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1 million or more vs 499 or less

Section of State Range comparison ≈ 450 km apart · 1 million or more profile · 499 or less profile

1 million or more 499 or less

These two areas are very different in scale and makeup. 1 million or more is a large, very walkable hub where 28.9% of people were born overseas and 26.4% of adults hold a bachelor degree or higher. In contrast, 499 or less is a mostly car-dependent area with a much older population, where the typical resident is 50 compared to 39 in 1 million or more. Housing also differs sharply: 95.4% of homes in 499 or less are separate houses, while 1 million or more has far more apartments and townhouses, and typical weekly rents are much higher at $320 compared to $175.

Many of these gaps have widened since 2011, particularly in education and age. While the two areas are similar in the proportion of one-parent families and the share of homes with three or more bedrooms, they have drifted apart in other ways. For example, the difference in the share of adults with a bachelor degree has grown to 17 percentage points. 1 million or more also remains much more connected, with 97.3% of homes within a 10-minute walk of public transport, while only 41.6% of homes in 499 or less have that access.

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Where they differ most

Year 12: 26.4 pts higher in 1 million or more Population: 1,225,945 larger in 1 million or more Separate houses: 22.3 pts higher in 499 or less Bachelor+: 17.0 pts higher in 1 million or more Born overseas: 18.4 pts higher in 1 million or more

Demographics & Identity

Population in 1 million or morein 499 or less +1,225,945 larger in 1 million or more gap widening
1,245,011 89th pct 19,066 33rd pct
Median age in 1 million or morein 499 or less +11 yrs older in 499 or less gap widening
39 yrs 29th pct 50 yrs 91st pct
First Nations in 1 million or morein 499 or less +8.4 pts higher in 499 or less gap widening
1.7% 13th pct 10.1% 77th pct
Aged 65+ in 1 million or morein 499 or less +8.2 pts higher in 499 or less gap widening
18.6% 45th pct 26.8% 94th pct
Under 15 in 1 million or morein 499 or less +1.8 pts higher in 1 million or more gap steady
17.0% 39th pct 15.2% 24th pct
De facto in 1 million or morein 499 or less +2.1 pts higher in 499 or less gap steady
10.7% 7th pct 12.8% 54th pct

Age structure

24.4% Older adults (45–64) +5.5 pts ▸ 29.9%
27.8% Young adults (25–44) ◂ +8.6 pts 19.2%
18.6% Seniors (65+) +8.2 pts ▸ 26.8%
17.0% Children (0–14) ◂ +1.8 pts 15.2%
12.3% Youth (15–24) ◂ +3.3 pts 8.9%

Marital status

45.1% Married +2.7 pts ▸ 47.7%
36.9% Never married ◂ +7.4 pts 29.5%
9.4% Divorced +2.0 pts ▸ 11.3%
5.5% Widowed +1.4 pts ▸ 6.9%
3.1% Separated +1.4 pts ▸ 4.5%

Age & sex structure

1 million or more 499 or less

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 499 or less +18.4 pts higher in 1 million or more gap widening
28.9% 88th pct 10.5% 18th pct

Country of birth

67.5% Australia +13.5 pts ▸ 81.0%
5.4% England ◂ +0.7 pts 4.7%
3.4% India ◂ +3.2 pts 0.2%
2.0% China ◂ +1.9 pts 0.1%
1.3% Vietnam ◂ +1.3 pts 0.0%
1.2% Italy ◂ +1.1 pts 0.1%
1.0% Philippines ◂ +0.6 pts 0.4%
0.7% New Zealand +0.2 pts ▸ 0.9%
0.6% Nepal ◂ +0.5 pts 0.0%
0.5% South Africa ◂ +0.2 pts 0.3%

Ancestry

35.7% English +5.7 pts ▸ 41.4%
29.2% Australian +8.5 pts ▸ 37.7%
6.3% German +3.1 pts ▸ 9.4%
7.9% Scottish +0.9 pts ▸ 8.9%
7.5% Irish +0.1 pts ▸ 7.6%
7.1% Italian ◂ +5.5 pts 1.6%
4.5% Chinese ◂ +4.2 pts 0.3%
3.3% Indian ◂ +3.0 pts 0.3%
2.9% Greek ◂ +2.6 pts 0.3%
1.6% Dutch +0.3 pts ▸ 1.8%
1.7% Vietnamese ◂ +1.7 pts 0.0%
1.4% Filipino ◂ +1.0 pts 0.4%

Language

Other language in 1 million or morein 499 or less +13.9 pts higher in 1 million or more gap widening
23.1% 84th pct 9.2% 55th pct
Limited English in 1 million or morein 499 or less +2.7 pts higher in 1 million or more gap steady
3.5% 87th pct 0.9% 47th pct

Language used at home

73.0% English only +10.0 pts ▸ 83.0%
2.5% Mandarin ◂ +2.4 pts 0.1%
1.7% Italian ◂ +1.6 pts 0.1%
1.7% Vietnamese ◂ +1.6 pts 0.0%
1.6% Greek ◂ +1.5 pts 0.1%
1.5% Punjabi ◂ +1.5 pts 0.0%
0.9% Arabic ◂ +0.8 pts 0.0%
0.8% Cantonese ◂ +0.8 pts 0.0%
0.8% Hindi ◂ +0.8 pts 0.0%
0.4% Tagalog ◂ +0.3 pts 0.1%

Religion

No religion in 1 million or morein 499 or less +4.5 pts higher in 499 or less gap widening
44.2% 58th pct 48.7% 82nd pct

Religious affiliation

44.2% No religion +4.5 pts ▸ 48.7%
40.0% Christianity ◂ +1.4 pts 38.6%
5.5% Not stated +5.2 pts ▸ 10.7%
3.1% Islam ◂ +2.9 pts 0.2%
2.9% Hinduism ◂ +2.7 pts 0.2%
2.4% Buddhism ◂ +1.9 pts 0.6%
1.8% Other religions ◂ +0.8 pts 1.0%
0.1% Judaism ◂ +0.1 pts 0.0%

Education & Qualifications

Year 12 in 1 million or morein 499 or less +26.4 pts higher in 1 million or more gap widening
59.6% 90th pct 33.3% 15th pct
Bachelor+ in 1 million or morein 499 or less +17.0 pts higher in 1 million or more gap widening
26.4% 90th pct 9.4% 11th pct

Highest year of school

59.6% Year 12 ◂ +26.4 pts 33.3%
14.4% Year 11 +7.0 pts ▸ 21.5%
12.5% Year 10 +8.4 pts ▸ 20.9%
8.7% Year 9 or below +5.5 pts ▸ 14.1%

Highest qualification level

26.7% Certificate III / IV +12.6 pts ▸ 39.2%
28.8% Bachelor degree ◂ +16.0 pts 12.8%
14.7% Advanced diploma / diploma ◂ +2.6 pts 12.1%
10.6% Postgraduate degree ◂ +7.8 pts 2.8%
4.0% Graduate diploma / certificate ◂ +1.6 pts 2.5%
2.1% Certificate I / II +1.2 pts ▸ 3.3%

Field of qualification

19.5% Management & commerce ◂ +8.2 pts 11.3%
13.9% Engineering & related +3.1 pts ▸ 17.0%
13.7% Society & culture ◂ +3.7 pts 10.1%
12.6% Health ◂ +2.7 pts 9.9%
7.9% Education +0.4 pts ▸ 8.2%
4.7% Architecture & building +0.9 pts ▸ 5.6%
5.0% Food, hospitality & personal services +0.3 pts ▸ 5.3%
1.5% Agriculture & environment +3.1 pts ▸ 4.6%
3.6% Creative arts ◂ +1.9 pts 1.8%
3.4% Natural & physical sciences ◂ +2.0 pts 1.4%
3.4% Information technology ◂ +2.5 pts 0.8%

Income

Personal income in 1 million or morein 499 or less +$207 higher in 1 million or more gap widening
$757 62nd pct $550 14th pct
Household income in 1 million or morein 499 or less +$488 higher in 1 million or more gap widening
$1,527 58th pct $1,039 0th pct
Family income in 1 million or morein 499 or less +$636 higher in 1 million or more gap widening
$1,972 70th pct $1,336 10th pct
High earners in 1 million or morein 499 or less +4.8 pts higher in 1 million or more gap widening
9.7% 64th pct 5.0% 13th pct
High-income homes in 1 million or morein 499 or less +10.6 pts higher in 1 million or more gap widening
17.9% 68th pct 7.3% 0th pct

Household income distribution

28.8% $650–$1,499 +6.2 pts ▸ 35.0%
29.7% $1,500–$2,999 ◂ +7.1 pts 22.6%
17.5% Under $650 +7.7 pts ▸ 25.3%
9.1% $3,000–$3,999 ◂ +4.4 pts 4.7%
8.9% $4,000 or more ◂ +6.2 pts 2.7%

Personal income distribution

42.2% Under $650 +8.5 pts ▸ 50.7%
33.1% $650–$1,499 ◂ +5.3 pts 27.8%
16.3% $1,500–$2,999 ◂ +6.2 pts 10.0%
3.4% $3,000 or more ◂ +2.0 pts 1.4%

Health & Disability

Health condition in 1 million or morein 499 or less +5.1 pts higher in 499 or less
30.0% 49th pct 35.1% 87th pct
Mental health in 1 million or morein 499 or less +0.5 pts higher in 499 or less
9.8% 51st pct 10.3% 61st pct
Needs assistance in 1 million or morein 499 or less +0.3 pts higher in 499 or less gap steady
6.7% 63rd pct 7.0% 72nd pct

Long-term health conditions reported

9.4% Arthritis +3.6 pts ▸ 13.0%
9.8% Mental health +0.5 pts ▸ 10.3%
8.6% Asthma +0.3 pts ▸ 9.0%
8.9% Other condition ◂ +0.8 pts 8.1%
5.5% Diabetes +2.1 pts ▸ 7.6%
4.4% Heart disease +1.5 pts ▸ 5.9%
3.1% Cancer +0.7 pts ▸ 3.7%
1.8% Lung condition +1.3 pts ▸ 3.1%
1.0% Stroke +0.4 pts ▸ 1.4%
1.0% Dementia ◂ +0.2 pts 0.8%

Number of long-term health conditions

63.8% None ◂ +9.2 pts 54.6%
19.9% One condition +1.8 pts ▸ 21.7%
6.6% Two conditions +1.9 pts ▸ 8.5%
3.6% Three or more +1.4 pts ▸ 5.0%

Community Participation

Volunteering in 1 million or morein 499 or less +7.6 pts higher in 499 or less gap narrowing
15.0% 43rd pct 22.6% 92nd pct
Unpaid carers in 1 million or morein 499 or less +1.0 pts higher in 499 or less gap steady
13.0% 63rd pct 14.0% 92nd pct
Unpaid child care in 1 million or morein 499 or less +3.3 pts higher in 1 million or more gap widening
26.8% 74th pct 23.5% 28th pct
Defence service in 1 million or morein 499 or less +1.2 pts higher in 499 or less
3.0% 27th pct 4.3% 79th pct
Housework 15h+ in 1 million or morein 499 or less +5.2 pts higher in 499 or less gap steady
20.2% 37th pct 25.4% 88th pct

Family & Households

Household size in 1 million or morein 499 or less +0.2 larger in 1 million or more gap widening
2.4 43rd pct 2.2 11th pct
One-parent in 1 million or morein 499 or less +0.8 pts higher in 1 million or more gap narrowing
15.4% 45th pct 14.6% 35th pct
Living alone in 1 million or morein 499 or less +5.9 pts higher in 499 or less gap widening
28.4% 51st pct 34.2% 100th pct

Family composition

56.5% Couples with children ◂ +11.4 pts 45.0%
26.8% Couples without children +12.1 pts ▸ 38.9%
15.4% One-parent families ◂ +0.8 pts 14.6%
1.3% Other families +0.1 pts ▸ 1.4%

Household size

33.3% 2 people +6.3 pts ▸ 39.5%
28.4% 1 person +5.9 pts ▸ 34.2%
15.9% 3 people ◂ +5.3 pts 10.5%
14.7% 4 people ◂ +6.1 pts 8.6%
5.3% 5 people ◂ +1.1 pts 4.2%
2.4% 6 or more +0.4 pts ▸ 2.8%

Housing & Dwellings

Rent in 1 million or morein 499 or less +$145 higher in 1 million or more gap steady
$320 73rd pct $175 11th pct
Mortgage in 1 million or morein 499 or less +$552 higher in 1 million or more gap widening
$1,552 60th pct $1,000 0th pct
People / bedroom in 1 million or morein 499 or less +0.10 higher in 1 million or more gap widening
0.80 43rd pct 0.70 0th pct
Renting in 1 million or morein 499 or less +10.0 pts higher in 1 million or more gap widening
29.7% 51st pct 19.7% 20th pct
Owned outright in 1 million or morein 499 or less +13.1 pts higher in 499 or less gap widening
30.5% 33rd pct 43.6% 86th pct
Separate houses in 1 million or morein 499 or less +22.3 pts higher in 499 or less gap widening
73.1% 14th pct 95.4% 86th pct
3+ bedrooms in 1 million or morein 499 or less +0.4 pts higher in 499 or less gap narrowing
75.7% 41st pct 76.1% 43rd pct

How homes are owned or rented

30.5% Owned outright +13.1 pts ▸ 43.6%
36.2% Owned with a mortgage ◂ +4.2 pts 32.0%
29.7% Rented ◂ +10.0 pts 19.7%
2.4% Other tenure +0.3 pts ▸ 2.7%
1.2% Not stated +0.8 pts ▸ 2.0%

Types of homes

73.1% Separate house +22.3 pts ▸ 95.4%
17.5% Townhouse / semi-detached ◂ +15.5 pts 1.9%
9.0% Flat or apartment ◂ +8.3 pts 0.7%
0.2% Other dwelling +1.2 pts ▸ 1.4%

Bedrooms per home

52.0% 3 bedrooms +0.5 pts ▸ 52.5%
19.9% 4 bedrooms +0.3 pts ▸ 20.2%
19.6% 2 bedrooms ◂ +1.8 pts 17.8%
3.5% 1 bedroom +0.4 pts ▸ 3.9%
3.8% 5 or more ◂ +0.4 pts 3.4%
0.2% Studio / none +0.3 pts ▸ 0.5%

Weekly rent distribution

16.8% Under $200 +36.0 pts ▸ 52.8%
41.3% $200–$349 ◂ +6.2 pts 35.1%
34.2% $350–$549 ◂ +29.8 pts 4.4%
3.6% $550–$749 ◂ +2.6 pts 1.0%
1.0% $750 or more ◂ +0.4 pts 0.6%

Monthly mortgage distribution

19.5% Under $1,000 +27.7 pts ▸ 47.2%
39.5% $1,000–$1,799 ◂ +5.1 pts 34.4%
26.1% $1,800–$2,999 ◂ +16.0 pts 10.1%
10.0% $3,000 or more ◂ +7.2 pts 2.9%

Transport & Vehicles

No car in 1 million or morein 499 or less +2.9 pts higher in 1 million or more gap narrowing
8.1% 86th pct 5.2% 45th pct
Work from home in 1 million or morein 499 or less +3.2 pts higher in 1 million or more gap steady
9.5% 59th pct 6.3% 32nd pct
PT commute in 1 million or morein 499 or less +4.7 pts higher in 1 million or more gap narrowing
5.3% 89th pct 0.6% 21st pct

How people get to work

63.0% Car (driver) +2.6 pts ▸ 65.6%
9.5% Worked at home ◂ +3.2 pts 6.3%
1.9% Walked +6.0 pts ▸ 8.0%
4.3% Car (passenger) ◂ +0.3 pts 4.1%
4.0% Bus ◂ +3.5 pts 0.6%
1.1% Bicycle ◂ +0.8 pts 0.2%
0.9% Train ◂ +0.8 pts 0.0%

Motor vehicles per home

38.2% 1 vehicle ◂ +3.7 pts 34.5%
36.6% 2 vehicles +1.2 pts ▸ 37.7%
11.3% 3 vehicles +3.4 pts ▸ 14.7%
8.1% No vehicle ◂ +2.9 pts 5.2%
5.8% 4 or more +2.1 pts ▸ 7.9%

Migration & Movement

Recent movers in 1 million or morein 499 or less +9.4 pts higher in 1 million or more gap widening
38.4% 44th pct 29.0% 15th pct
Recent arrivals in 1 million or morein 499 or less +11.5 pts higher in 1 million or more gap narrowing
16.3% 72nd pct 4.8% 9th pct

Jobs & Industry

Unemployment in 1 million or morein 499 or less +1.4 pts higher in 499 or less gap widening
5.7% 66th pct 7.1% 79th pct
Participation in 1 million or morein 499 or less +13.0 pts higher in 1 million or more gap widening
61.5% 78th pct 48.6% 24th pct
Full-time in 1 million or morein 499 or less +4.1 pts higher in 1 million or more gap steady
57.5% 51st pct 53.4% 14th pct

Industries people work in

17.4% Health care & social assistance ◂ +4.4 pts 13.0%
0.9% Agriculture, forestry & fishing +10.2 pts ▸ 11.1%
9.7% Retail trade ◂ +1.5 pts 8.2%
8.2% Construction +1.1 pts ▸ 9.3%
9.0% Education & training +0.3 pts ▸ 9.3%
6.6% Manufacturing +1.0 pts ▸ 7.7%
6.7% Accommodation & food +0.8 pts ▸ 7.5%
7.2% Professional & technical ◂ +4.5 pts 2.7%
7.1% Public administration & safety ◂ +2.1 pts 5.0%
4.2% Transport & warehousing +0.7 pts ▸ 4.9%
3.9% Administrative & support +0.3 pts ▸ 4.2%
4.0% Other services ◂ +0.2 pts 3.8%

Occupations people work in

23.9% Professionals ◂ +11.1 pts 12.8%
9.3% Labourers +7.2 pts ▸ 16.5%
12.7% Technicians & trades +2.8 pts ▸ 15.5%
11.8% Managers +2.0 pts ▸ 13.8%
13.3% Community & personal service ◂ +0.2 pts 13.1%
13.2% Clerical & administrative ◂ +3.2 pts 10.0%
5.5% Machinery operators & drivers +3.6 pts ▸ 9.1%
8.5% Sales workers ◂ +1.5 pts 7.0%

Walkability

Walk score in 1 million or morein 499 or less +3.4 higher in 1 million or more
7.0 97th pct 3.6 28th pct
Types ≤15 min in 1 million or morein 499 or less +2.8 more in 1 million or more
6.7 99th pct 3.9 30th pct
15-min city in 1 million or morein 499 or less +38.1 pts higher in 1 million or more
86.2% 100th pct 48.1% 37th pct
Walk to shops in 1 million or morein 499 or less +27.6 pts higher in 1 million or more
81.8% 97th pct 54.3% 43rd pct
Walk to transit in 1 million or morein 499 or less +55.6 pts higher in 1 million or more
97.3% 99th pct 41.6% 39th pct
Walk to school in 1 million or morein 499 or less +35.6 pts higher in 1 million or more
87.0% 98th pct 51.4% 31st pct
Walk to a park in 1 million or morein 499 or less +26.5 pts higher in 1 million or more
99.2% 98th pct 72.7% 26th pct
Walk to health in 1 million or morein 499 or less +51.7 pts higher in 1 million or more
67.7% 94th pct 15.9% 21st pct
Amenities/1k in 1 million or morein 499 or less +14.9 more in 499 or less
14.5 30th pct 29.4 86th pct
Intersections/km² in 1 million or morein 499 or less +166 higher in 1 million or more
181 95th pct 14 22nd pct
Mean slope in 1 million or morein 499 or less +0.1 pts higher in 1 million or more
4.5% 32nd pct 4.4% 29th pct

Compare 1 million or more with nearby areas

10,000 to 19,999 20,000 to 49,999 5,000 to 9,999 500 or more 499 or less Remainder of State/Territory 100,000 to 249,999 Remainder of State/Territory 4,999 or less Remainder of State/Territory 5,000 to 9,999 20,000 to 49,999

Compare 499 or less with nearby areas

500 or more Remainder of State/Territory 4,999 or less 20,000 to 49,999 1 million or more 10,000 to 19,999 5,000 to 9,999 Remainder of State/Territory 20,000 to 49,999 500 or more Remainder of State/Territory 100,000 to 249,999

Cite this page

Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2021). 1 million or more vs 499 or less [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/compare/sosr/SOSR401/1-million-or-more/vs/SOSR422/499-or-less