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Western Australia vs Australian Capital Territory

Name: Western Australia vs Australian Capital Territory — 2021 Census comparison
Creator: Australian Bureau of Statistics
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

State / Territory comparison ≈ 2,741 km apart · Western Australia profile · Australian Capital Territory profile

Western Australia Australian Capital Territory

Western Australia and the Australian Capital Territory are vastly different in scale and profile. The Australian Capital Territory has far higher levels of education and income, with 42.9% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher compared to 23.8% in Western Australia. This is consistent with the job market, where public administration is far more common in the Australian Capital Territory and mining is more prevalent in Western Australia. Housing also differs, as separate houses are far more common in Western Australia at 79.7%, while the Australian Capital Territory has a much higher share of flats and apartments.

Both areas sit near the national figure for the typical age of residents, though the gap between them has widened as Western Australia has become noticeably older. They share many everyday similarities, including the same typical number of people per home and an almost identical share of people who need help with daily activities. While the Australian Capital Territory is far more walkable and closer to public transport, the two areas are effectively alike in the percentage of people who commute by public transport.

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Where they differ most

Population: 2,205,527 larger in Western Australia Bachelor+: 19.1 pts higher in Australian Capital Territory Year 12: 19.0 pts higher in Australian Capital Territory Separate houses: 16.5 pts higher in Western Australia Personal income: $355 higher in Australian Capital Territory

Demographics & Identity

Population in Western Australia in Australian Capital Territory +2,205,527 larger in Western Australia gap widening

2,660,026 454,499

Median age in Western Australia in Australian Capital Territory +3 yrs older in Western Australia gap widening

38 yrs 35 yrs

Age structure

28.3% Young adults (25–44) +4.1 pts ▸ 32.4%

24.9% Older adults (45–64) ◂ +2.5 pts 22.4%

19.0% Children (0–14) ◂ +0.8 pts 18.2%

16.1% Seniors (65+) ◂ +2.4 pts 13.7%

11.7% Youth (15–24) +1.6 pts ▸ 13.3%

Marital status

47.3% Married ◂ +0.6 pts 46.7%

36.1% Never married +3.2 pts ▸ 39.3%

8.8% Divorced ◂ +1.1 pts 7.7%

4.4% Widowed ◂ +0.7 pts 3.7%

3.3% Separated ◂ +0.8 pts 2.6%

Age & sex structure

Western Australia Australian Capital Territory

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

Ancestry & Birthplace

Country of birth

62.0% Australia +5.5 pts ▸ 67.5%

7.4% England ◂ +4.5 pts 2.9%

2.3% India +1.5 pts ▸ 3.8%

2.8% New Zealand ◂ +1.7 pts 1.1%

1.1% China +1.6 pts ▸ 2.7%

1.7% South Africa ◂ +1.2 pts 0.5%

1.4% Philippines ◂ +0.3 pts 1.1%

0.2% Nepal +1.1 pts ▸ 1.3%

0.7% Vietnam +0.2 pts ▸ 0.9%

0.7% Italy ◂ +0.3 pts 0.4%

Ancestry

37.6% English ◂ +5.7 pts 32.0%

29.7% Australian +1.9 pts ▸ 31.5%

8.8% Irish +2.8 pts ▸ 11.6%

8.7% Scottish +1.3 pts ▸ 10.0%

4.4% Chinese +1.3 pts ▸ 5.7%

5.2% Italian ◂ +1.8 pts 3.3%

2.9% Indian +1.6 pts ▸ 4.5%

2.9% German +1.3 pts ▸ 4.2%

2.0% Dutch ◂ +0.3 pts 1.7%

1.8% Filipino ◂ +0.2 pts 1.6%

0.9% Vietnamese +0.4 pts ▸ 1.3%

0.6% Greek +0.6 pts ▸ 1.2%

Language

Language used at home

75.3% English only ◂ +4.0 pts 71.3%

1.9% Mandarin +1.2 pts ▸ 3.2%

0.9% Vietnamese +0.3 pts ▸ 1.1%

0.8% Punjabi +0.3 pts ▸ 1.1%

0.4% Hindi +0.6 pts ▸ 1.0%

1.0% Italian ◂ +0.3 pts 0.6%

0.7% Cantonese +0.2 pts ▸ 0.9%

0.6% Arabic +0.2 pts ▸ 0.9%

0.7% Tagalog ◂ +0.1 pts 0.5%

0.2% Greek +0.4 pts ▸ 0.6%

Religion

Religious affiliation

42.9% No religion +1.2 pts ▸ 44.2%

41.1% Christianity ◂ +3.0 pts 38.1%

8.0% Not stated ◂ +2.3 pts 5.7%

2.0% Hinduism +2.6 pts ▸ 4.5%

2.5% Islam +0.7 pts ▸ 3.2%

2.2% Buddhism +0.6 pts ▸ 2.8%

1.1% Other religions +0.2 pts ▸ 1.3%

0.2% Judaism even 0.2%

Education & Qualifications

Highest year of school

58.0% Year 12 +19.0 pts ▸ 77.0%

19.2% Year 10 ◂ +8.7 pts 10.5%

8.8% Year 11 ◂ +5.2 pts 3.5%

6.7% Year 9 or below ◂ +2.4 pts 4.2%

Highest qualification level

25.9% Bachelor degree +8.0 pts ▸ 33.9%

28.0% Certificate III / IV ◂ +13.0 pts 15.0%

8.0% Postgraduate degree +11.9 pts ▸ 19.9%

14.7% Advanced diploma / diploma ◂ +1.7 pts 13.0%

3.7% Graduate diploma / certificate +2.7 pts ▸ 6.3%

2.6% Certificate I / II ◂ +1.2 pts 1.3%

Field of qualification

10.8% Society & culture +9.3 pts ▸ 20.1%

17.6% Management & commerce +2.4 pts ▸ 20.0%

17.1% Engineering & related ◂ +8.6 pts 8.4%

10.6% Health ◂ +1.9 pts 8.7%

8.0% Education ◂ +1.1 pts 6.9%

2.5% Information technology +5.1 pts ▸ 7.5%

3.4% Natural & physical sciences +2.2 pts ▸ 5.6%

5.1% Food, hospitality & personal services ◂ +1.8 pts 3.3%

5.0% Architecture & building ◂ +1.1 pts 3.9%

3.2% Creative arts +1.0 pts ▸ 4.2%

2.0% Agriculture & environment ◂ +0.3 pts 1.6%

Income

Personal income in Western Australia in Australian Capital Territory +$355 higher in Australian Capital Territory gap widening

$848 $1,203

Household income in Western Australia in Australian Capital Territory +$558 higher in Australian Capital Territory gap widening

$1,815 $2,373

Family income in Western Australia in Australian Capital Territory +$658 higher in Australian Capital Territory gap widening

$2,214 $2,872

Household income distribution

28.8% $1,500–$2,999 +3.7 pts ▸ 32.6%

23.8% $650–$1,499 ◂ +6.3 pts 17.5%

12.6% $4,000 or more +9.3 pts ▸ 21.9%

14.8% Under $650 ◂ +6.2 pts 8.6%

10.6% $3,000–$3,999 +3.9 pts ▸ 14.5%

Personal income distribution

38.1% Under $650 ◂ +10.3 pts 27.9%

19.6% $1,500–$2,999 +10.1 pts ▸ 29.7%

28.7% $650–$1,499 +1.0 pts ▸ 29.7%

5.9% $3,000 or more +1.9 pts ▸ 7.8%

Health & Disability

Long-term health conditions reported

8.3% Mental health +1.7 pts ▸ 10.0%

7.4% Other condition +2.3 pts ▸ 9.7%

7.3% Asthma +1.6 pts ▸ 9.0%

7.6% Arthritis +0.1 pts ▸ 7.7%

4.4% Diabetes ◂ +0.6 pts 3.9%

3.6% Heart disease ◂ +0.5 pts 3.1%

2.7% Cancer ◂ +0.1 pts 2.7%

1.6% Lung condition ◂ +0.3 pts 1.3%

0.8% Stroke ◂ +0.1 pts 0.7%

0.7% Dementia ◂ +0.1 pts 0.6%

Number of long-term health conditions

65.1% None +0.9 pts ▸ 65.9%

18.2% One condition +1.6 pts ▸ 19.8%

5.3% Two conditions +0.5 pts ▸ 5.8%

2.6% Three or more ◂ +0.1 pts 2.4%

Community Participation

First Nations

First Nations people in Western Australia in Australian Capital Territory +79,744 larger in Western Australia

88,693 8,949

Median age in Western Australia in Australian Capital Territory even

24 yrs 24 yrs

Median income in Western Australia in Australian Capital Territory +$517 higher in Australian Capital Territory

$481 $998

Household income in Western Australia in Australian Capital Territory +$809 higher in Australian Capital Territory

$1,480 $2,289

Family & Households

Household size in Western Australia in Australian Capital Territory even gap narrowing

2.5 2.5

Family composition

58.9% Couples with children +0.9 pts ▸ 59.8%

26.5% Couples without children +0.8 pts ▸ 27.2%

13.5% One-parent families ◂ +1.6 pts 11.9%

1.1% Other families ◂ +0.1 pts 1.1%

Household size

33.5% 2 people ◂ +0.9 pts 32.7%

25.4% 1 person +0.3 pts ▸ 25.7%

15.9% 3 people +0.7 pts ▸ 16.5%

15.9% 4 people +0.6 pts ▸ 16.5%

6.4% 5 people ◂ +0.3 pts 6.0%

2.9% 6 or more ◂ +0.4 pts 2.5%

Housing & Dwellings

Rent in Western Australia in Australian Capital Territory +$110 higher in Australian Capital Territory gap widening

$340 $450

Mortgage in Western Australia in Australian Capital Territory +$238 higher in Australian Capital Territory gap widening

$1,842 $2,080

People / bedroom in Western Australia in Australian Capital Territory even gap steady

0.80 0.80

How homes are owned or rented

40.0% Owned with a mortgage +0.3 pts ▸ 40.2%

27.3% Rented +3.3 pts ▸ 30.7%

29.2% Owned outright ◂ +2.5 pts 26.6%

2.1% Other tenure ◂ +0.6 pts 1.6%

1.4% Not stated ◂ +0.5 pts 0.9%

Types of homes

79.7% Separate house ◂ +16.5 pts 63.2%

6.5% Flat or apartment +12.9 pts ▸ 19.4%

13.0% Townhouse / semi-detached +4.2 pts ▸ 17.2%

0.6% Other dwelling ◂ +0.5 pts 0.1%

Bedrooms per home

38.4% 4 bedrooms ◂ +9.6 pts 28.8%

37.5% 3 bedrooms ◂ +0.3 pts 37.1%

12.6% 2 bedrooms +4.9 pts ▸ 17.5%

3.7% 1 bedroom +4.8 pts ▸ 8.4%

6.3% 5 or more +0.8 pts ▸ 7.1%

0.3% Studio / none even 0.2%

Weekly rent distribution

38.8% $350–$549 +7.0 pts ▸ 45.8%

34.9% $200–$349 ◂ +22.4 pts 12.4%

5.7% $550–$749 +15.5 pts ▸ 21.2%

14.4% Under $200 ◂ +2.0 pts 12.5%

2.4% $750 or more +2.6 pts ▸ 5.0%

Monthly mortgage distribution

34.2% $1,800–$2,999 +4.3 pts ▸ 38.5%

31.4% $1,000–$1,799 ◂ +5.8 pts 25.6%

14.9% $3,000 or more +5.9 pts ▸ 20.9%

13.9% Under $1,000 ◂ +2.9 pts 11.0%

Transport & Vehicles

PT stops in Western Australia in Australian Capital Territory +11,983 more in Western Australia

14,585 2,602

Stops/1k in Western Australia in Australian Capital Territory +0.24 more in Australian Capital Territory

5.48 5.72

Departures/1k in Western Australia in Australian Capital Territory +158.7 more in Western Australia

1,623.0 1,464.3

PT routes in Western Australia in Australian Capital Territory +307 more in Western Australia

407 100

How people get to work

62.1% Car (driver) ◂ +3.1 pts 59.0%

7.5% Worked at home +3.4 pts ▸ 10.9%

4.6% Car (passenger) +0.4 pts ▸ 5.0%

2.2% Walked +1.9 pts ▸ 4.0%

2.9% Bus +0.8 pts ▸ 3.6%

0.7% Bicycle +1.4 pts ▸ 2.1%

1.8% Train ◂ +1.7 pts 0.0%

Motor vehicles per home

39.6% 2 vehicles ◂ +0.9 pts 38.7%

34.5% 1 vehicle +4.8 pts ▸ 39.2%

13.4% 3 vehicles ◂ +2.5 pts 11.0%

7.6% 4 or more ◂ +2.0 pts 5.6%

5.0% No vehicle +0.6 pts ▸ 5.6%

Migration & Movement

Jobs & Industry

Industries people work in

5.9% Public administration & safety +23.9 pts ▸ 29.8%

13.6% Health care & social assistance ◂ +2.1 pts 11.5%

6.9% Professional & technical +4.0 pts ▸ 10.9%

8.8% Education & training +0.6 pts ▸ 9.4%

8.8% Construction ◂ +2.2 pts 6.7%

8.8% Retail trade ◂ +2.3 pts 6.5%

7.5% Mining ◂ +7.4 pts 0.1%

6.5% Accommodation & food ◂ +0.2 pts 6.3%

5.3% Manufacturing ◂ +3.6 pts 1.7%

4.5% Transport & warehousing ◂ +2.4 pts 2.1%

3.9% Other services ◂ +1.0 pts 2.9%

3.1% Administrative & support ◂ +0.5 pts 2.6%

Occupations people work in

22.0% Professionals +9.5 pts ▸ 31.4%

12.3% Managers +5.6 pts ▸ 17.9%

15.3% Technicians & trades ◂ +5.7 pts 9.6%

12.1% Clerical & administrative +2.5 pts ▸ 14.5%

11.8% Community & personal service ◂ +0.9 pts 10.9%

9.4% Labourers ◂ +4.4 pts 5.0%

7.8% Sales workers ◂ +1.7 pts 6.1%

7.7% Machinery operators & drivers ◂ +5.3 pts 2.4%

Economy & Advantage

ERP in Western Australia in Australian Capital Territory +2,559,752 higher in Western Australia

3,044,382 484,630

Growth in Western Australia in Australian Capital Territory +3.6 pts higher in Western Australia

10.7% 7.1%

Environment & Climate

Rainfall in Western Australia in Australian Capital Territory +723 higher in Australian Capital Territory

185 908

Max temp in Western Australia in Australian Capital Territory +11.6 higher in Western Australia

31.3 19.7

Min temp in Western Australia in Australian Capital Territory +9.6 higher in Western Australia

15.6 6.0

Walkability

Walk score in Western Australia in Australian Capital Territory +1.5 higher in Australian Capital Territory

5.4 6.9

Types ≤15 min in Western Australia in Australian Capital Territory +1.3 more in Australian Capital Territory

5.2 6.5

15-min city in Western Australia in Australian Capital Territory +18.0 pts higher in Australian Capital Territory

64.0% 81.9%

Walk to shops in Western Australia in Australian Capital Territory +18.5 pts higher in Australian Capital Territory

61.5% 80.0%

Walk to transit in Western Australia in Australian Capital Territory +16.7 pts higher in Australian Capital Territory

80.9% 97.6%

Walk to school in Western Australia in Australian Capital Territory +13.5 pts higher in Australian Capital Territory

71.9% 85.4%

Walk to a park in Western Australia in Australian Capital Territory +10.5 pts higher in Australian Capital Territory

88.9% 99.4%

Walk to health in Western Australia in Australian Capital Territory +15.8 pts higher in Australian Capital Territory

48.5% 64.3%

Amenities/1k in Western Australia in Australian Capital Territory +2.5 more in Australian Capital Territory

16.6 19.2

Intersections/km² in Western Australia in Australian Capital Territory +44 higher in Australian Capital Territory

0 44

Mean slope in Western Australia in Australian Capital Territory +0.2 pts higher in Western Australia

5.7% 5.5%

Compare Western Australia with nearby areas

Northern Territory South Australia Queensland Other Territories Victoria New South Wales Australian Capital Territory Tasmania

Compare Australian Capital Territory with nearby areas

New South Wales Victoria Tasmania Queensland South Australia Northern Territory Western Australia Other Territories

Cite this page

Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2021). Western Australia vs Australian Capital Territory [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/compare/ste/5/western-australia/vs/8/australian-capital-territory