th pct
De facto in 1 million or morein 500 or more +1.7 pts higher in 500 or more gap steady
12.6% 43rd pct 14.3% 76th pct

Age structure

29.8% Young adults (25–44) ◂ +8.6 pts 21.2%
23.5% Older adults (45–64) +5.1 pts ▸ 28.5%
14.1% Seniors (65+) +7.5 pts ▸ 21.5%
19.2% Children (0–14) ◂ +0.6 pts 18.6%
13.4% Youth (15–24) ◂ +3.3 pts 10.1%

Marital status

44.4% Married +1.6 pts ▸ 46.0%
39.3% Never married ◂ +5.2 pts 34.1%
8.8% Divorced +1.9 pts ▸ 10.6%
4.2% Widowed +1.2 pts ▸ 5.4%
3.4% Separated +0.5 pts ▸ 3.9%

Age & sex structure

1 million or more 500 or more

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

Ancestry & Birthplace

Born overseas in 1 million or morein 500 or more +16.2 pts higher in 1 million or more gap widening
28.3% 88th pct 12.2% 36th pct

Country of birth

67.3% Australia +12.0 pts ▸ 79.3%
4.5% New Zealand ◂ +2.0 pts 2.5%
3.7% England ◂ +0.1 pts 3.6%
2.2% India ◂ +2.0 pts 0.2%
1.8% China ◂ +1.7 pts 0.1%
1.2% Philippines ◂ +0.6 pts 0.6%
1.1% South Africa ◂ +0.6 pts 0.5%
0.9% Vietnam ◂ +0.8 pts 0.1%
0.3% Nepal ◂ +0.3 pts 0.0%
0.3% Italy ◂ +0.1 pts 0.1%

Ancestry

35.7% English +3.2 pts ▸ 38.9%
30.9% Australian +5.8 pts ▸ 36.7%
11.1% Irish ◂ +0.7 pts 10.4%
10.0% Scottish ◂ +0.1 pts 9.9%
5.5% German +1.3 pts ▸ 6.7%
5.0% Chinese ◂ +4.4 pts 0.6%
2.9% Indian ◂ +2.6 pts 0.3%
2.8% Italian ◂ +0.4 pts 2.4%
1.7% Filipino ◂ +0.9 pts 0.8%
1.6% Dutch ◂ +0.2 pts 1.4%
1.2% Vietnamese ◂ +1.2 pts 0.1%
0.8% Greek ◂ +0.6 pts 0.3%

Language

Other language in 1 million or morein 500 or more +13.3 pts higher in 1 million or more gap widening
19.1% 79th pct 5.8% 32nd pct
Limited English in 1 million or morein 500 or more +2.1 pts higher in 1 million or more gap steady
2.7% 83rd pct 0.6% 27th pct

Language used at home

76.1% English only +9.3 pts ▸ 85.5%
2.8% Mandarin ◂ +2.6 pts 0.1%
1.1% Vietnamese ◂ +1.1 pts 0.1%
1.0% Punjabi ◂ +0.9 pts 0.1%
0.9% Cantonese ◂ +0.9 pts 0.0%
0.7% Hindi ◂ +0.7 pts 0.0%
0.5% Arabic ◂ +0.5 pts 0.0%
0.5% Tagalog ◂ +0.3 pts 0.2%
0.4% Italian ◂ +0.2 pts 0.2%
0.3% Greek ◂ +0.3 pts 0.0%

Religion

No religion in 1 million or morein 500 or more +2.5 pts higher in 1 million or more gap steady
41.8% 48th pct 39.3% 35th pct

Religious affiliation

44.1% Christianity +4.2 pts ▸ 48.3%
41.8% No religion ◂ +2.5 pts 39.3%
6.5% Not stated +4.3 pts ▸ 10.8%
2.2% Hinduism ◂ +2.0 pts 0.2%
2.0% Islam ◂ +1.8 pts 0.2%
2.0% Buddhism ◂ +1.4 pts 0.7%
1.3% Other religions ◂ +0.8 pts 0.5%
0.1% Judaism ◂ +0.1 pts 0.0%

Education & Qualifications

Year 12 in 1 million or morein 500 or more +25.0 pts higher in 1 million or more gap widening
65.7% 96th pct 40.7% 39th pct
Bachelor+ in 1 million or morein 500 or more +16.5 pts higher in 1 million or more gap widening
28.3% 93rd pct 11.8% 24th pct

Highest year of school

65.7% Year 12 ◂ +25.0 pts 40.7%
16.4% Year 10 +12.9 pts ▸ 29.3%
6.9% Year 9 or below +5.3 pts ▸ 12.2%
5.5% Year 11 +2.5 pts ▸ 8.0%

Highest qualification level

25.4% Certificate III / IV +13.2 pts ▸ 38.7%
29.2% Bachelor degree ◂ +14.5 pts 14.7%
15.2% Advanced diploma / diploma ◂ +1.3 pts 14.0%
10.3% Postgraduate degree ◂ +6.9 pts 3.4%
4.2% Graduate diploma / certificate ◂ +1.5 pts 2.6%
2.0% Certificate I / II +0.9 pts ▸ 2.9%

Field of qualification

21.1% Management & commerce ◂ +8.1 pts 13.0%
13.5% Engineering & related +3.6 pts ▸ 17.1%
12.9% Society & culture ◂ +2.6 pts 10.3%
11.0% Health ◂ +1.5 pts 9.5%
7.4% Education +1.1 pts ▸ 8.5%
5.2% Architecture & building +1.6 pts ▸ 6.7%
4.9% Food, hospitality & personal services +0.7 pts ▸ 5.6%
4.1% Creative arts ◂ +2.0 pts 2.1%
3.6% Information technology ◂ +2.7 pts 1.0%
1.3% Agriculture & environment +1.8 pts ▸ 3.1%
3.1% Natural & physical sciences ◂ +1.6 pts 1.5%

Income

Personal income in 1 million or morein 500 or more +$234 higher in 1 million or more gap widening
$860 75th pct $626 25th pct
Household income in 1 million or morein 500 or more +$596 higher in 1 million or more gap widening
$1,885 80th pct $1,289 29th pct
Family income in 1 million or morein 500 or more +$643 higher in 1 million or more gap widening
$2,214 84th pct $1,571 23rd pct
High earners in 1 million or morein 500 or more +5.9 pts higher in 1 million or more gap widening
13.2% 83rd pct 7.2% 33rd pct
High-income homes in 1 million or morein 500 or more +11.4 pts higher in 1 million or more gap widening
24.4% 83rd pct 12.9% 31st pct

Household income distribution

31.5% $1,500–$2,999 ◂ +5.8 pts 25.7%
24.7% $650–$1,499 +6.0 pts ▸ 30.7%
13.1% Under $650 +7.1 pts ▸ 20.2%
13.2% $4,000 or more ◂ +7.5 pts 5.7%
11.2% $3,000–$3,999 ◂ +4.0 pts 7.2%

Personal income distribution

37.4% Under $650 +8.2 pts ▸ 45.6%
32.3% $650–$1,499 ◂ +4.1 pts 28.2%
19.2% $1,500–$2,999 ◂ +6.6 pts 12.6%
5.0% $3,000 or more ◂ +2.6 pts 2.4%

Health & Disability

Health condition in 1 million or morein 500 or more +3.6 pts higher in 500 or more
28.0% 39th pct 31.6% 57th pct
Mental health in 1 million or morein 500 or more +0.8 pts higher in 1 million or more
10.1% 56th pct 9.2% 42nd pct
Needs assistance in 1 million or morein 500 or more +1.2 pts higher in 500 or more gap steady
5.6% 44th pct 6.8% 67th pct

Long-term health conditions reported

7.6% Arthritis +3.7 pts ▸ 11.3%
10.1% Mental health ◂ +0.8 pts 9.2%
8.8% Asthma ◂ +0.3 pts 8.5%
8.8% Other condition ◂ +0.5 pts 8.3%
4.3% Diabetes +1.4 pts ▸ 5.7%
3.7% Heart disease +1.7 pts ▸ 5.4%
2.8% Cancer +0.8 pts ▸ 3.6%
1.7% Lung condition +1.1 pts ▸ 2.9%
0.8% Stroke +0.4 pts ▸ 1.2%
0.7% Dementia even 0.6%

Number of long-term health conditions

64.8% None ◂ +8.2 pts 56.6%
19.2% One condition +0.9 pts ▸ 20.0%
5.9% Two conditions +1.5 pts ▸ 7.3%
3.0% Three or more +1.3 pts ▸ 4.2%

Community Participation

Volunteering in 1 million or morein 500 or more +1.7 pts higher in 500 or more gap steady
13.8% 30th pct 15.5% 48th pct
Unpaid carers in 1 million or morein 500 or more +1.6 pts higher in 500 or more gap steady
11.3% 36th pct 12.9% 61st pct
Unpaid child care in 1 million or morein 500 or more +4.0 pts higher in 1 million or more gap widening
28.0% 83rd pct 24.0% 30th pct
Defence service in 1 million or morein 500 or more +1.0 pts higher in 500 or more
3.6% 58th pct 4.6% 86th pct
Housework 15h+ in 1 million or morein 500 or more +5.0 pts higher in 500 or more gap narrowing
19.7% 33rd pct 24.7% 83rd pct

Family & Households

Household size in 1 million or morein 500 or more +0.1 larger in 1 million or more gap steady
2.6 81st pct 2.5 57th pct
One-parent in 1 million or morein 500 or more +0.9 pts higher in 500 or more gap steady
15.0% 41st pct 16.0% 51st pct
Living alone in 1 million or morein 500 or more +1.8 pts higher in 500 or more gap widening
23.9% 22nd pct 25.7% 32nd pct

Family composition

58.6% Couples with children ◂ +8.7 pts 49.9%
25.1% Couples without children +7.9 pts ▸ 33.0%
15.0% One-parent families +0.9 pts ▸ 16.0%
1.3% Other families ◂ +0.2 pts 1.2%

Household size

33.0% 2 people +5.9 pts ▸ 38.9%
23.9% 1 person +1.8 pts ▸ 25.7%
17.0% 3 people ◂ +3.6 pts 13.4%
16.2% 4 people ◂ +4.0 pts 12.1%
6.5% 5 people ◂ +0.6 pts 6.0%
3.5% 6 or more +0.4 pts ▸ 3.9%

Housing & Dwellings

Rent in 1 million or morein 500 or more +$149 higher in 1 million or more gap narrowing
$380 90th pct $231 23rd pct
Mortgage in 1 million or morein 500 or more +$411 higher in 1 million or more gap narrowing
$1,889 83rd pct $1,478 41st pct
People / bedroom in 1 million or morein 500 or more even gap steady
0.80 43rd pct 0.80 43rd pct
Renting in 1 million or morein 500 or more +13.0 pts higher in 1 million or more gap widening
36.6% 82nd pct 23.6% 27th pct
Owned outright in 1 million or morein 500 or more +14.1 pts higher in 500 or more gap widening
24.8% 13th pct 38.9% 71st pct
Separate houses in 1 million or morein 500 or more +22.2 pts higher in 500 or more gap widening
71.4% 13th pct 93.7% 77th pct
3+ bedrooms in 1 million or morein 500 or more even gap steady
76.6% 47th pct 76.7% 47th pct

How homes are owned or rented

24.8% Owned outright +14.1 pts ▸ 38.9%
36.6% Rented ◂ +13.0 pts 23.6%
35.8% Owned with a mortgage ◂ +2.5 pts 33.4%
1.3% Not stated +0.9 pts ▸ 2.2%
1.5% Other tenure +0.6 pts ▸ 2.0%

Types of homes

71.4% Separate house +22.2 pts ▸ 93.7%
16.0% Flat or apartment ◂ +14.4 pts 1.6%
12.0% Townhouse / semi-detached ◂ +9.7 pts 2.4%
0.3% Other dwelling +1.5 pts ▸ 1.8%

Bedrooms per home

36.3% 3 bedrooms +5.9 pts ▸ 42.3%
31.3% 4 bedrooms ◂ +3.6 pts 27.7%
16.5% 2 bedrooms ◂ +0.8 pts 15.7%
9.0% 5 or more ◂ +2.3 pts 6.7%
5.2% 1 bedroom ◂ +0.7 pts 4.5%
0.4% Studio / none +0.5 pts ▸ 0.9%

Weekly rent distribution

52.3% $350–$549 ◂ +34.6 pts 17.7%
25.7% $200–$349 +11.8 pts ▸ 37.5%
8.2% Under $200 +28.8 pts ▸ 37.0%
8.6% $550–$749 ◂ +6.4 pts 2.2%
2.4% $750 or more ◂ +1.8 pts 0.6%

Monthly mortgage distribution

31.3% $1,000–$1,799 +6.9 pts ▸ 38.1%
35.1% $1,800–$2,999 ◂ +11.0 pts 24.2%
12.8% Under $1,000 +11.8 pts ▸ 24.5%
15.5% $3,000 or more ◂ +8.9 pts 6.5%

Transport & Vehicles

No car in 1 million or morein 500 or more +1.5 pts higher in 1 million or more gap steady
6.7% 69th pct 5.2% 44th pct
Work from home in 1 million or morein 500 or more +9.2 pts higher in 1 million or more gap widening
17.7% 88th pct 8.4% 51st pct
PT commute in 1 million or morein 500 or more +4.0 pts higher in 1 million or more gap narrowing
5.0% 88th pct 1.0% 40th pct

How people get to work

54.5% Car (driver) +9.8 pts ▸ 64.3%
17.7% Worked at home ◂ +9.2 pts 8.4%
4.1% Car (passenger) +0.8 pts ▸ 4.9%
2.2% Walked +2.6 pts ▸ 4.8%
2.7% Bus ◂ +1.9 pts 0.7%
2.2% Train ◂ +2.1 pts 0.1%
0.8% Bicycle ◂ +0.4 pts 0.4%

Motor vehicles per home

37.8% 2 vehicles +0.2 pts ▸ 38.1%
37.0% 1 vehicle ◂ +4.1 pts 32.8%
12.1% 3 vehicles +2.8 pts ▸ 14.9%
6.4% 4 or more +2.6 pts ▸ 9.0%
6.7% No vehicle ◂ +1.5 pts 5.2%

Migration & Movement

Recent movers in 1 million or morein 500 or more +10.4 pts higher in 1 million or more gap widening
46.8% 85th pct 36.4% 37th pct
Recent arrivals in 1 million or morein 500 or more +7.6 pts higher in 1 million or more gap narrowing
14.4% 63rd pct 6.8% 16th pct

Jobs & Industry

Unemployment in 1 million or morein 500 or more +0.8 pts higher in 500 or more gap steady
5.5% 61st pct 6.3% 74th pct
Participation in 1 million or morein 500 or more +13.6 pts higher in 1 million or more gap widening
65.5% 91st pct 51.9% 30th pct
Full-time in 1 million or morein 500 or more +2.8 pts higher in 1 million or more gap steady
60.1% 71st pct 57.4% 50th pct

Industries people work in

15.6% Health care & social assistance ◂ +1.5 pts 14.0%
8.2% Construction +1.8 pts ▸ 10.0%
9.0% Retail trade +0.4 pts ▸ 9.4%
9.0% Education & training even 9.0%
8.8% Professional & technical ◂ +5.2 pts 3.7%
6.7% Public administration & safety +1.1 pts ▸ 7.8%
6.5% Accommodation & food even 6.6%
6.0% Manufacturing ◂ +0.1 pts 5.8%
5.3% Transport & warehousing ◂ +0.3 pts 5.0%
0.5% Agriculture, forestry & fishing +4.1 pts ▸ 4.6%
1.1% Mining +3.1 pts ▸ 4.2%
3.7% Other services +0.2 pts ▸ 4.0%

Occupations people work in

25.5% Professionals ◂ +11.0 pts 14.6%
12.0% Technicians & trades +4.2 pts ▸ 16.2%
13.6% Clerical & administrative ◂ +2.1 pts 11.4%
8.7% Labourers +4.9 pts ▸ 13.6%
11.6% Community & personal service +1.3 pts ▸ 12.9%
12.5% Managers ◂ +1.7 pts 10.8%
6.1% Machinery operators & drivers +3.8 pts ▸ 9.9%
8.2% Sales workers even 8.2%

Walkability

Walk score in 1 million or morein 500 or more +3.8 higher in 1 million or more
6.6 92nd pct 2.7 22nd pct
Types ≤15 min in 1 million or morein 500 or more +3.2 more in 1 million or more
6.2 92nd pct 3.0 23rd pct
15-min city in 1 million or morein 500 or more +43.6 pts higher in 1 million or more
77.6% 93rd pct 34.0% 25th pct
Walk to shops in 1 million or morein 500 or more +38.9 pts higher in 1 million or more
77.6% 93rd pct 38.8% 26th pct
Walk to transit in 1 million or morein 500 or more +84.1 pts higher in 1 million or more
88.8% 80th pct 4.7% 16th pct
Walk to school in 1 million or morein 500 or more +43.5 pts higher in 1 million or more
82.2% 93rd pct 38.7% 24th pct
Walk to a park in 1 million or morein 500 or more +33.6 pts higher in 1 million or more
97.3% 86th pct 63.7% 22nd pct
Walk to health in 1 million or morein 500 or more +31.9 pts higher in 1 million or more
62.8% 91st pct 30.9% 31st pct
Amenities/1k in 1 million or morein 500 or more +1.9 more in 500 or more
13.7 23rd pct 15.6 38th pct
Intersections/km² in 1 million or morein 500 or more +111 higher in 1 million or more
119 88th pct 8 17th pct
Mean slope in 1 million or morein 500 or more +0.2 pts higher in 1 million or more
5.9% 67th pct 5.7% 62nd pct

Compare 1 million or more with nearby areas

250,000 to 999,999 10,000 to 19,999 10,000 to 19,999 5,000 to 9,999 20,000 to 49,999 5,000 to 9,999 50,000 to 99,999 500 or more 500 or more 50,000 to 99,999 499 or less 250,000 to 999,999

Compare 500 or more with nearby areas

50,000 to 99,999 20,000 to 49,999 5,000 to 9,999 10,000 to 19,999 1 million or more Remainder of State/Territory 250,000 to 999,999 100,000 to 249,999 4,999 or less 5,000 to 9,999 10,000 to 19,999 50,000 to 99,999

Cite this page

Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2021). 1 million or more vs 500 or more [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/compare/sosr/SOSR301/1-million-or-more/vs/SOSR321/500-or-more